Week 18 Should Give Eagles Rookies Chance To Show They Belong

PHILADELPHIA – It’s going to be sunny, like it was in August, but the temperatures will be far from that month’s typical 80-plus degrees. It will be in the 30s on Sunday. Still, it will feel like a summer preseason game for the Eagles because it will be filled with backups, especially rookies.

Plenty of eyes will be on quarterback Tanner McKee, who will make his second career, Week 18 start when the Eagles host the Washington Commanders on Sunday (4:25 p.m.). The rookies should also draw eyeballs. The Eagles haven’t gotten much from last spring’s rookie class, aside from first-round pick, linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Second-round selection, safety Drew Mukuba was having a steady season until fracturing his ankle in Week 12.

After those two, contributions have been scant from the eight other players taken by general manager Howie Roseman and his front office.

This game should boost those players’ snaps, except for the last player Roseman took, defensive end Antwuan Powell-Ryland, who was the 209th player taken overall but is now on the practice squad of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Here are the rest of the rookies:

Fourth-round: Defensive tackle Ty Robinson, 53 snaps, two tackles.

Fifth-round: Cornerback Mac McWilliams, seven snaps, inactive for 11 games.

Fifth-round: Linebacker Smael Mondon, 14 defensive snaps, 275 snaps (66 percent) on special teams with 10 tackles.

Proving Time For Eagles Rookies

Fifth-round: Drew Kendall, 20 offensive snaps. He will play at his natural position of center on Sunday.

“It’s a great opportunity for me, a lot of us, to go prove what we have,” he said.

Sixth-round: Quarterback Kyle McCord has spent the season on the practice squad and has been a nonfactor.

Sixth-round: Offensive lineman Myles Hinton. He was excited when his 21-day practice window opened to give him a chance to return from a back injury that has him on injured reserve from the start of the season, and disappointed when he wasn’t added to the roster after the 21 days expired.

Sixth-round: Offensive lineman Cameron Williams. He spent most of the year on IR with a shoulder injury, but he was added to the roster earlier inthe week and should see time on Sunday.

Undrafted: Receiver Darius Cooper and cornerback Brandon Johnson.

Cooper has had a decent season in a limited role. He will probably get at least five targets on Sunday and that gives him a chance to add to his season totals of six catches for 59 yards.

Johnson will be active for his third game and is somebody the Eagles like. He could be one to watch heading into next season.

There will be other players to watch, including second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., whose snaps have come on special teams, but he has just 19 on defense. He is tied with Kylen Granson for second on the team for the most tackles on special teams with 18.

“I’m really excited,” said Trotter. “This is a great opportunity. I’m just gonna go out there and try to execute the game plan, do my job, do my part to help the team win. I’ve gotten more used to the defense this year and learned more from watching the veteran guys.

“Having a year under my belt with great coaches and great veteran guys around, learning from them has helped me grow my game, and grow as a player.”

Prediction: The Commanders are down to their third-string quarterback, Josh Johnson, and a loss would serve them well when it comes to a better draft pick. The Eagles have a better roster, so their backups should be able to turn this into a win.

Eagles 20, Commanders 16

Season record: 10-6

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