Eagles-Jets Stock Market: Rookie Delivers On Hail Mary

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - It was the final exam for several players in Friday’s 19-17 preseason win over the New York Jets.

Some of the better performances came from those at the end of their rope when it comes to the 53-man roster. Some, like rookie edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland delivered.

THE BULLS

Edge Defender Antwaun Powell-Ryland - The rookie pass rusher needed a Hail Mary, and he delivered it. At one point, he won on consecutive speed rushes and had a strip sack on the second, his expertise from his college days at Virginia Tech.

In the closing moments of the game with the Jets clawing for a comeback win, Powell-Ryland was terrorizing New York QB Adrian Martinez, and the Jets were forced to put a tight end on APR’s side.

It smacks of too little, too late for Powell-Ryland, but the Eagles will certainly want to continue working with him if this performance doesn’t create a waiver claim elsewhere.

Edge Defender Patrick Johnson - Maybe Johnson is the football equivalent of a 4A player, but he damn sure produces in the preseason. Today, it was a sack and splitting a tackle for loss with Ogbo Okoronkwo in the second quarter.

If this is a pure meritocracy, Johnson has made the Eagles.

Placekicker Jake Elliott - Elliott made all four of his field goal attempts in the game, and two of them were over 50 yards. The veteran made just one kick of over 50 in the regular season during 2024-25 while dealing with an injury and some shaky snapping. Now that Elliott is healthy again and Charley Hughlett has calmed down the long-snapping issues, “Jake the Make” is back.

THE BEARS

WR/PR Ainias Smith - Smith didn’t help himself as a bubble player, dropping a couple of passes and struggling as a returner. He also played deeper into the game than Darius Cooper, an indication that the undrafted rookie may be in line for a roster spot.

QB Kyle McCord - McCord was given the whole game and struggled with his accuracy behind shaky pass protection. He connected on 15 of 35 passes for a measly 136 yards, with an interception tossed in the teeth of double coverage.

TE EJ Jenkins - After struggling with drops in practice this week, it carried over into the game for Jenkins with two more. Meanwhile, Kylen Granson helped his cause to be the TE3.

STAGNANT STOCK:

QB Tyler McKee - The Eagles' backup QB had been having a great summer until injuring a finger on his throwing right hand recently. It’s a non-surgical injury, but McKee was protecting his hand by placing it in his pocket and not using it.

He’s still the same player, who projects to be one of the top backups in the NFL, but there seems to be at least some chance that McKee will be unable to go for the Sept. 4 opener against Dallas and if that’s the case, the Eagles would be holding on for dear life if McCord had to enter.

MORE NFL: Eagles Offer Early Roster Hints In 19-17 Preseason Win Over Jets