McMullen's 53-Man Eagles Roster

PHILADELPHIA - As a former champion and runner-up in the annual Eagles beat reporters’ 53-man roster pool you could say I’m gunning for The Athletic’s Bo Wulf, the reigning kingpin, but the confidence is a little bit shaky this time around due to changes from a new CBA and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The most notable of those changes when it comes to roster building are the new injured reserve rules, along with expanded practice squads which could result in 55-man rosters during a game week.

Most of that is post-final 53, however, although strategies could shift for general managers around the league now that as many as six veterans with no limit on their accrued seasons can be placed on the 16-man practice squad.

That could have Howie Roseman leaning toward keeping younger players with upside when it comes to the toughest decisions on the back-end of the roster.

As far as injured reserve goes, the rules are much more flexible in the COVID world but understand that players have to be on the original 53 to take advantage of a system that now allows an unlimited number of players to return to the roster after being on IR for at least three games.

For example, you can’t put say Will Parks, who is expected to miss a number of games with a hamstring injury, on IR to open up a roster spot at the cutdown. You have to carry Parks on the original 53 and then make the move afterward.

With that minutia out of the way, don’t look in that rear-view mirror Wulf, we’re gunning for you…

QUARTERBACKS:

IN: Carson Wentz, Nate Sudfeld, Jalen Hurts (3)

OUT: None

PS: None

The Skinny: Once the Eagles moved on from potential practice-squad QB Kyle Lauletta on Aug. 17, this was a fait accompli with the only question being whether the rookie Hurts would unseat Sudfeld for the backup job. The real splay there might be a package or two for the dual-threat Hurts but if you need a full game Sudfeld would be No. 2 as Doug Pederson has insisted throughout camp.

Lauletta, by the way, just signed with Atlanta, per his agent Mike McCartney and the Eagles could be on the lookout for another developmental type they like for the 16-man PS.

RUNNING BACKS:

IN: Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Corey Clement (3)

OUT: Michael Warren

PS: Elijah Holyfield, Adrian Killins

-The Eagles have been extra cautious with Sanders through camp with the idea of getting him as healthy as possible from a hamstring strain for Week 1 in Washington. From there Scott proved a lot to this organization late last season and Philadelphia thinks they have a player at RB2, while Clement had a good camp after two injury-plagued seasons.

Holyfield clearly beat out the two undrafted rookies but don’t be surprised if the Eagles pursue the waiver wire to see if there might be an upgrade out there. Otherwise, the Eagles should use the expanded PS to house the depth here and keep an extra receiver. Warren was as advertised, a bowling-ball with little wiggle, while Killins got the nickname treatment (AK) from Pederson and will be kept on the PS as a speedy hybrid prospect.

WIDE RECEIVERS

IN: DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Deontay Burnett, John Hightower, Quez Watkins (7)

OUT: Marcus Green

PUP: Alshon Jeffery

PS: Manasseh Bailey, Travis Fulgham

OPT-OUT: Marquise Goodwin

-The real questions here center on the health of Jeffery and the decision between Burnett and Watkins.

On the former, it’s unlikely that the Eagles will push Jeffery coming off Lisfranc surgery so starting him on PUP is the right thing to do now that the depth has been built up a bit.

As for Burnett, you could make a strong argument that he was the most consistent WR in camp not named DeSean Jackson and he’s earned his spot.

Like most GMs Howie Roseman likes to keep his draft picks, however, so the real decision is maybe Watkins at WR vs. Holyfield at RB which in some ways is inconsequential because both are likely to make it through waivers anyway. For that reason, Roseman will default to the draft pick.

TIGHT ENDS

IN: Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Noah Togiai (3)

OUT: Tyrone Swoopes

PS: Caleb Wilson

IR: Josh Perkins

-The Eagles only kept two to start last season and the thought that you need depth if you’re going to play a ton 12 personnel is a fundamental misunderstanding of Pederson’s philosophy.

The Eagles play a lot of 12 because of the presence of Ertz and Goedert and if they didn’t have one of them, the focus would shift to other personnel groups. That said, Togiai seems to have made a great impression with his athleticism and seems like a keeper.

OFFENSIVE LINE:

IN: Matt Pryor, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Jason Peters, Lane Johnson, Nate Herbig, Jordan Mailata, Jack Driscoll, Prince Tega Wanogho (9)

OUT: None

PS: Luke Juriga, Julian Good-Jones, Sua Opeta

PUP: Brandon Brooks

IR: Andre Dillard

-The depth is lacking and the question of Pryor vs. Peters at left tackle isn’t meaningful from a roster standpoint. The only question is nine vs. 10 with players like Opeta and Juriga in the mix for the final spot. Again the expanded PS really helps here in that Roseman and Andy Weidl can survey the waiver wire for potential swing tackle help.

DEFENSIVE LINE:

IN: Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Derek Barnett, Malik Jackson, Josh Sweat, Hassan Ridgway, Casey Toohill, Vinny Curry, Joe Ostman (10)

OUT: T.Y. McGill

PS: Shareef Miller, Anthony Rush, Raequan Williams

IR: Genard Avery, Daeshon Hall

IPP: Matt Leo

-This might be the toughest group to predict because the Eagles are deep and talented on the line and this might be the spot where they take a hit from others looking at their waivers.

Ostman performed better than both Miller and Avery and his versatility on top of that finally gets him over the hump. Avery will be healthy at some point from the bone bruise that was feared to be a torn ACL. A shift to IR would buy a redshirt year while you have to roll the dice in the form of waivers with Miller, who simply hasn’t shown the upside of the other young pass rushers in camp.

Inside Rush is a two-down player in this league but loses out in the numbers game and Williams has an upside but should get through waivers.

This is fluid, however. If the Eagles think they can get an Ostman through waivers and say couldn’t get Rush or Miller by due to past performance with Rush and pedigree with Miller, the post-53 roster juggling could be in play.

LINEBACKERS

IN: Nate Gerry, Duke Riley, T.J. Edwards, Davion Taylor, Shaun Bradley (5)

OUT: NONE

PS: Alex Singleton

-Singleton deserves to make the team but Philadelphia thinks it can get him through waivers and will need the spot. A quick call-up will be in order from there for Dave Fipp and the special-teams unit.

SECONDARY:

IN: Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox, Rodney McLeod, Jalen Mills, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Will Parks, K’Von Wallace, Rasul Douglas, Cre’Von LeBlanc, Rudy Ford (10)

OUT: Sidney Jones (Trade), Trevor Williams, Marcus Epps

PS: Craig James, Grayland Arnold, Michael Jacquet, Elijah Riley

-At some point, the realization has to hit Roseman that Jim Schwartz simply doesn’t trust Sidney Jones so it’s time to spin off the former second-round pick for whatever you can get. The Eagles would love to keep James as well and a post-53 move of Parks to IR for three games and elevating James could be in play.

SPECIALISTS:

IN: Jake Elliott, Cameron Johnston, Rick Lovato (3)

OUT: NONE

PS: NONE

- The Eagles’ specialist group is one of the best in the league and the organization didn’t even bother to bring in cursory competition.

-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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