Who Will It Be …

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles wrapped preseason play Friday evening in South Philadelphia, falling to the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-13. The next time the Eagles play a game at Lincoln Financial Field will be Sept. 13, when they host the Washington Commanders in the season opener.

Before that, though, the Eagles – along with 31 other teams – must trim the roster down to 53 players by 6 p.m. on Aug. 30. Expect a flurry of moves in the coming days.

ITB PHOTO/GEOFF MOSHER: How many backup QBs will the Eagles keep?

With that, after quite a bit of angst, here’s a look at my final 53-man roster projection.

Offense: 26

Quarterback (3): Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee

The summerlong battle between McKee and Dalton was fairly even through much of training camp, though McKee pulled ahead, in my estimation, with a more consistent finish to camp. Dalton could be a trade target for a quarterback-needy team, as the 16-year veteran has experience in different systems, but I’m keeping him on for now. Last summer, the Eagles waived rookie Kyle McCord, taken just three picks after Payton, so it’s not exactly out of the realm of possibility that Payton faces a similar outcome. Payton, who this summer showcased more promise than McCord, has a unique skill set to work with that might entice teams on the waiver wire, though I found it curious he wasn’t given much of an opportunity in the preseason games.

Running back (3): Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley

This position might be the easiest to forecast. Barkley, who turned in a stellar training camp, will again serve as the centerpiece of a run-centric offense. I also expect his role in the passing game to evolve under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion. Bigsby consistently flashed in practice, demonstrating explosiveness and urgency with seemingly every touch. He’ll serve as the primary backup to Barkley and could stand to see a spike in opportunities. Shipley, 23, was outstanding in joint practices with the New England Patriots and has run with more power and tenacity than in year’s past. He’s also improved as a pass protector. I’m curious to see if Shipley can carve out a role under Mannion.

Wide receiver (5): DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, Hollywood Brown, Darius Cooper

The passing game runs through Smith, who sits atop the pecking order for the first time since his rookie season. The dynamic sixth-year pro stands to see a healthy number of targets in this offense. The X-factor of this group will be Wicks, a spare part in Green Bay now cast in a prominent offensive role. Wicks, a savvy separator at the top of routes, has developed a budding chemistry with Hurts this summer, thriving in the short and intermediate levels of the field. The veteran Brown started slow but came to life later in camp, showcasing an ability to find the soft spots in coverage. His $5 million contract is also fully guaranteed, so he feels like a safe bet to hang on. Cooper, who again enjoyed another productive summer, rounds things out as the “dirty work” receiver the Eagles covet. The second-year receiver also offers special teams upside.

Tight end (4): Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, Eli Stowers, Cameron Latu

I don’t feel particularly strong about this group. Goedert has been susceptible to missing time due to injury, and there isn’t much behind him to fill the void if he were to miss time. Mundt, 31, is a punishing inline blocker who cemented his status as the team’s No. 2 tight end fairly early in camp, but the veteran has just 74 career receptions, offering a largely one-dimensional skill set. The rookie Stowers needs more time to develop and it’s unclear when he’ll be ready to contribute meaningful snaps in the regular season. Latu stays for his blocking and special teams prowess. While I expect the team to backfill the room on the practice squad, this could also be a position that they look to bolster externally.

Offensive line (11): Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Fred Johnson, Drew Kendall, Markel Bell, Willie Lampkin, Micah Morris, Jake Majors

Eleven offensive linemen probably seems like overkill, but this is also the same team that once rostered seven defensive tackles in 2023 for a time. The Eagles, as evidenced year over year, value trench depth. Lampkin represents developmental upside and provides positional versatility. The second-year pro had a nice summer. And I believe of the final two players I kept on – Morris and Majors – both have a high probability of being claimed. There’s some redundancy in retaining both, but the appeal would be long-term, cost-effective value. Morris stays because of athleticism and draft pedigree. He’s still in need of some seasoning, but general manager Howie Roseman will likely want to hold onto the 2026 sixth-rounder.

Majors is a player who repped exclusively with the second-team all summer, cross-training at both center and guard. It became obvious pretty early in camp that the team likes him. Majors also produced quality preseason tape for 31 other teams to evaluate, which could make it more challenging to retain him on the practice squad.

ITB PHOTO/GEOFF MOSHER: Jordan Davis and Quinyon Mitchell (27) will be pillars of an Eagles defense that is expected to thrive.

