Now that Training Camp is under way and we have gotten some reports on how the players are doing, it's time to update my predictions of who will make the Eagles roster. With no exhibition games being played yet, a lot can still change, but this is how things seem to be shaping up so far. Below my roster projection I have also listed several players who are on the bubble and I gave reasons why they might not make the final roster. There aren't a lot, but changes from my previous projection are listed in bold.
Offense:
QB(3): Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley
RB(3): Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Lorenzo Booker
FB (1): Leonard Weaver
WR(6): DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Reggie Brown, Jeremy Maclin, Hank Baskett
TE(3): Brent Celek, Matt Schobel, Cornelius Ingram
LT(2): Jason Peters, King Dunlap
LG(2): Todd Herremans, Max Jean-Gilles
C(2): Jamaal Jackson, Nick Cole
RG(2): Stacy Andrews, Mike McGlynn
RT(2): Shawn Andrews, Winston Justice
Defense:
DE(6): Juqua Parker, Trent Cole, Victor Abiamiri, Darren Howard, Chris Clemons, Bryan Smith
DT(4): Brodrick Bunkley, Mike Patterson, Trevor Laws, Dan Klecko
LB(5): Chris Gocong, Akeem Jordan, Joe Mays, Omar Gaither, Matt Wilhelm
CB(5): Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Joselio Hanson, Ellis Hobbs, Jack Ikegwuonu
FS(2): Quintin Demps, Macho Harris
SS(2): Quintin Mikell, Sean Jones
Special Teams:
K(1): David Akers
P(1): Sav Rocca
LS(1): Jon Dorenbos
Player who will start the season on the injured list: Stewart Bradley
Bradley's season-ending injury opens the door for another linebacker to make the team.
Possible to start the season on the injured list: Victor Abiamiri
With all the positive reports on how Westbrook is doing, I removed him from this category. Abiamiri is always injured, however, so he is always a possibility to end up on the injured list.
Most likely to get cut/traded: Sheldon Brown, Reggie Brown
It's looking less and less likely that Sheldon Brown will get traded every day. He seems to have straightened up and will be a valuable member of the Eagles secondary. Reggie Brown will probably make the team, but, with his salary and low standing on the depth chart, he is definitely an option to be dealt.
Players on the bubble:
RB/FB: Kyle Eckel
There is no way that Eckel will beat out Weaver for the starting fullback spot but Eckel could make the team as a RB ahead of Lorenzo Booker. All reports so far about Booker are that he has been very disappointing, so the Eagles may want to go with a 3rd RB with some size. Either way, it will be up to Eckel to prove that he can be a valuable special teams contributor.
WR: Brandon Gibson, Shaheer McBride
There is a good chance that Gibson beats out Hank Baskett, but a numbers game will keep these two off the roster because there is no way the Eagles keep 7 receivers. Both are likely headed for the practice squad.
OL: Mike Gibson, Fenuki Tupou, Chris Patrick, Paul Fanaika
Not enough room to keep more than one backup at each offensive line position. I am interested to see how Gibson does this training camp, however. He was on injured reserve all last season and could beat out Mike McGlynn if he has a good camp. Tupou and Fanaika were both picked up in the draft, but the Eagles are too loaded to keep either one. Tupou has the better shot and would be great on the practice squad.
DL: Jason Babin
The recently signed Babin has an outside shot of making the team. If Abiamiri is hurt, he's in. Bryan Smith could also be in danger of losing his spot.
LB: Tank Daniels, Moise Fokou
With the injury to Bradley, there will be a battle between these two and Matt Wilhelm for the final LB spot. Tank is always valuable as a special teams guy, so he could earn a spot on the roster. Fokou was the last of the Eagles draft picks in the 7th round but figures to be a longshot at best.
DB: Rashad Baker, Dmitri Patterson, Trae Williams, Byron Parker
Baker appears to be on the outside looking in, losing out on a spot to Macho Harris. If they are at all close, I would expect Harris to make the team. Baker still has a decent shot if anyone gets injured in the secondary. Patterson also has a shot, since he spent the end of last season with the team, but it's going to be hard to budge any of the other DB's out of a spot.
That's the team as I see it. Did I leave anyone off? Who needs to be cut? Discuss in the comments section.
No way Schobel is ahead of Ingram at TE. Wouldn't be surprised if he is cut. Also, by all accounts Reggie Brown is having a great camp, and isn't likely to be cut or traded.
ReplyDeleteI think the Eagles are going to find some way to keep Brandon Gibson on the team. If Reggie Brown misses a step at all, Gibson makes it and Brown gets dealt or cut.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above comment that Ingram is ahead of Schobel and Schobel is likely to get cut.
I guess Schobel is now ahead of Ingram as it appears that Ingram tore his ACL again. What a shame, I was looking forward to seeing him.
ReplyDeleteMacho Harris at safety, eh? I actually never thought of that before but it might work. In my book, Harris was a steal for the Eagles and I am eager to see what he does on the field in an Eagles uniform.
Yeah, with Ingram going down, this Roster is obviously out of date. Schobel definitely moves into the back-up role now, for better or for worse
ReplyDelete