From Bubble to Banked On: Eagles Players Who've Climbed the Ladder Can Breathe on Cutdown Day

PHILADELPHIA — Earlier in their careers cutdown days were never a time to relax for several now-entrenched Eagles.

Nate Gerry might be the most notable example of this, waived as a fifth-round pick in 2017.

A University of Nebraska safety trying to make the transition to linebacker, Gerry ultimately cleared waivers and was added to the practice squad where his journey continued, first being elevated to the active roster before becoming a core special-teamer, and then sticking his toes in the water of Jim Schwartz's defense.

By last season injuries to Nigel Bradham and Kamu Grugier-Hill offered opportunity and Gerry was on the field for 61 percent of the defensive snaps. Fast forward to 2020 and the South Dakota native is the guy at LB, expected to be the only one on the field ar all times.

Gerry spoke about that evolution last week.

"Just understanding of the game. Coming from college, playing safety, it’s obviously a lot faster the closer you move to the football," the now fourth-year player said. "Things happen a lot quicker. Especially playing the MIKE linebacker position, you’ve got to make a lot more checks and communications with getting the d-line lined up and the secondary lined up. But I’ve always just taken it a day at a time.

"Every year I’ve tried to improve in some way. My first year I played all special teams, and then my second year, I did all special teams with a little bit more defense, then third year, just got a little bit more, and that’s kind of what I was doing, chipping away, showing coaches and teammates that I could be trusted in situations of the ballgame, showing that I do things right, and I think at the end of the day, that kind of paid off for me."

For Greg Ward, his transition was even more extreme, from quarterback at the University of Houston to slot receiver in the NFL. That took three years, a detour into the AAF, and an opportunity thanks to injuries last season.

As Philadelphia made its now-somewhat annual late-season run to the postseason it was Ward who turned into Carson Wentz's most reliable target after tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, becoming a favorite of Doug Pederson's wife Jeannie in the process.

Almost overnight Ward is now regarded as a leader in a young WR room expected to contain three rookies: Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins.

“I never have that mindset,” Ward said when asked about not having to dread 215 popping up on cutdown day to a roster gimmee. “I don’t know why, but I’m always the one who is still praying that I make the team. I never try to count my eggs before they’re hatched. I’m always working like it’s my last practice."

Boston Scott was the Ward of the running back room late last season, grabbing the baton due to injury and crossing the finish line as accomplished contributor. For Scott, it's been practice-squad steal from New Orleans to RB2 in less than two years.

“That’s where I was able to build on my game,” Scott said of his time on the PS here and in NOLA, “And the coaches are always watching, so you never know what the coaches might see.

"If you’re making plays every day then you enter the discussion of, ‘How can we get this guy on the field?’ It’s all about your mindset and taking it personally and showing it out on the field every day.”

The chip on the shoulder seems to be the one constant between players who were once afterthoughts and are now cornerstones.

“I think it’s important to just do what I’ve been doing,” Scott explained. “Just take it one step at a time, one play at a time, not letting the moment be too big, not letting the moment be too small. Just staying present and thankful and appreciative that I’m there and now I got to make something of it."

Another common trait is work-ethic.

“The grind doesn’t stop,” Ward admitted as he offered advice to those on the bubble this time around. “Continue to work hard. You never know when you’ll get that call. Just continue to pray and stay hungry. That’s not the last stop for you. Whether you stay here, get a callback, or go somewhere else, you got to continue to grind.”

Confidence is also a big part of any success in the NFL.

"I’m a football player. That’s how I was raised," Gerry said when asked if he had any doubts along the way. "Coming from South Dakota, I played almost every position you could possibly think of, from long-snapper to punter, and on the offensive and defensive side. It was just another challenge for me that I wanted to overcome.

"I knew I could play the game of football."

Sunday will be the end of the road for some in Philadelphia but another door is on the horizon.

“Don’t set your value whether you make the team or not,” Scott said. “Focus on the opportunities you do get from that point on. Because your mindset from that point on can definitely determine what direction you go in after that.

"You could look at it as nobody believes in me, maybe I’m not cut out for this. Or you could continue to work and just hope that an opportunity comes.”

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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