Defense: 25

Defensive tackle (6): Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Ty Robinson, Uar Bernard

Robinson snapped out of his quiet start and “came alive” over the second half of camp, per DC Vic Fangio, showcasing increased flexibility and mobility in his movements, complementing his raw power. He’s playing with considerably more confidence than this time last year and should see more usage in Year 2. Bernard, who appeared in his first-ever game earlier this month, was always going to be a long-term project. He’s made encouraging strides this summer, and the Eagles are committed to seeing his development through. Bernard, more than anything, needs practice reps this season to further his growth behind the scenes, which is why I elected to keep him on.

Edge rusher (6): Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie, A.J. Epenesa, Joshua Weru

Vic Fangio said in Foxborough that the inside linebacker room is “probably” the deepest position on defense, but a compelling case can also be made for edge rusher. We’ll see if Greenard (pectoral strain) is healthy enough to start the season, but even if the veteran needs more time, the Eagles are equipped to navigate the interim. It can be argued that Hunt was the standout of training camp and is ready to take the next step in his progression. Smith, too, had an active camp and could handle a higher volume of snaps. Ebiketie and Epenesa provide veteran depth, while Weru has flashed enough for the team to strongly consider protecting him from waivers. Like Bernard, Weru would be a stash, as he’s still learning the game, but the Kenyan native has the tantalizing tools that should keep him on.

Off-ball Linebacker (4): Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon Jr.

The Eagles essentially have three starters here. Trotter Jr., a training camp standout, is good enough to start for a number of teams. It’ll be interesting to see if Fangio can find snaps for him this season in a situational role. Mondon Jr. had some active moments this summer and last season finished with the fifth-most special teams snaps (289). Undrafted rookie Deontae Lawson stood out against the Baltimore Ravens and Bengals and garnered some consideration here, but he’s probably someone they can get through to the practice squad. Chance Campbell has been waived before and was on the Eagles’ practice squad all season

Cornerback (6): Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Riq Woolen, Jonathan Jones, Mac McWilliams, Kelee Ringo

This is another position I could see the Eagles adding to in the coming days. Mitchell, DeJean and Woolen could quite possibly be the strongest cornerback trio in football, but beyond that, questions remain. Jones, 32, missed much of the summer with a shoulder injury and didn’t exactly set himself apart. But the veteran offers experience and can essentially play line up anywhere in the secondary. There’s always a chance, as a vested veteran, Jones ends up on the practice squad, but I decided to keep him on. McWilliams, a 2025 fifth-round pick, can play inside or outside and has had some bright moments this summer. Ringo stays on for his third phase production. The fourth-year defensive back is a core special teamer and one of the league’s top gunners. His roster chances increased once the Eagles released S J.T. Gray, a three-time All-Pro special teamer, earlier this summer.

Safety (3): Drew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, Michael Carter II

Carrying three here appears a bit light, albeit less so when considering DeJean will play safety in base. Of the four players in contention — Cole Wisniewski, Kapena Gushiken, Maximus Pulley and Andre’ Sam — for a potential final slot, Sam has been the most consistent, while Gushiken probably offers the most upside. I said this last year, but the sentiment remains: there isn’t much more Sam could have done to make this roster. The third-year safety, again, was a mainstay on the second unit throughout the summer and repped ahead of the others. Fangio this week said that Sam is “reliable” when it comes to his understanding of the defense. He also called him “trustworthy.” Unfortunately, Sam went down late in the third quarter and was taken inside on a cart. Look for two, perhaps three, of the aforementioned to resurface on the practice squad.

Specialists (2):

Kicker: Jake Elliott

The Eagles are banking on a bounce-back campaign from the veteran placekicker, whose field goal percentage last season (74.1) registered as the second-lowest output of his career. Elliott was 4-of-8 from 50-plus and converted 7-of-10 attempts of 40-49 yards.

Punter: Braden Mann

Mann, who last season averaged a career-high in punting average (49.9) and delivered in key spots, signed a four-year, $14 million contract extension with the team back in March. Mann should be universally viewed as one of the league’s top punters.

Long snapper: None

The Eagles went this route last summer, releasing veteran Charley Hughlett when establishing the initial 53-man roster. Given the team’s expected desire to go heavier at certain positions, omitting a long snapper creates another spot. It’s highly unlikely a team would be willing to place a waiver claim on the rookie Underwood, who could safely resurface on the practice squad, but the Eagles may even want to explore other options at the position.

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.