Eagles practice observations: Jeffery still limited; 53-man roster prediction; Watkins at corner
Highlights from the Eagles' 14th day of training camp.
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The Eagles continued training camp on Tuesday. Here's what I saw from Day 14 (Links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13):
The Eagles had a light 10-10-10 practice. They'll conduct a mock game walkthrough Wednesday before flying to Green Bay to face the Packers on Thursday. Doug Pederson didn't have any detail on how he will rotate his units for the preseason opener, but the starters typically get 1-3 series before getting the hook. The first-unit offense will likely be without right guard Brandon Brooks, who left Monday's session with an ankle strain. Chance Warmack has taken his spot.
Alshon Jeffery is also unlikely to play. The Eagles have been reluctant to insert the wide receiver into team drills, so I can't see them tossing him in against another opponent after he practiced so little. Jeffery participated in individual drills Tuesday, caught some passes from quarterback Carson Wentz off to the side and did some solo work on a separate field. Receiver Torrey Smith, who looked a little sluggish on Monday – he said it was just one of those dog days of camp – was still in the lineup. Receiver Marcus Johnson returned after missing a day with a hamstring injury.
Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who was given a rest day on Monday, was also back in action. Tight end Adam Zaruba returned after missing about a week with a concussion. Quarterback Nick Foles (elbow), receiver Paul Turner (shoulder), running back Wendall Smallwood (hamstring) and center/guard Josh Andrews (hand) remained out with injuries.
Practice was mostly uneventful as each unit ran through drills designed to their benefit. Defensive end Derek Barnett was back on the right side after two days on the left. The Eagles want their edge rushers to be versatile, but the two-day switch could signal an eventual move. Jaylen Watkins has been taking repetitions at cornerback, along with his safety responsibilities, the last two days. He bounced back and forth between the two positions in his first season, but was exclusively at safety in 2016. Being able to play both could help his chances of making the team, but it could also mean that he is in danger of falling short.
A few highlights: Cornerback Jalen Mills had an "interception." Tight end Zach Ertz had a diving one-handed grab. Receiver Bryce Treggs tracked a deep ball from Wentz. Kicker Caleb Sturgis made field goals from 28, 33 and 28 yards, but was wide left on a 33-yarder.
The Eagles have a little more than three weeks before they trim their roster from 90 to 53, but here's my first attempt to predict final cuts (knowing full well that there will be multiple changes between now and even after the Sept. 2 deadline):
Quarterback (2): Carson Wentz, Nick Foles.
If Foles' elbow soreness continues to hold him out of the preseason, the Eagles may have no other choice than to keep Matt McGloin as the third stringer. Otherwise, I think they can get away with just two quarterbacks.
Running back (4): LeGarrette Blount, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, Donnel Pumphrey.
Smallwood's strong start to training camp should be enough to cement his spot on the roster even if another soft-tissue injury has him back in the tub. Corey Clement and Byron Marshall have practice squad eligibility.
Wide receiver (6): Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Mack Hollins, Marcus Johnson.
Johnson has been ahead of the rookies on the depth chart. The Eagles initially kept only four receivers last year, but they have greater depth now. A week ago, I would have said that fifth-round Shelton Gibson was in jeopardy of not even making the practice squad. He's been sharper of late.
Tight end (3): Zach Ertz, Brent Celek, Trey Burton.
It's hard to justify keeping more than the aforementioned three. Undrafted rookie Billy Brown has caught the ball well, but blocking remains an issue.
Offensive line (10): Jason Peters, Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, Isaac Seumalo, Stefen Wisniewski, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Dillon Gordon, Chance Warmack, Matt Tobin.
The Eagles kept a whopping 11 offensive linemen last September only to eventually move Darrell Greene to the practice squad. Warmack will likely start for the injured Brooks on Thursday, but the fact that he can only play guard could hurt him. Tobin versatility could help him survive – at least that's the way I see it now.
Defensive line (9): Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, Tim Jernigan, Derek Barnett, Chris Long, Destiny Vaeao, Elijah Qualls, Steven Means.
The Eagles didn't stow Alex McCalister on Injured Reserve for nothing, but he hasn't looked much better than he did as a rookie. Means sneaks on for now. The Eagles are thin at defensive tackle with Beau Allen (pectoral tendon) likely to open the season on the non-football injury list. Justin Hamilton could beat out either Vaeao or Qualls.
Linebacker (6): Jordan Hicks, Nigel Bradham, Mychal Kendricks, Najee Goode, Joe Walker, Nathan Gerry.
Goode has been cut the previous two deadlines only to be brought back later so that his salary wasn't guaranteed for the season. The same could happen again. He's been taking the bulk of Hicks' snaps with the starters as he recovers from hand surgery. Kamu Grugier-Hill would be the most likely candidate to hold Goode's spot, although the Eagles could keep seven linebackers with Grugier-Hill essentially a special teams player.
Cornerback (5): Jalen Mills, Patrick Robinson, Ron Brooks, Rasul Douglas, C.J. Smith.
This is the position in which the Eagles are most likely to add a new face, either by trade or off the waiver wire. Aaron Grymes has had a solid camp, but the defense needs outside corners and not slot-specific ones.
Safety (5): Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Corey Graham, Jaylen Watkins, Chris Maragos.
The Eagles didn't sign the veteran Graham to be a camp body. His contract – over $1.8 million – virtually guarantees that he will make the team. Watkins has probably lost his job as the third safety, but his versatility might mean that he gets the nod over Terrence Brooks.
Specialist (3): Caleb Sturgis, Donnie Jones, Jon Dorenbos.
Self-explanatory.