Gates, Jenkins Elevated

Two Eagles practice squad members, veteran offensive lineman Nick Gates and tight end E.J. Jenkins, were elevated to the active roster for Friday night’s season opener against the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Gates, a five-year veteran with 29 starts among his 44 career games, will serve as the backup center to Cam Jurgens, who will debut at center against Green Bay. Gates has played center and guard in his career with the Commanders and Giants.

Jenkins will serve as the third tight end behind Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra. If he sees the field, on offense or special teams, Jenkins will make his NFL debut.

GETTY IMAGES: OL Nick Gates (pictured) is one of two Eagles practice squad elevations against Green Bay, the other being TE E.J. Jenkins.

The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Jenkins, a wide receiver in college, finished his career at Georgia Tech after transferring from South Carolina. He went undrafted in 2023 before signing with the Jets, but never made the 53-man roster. In November landed with the Eagles’ practice squad for about two weeks, was released, and then signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on Jan. 2 before being released two weeks later.

Three days after his Raiders release, Jenkins signed back with the Eagles and competed this spring and summer to nearly make the 53-man roster before being waived at the roster cutdown deadline and being re-signed to the practice squad.

The Eagles took several other practice squad members with them to Brazil, where they’ll play the Packers at Corinthians Arena, but could only elevate two per NFL rules.

Each practice squad player can be elevated just three times to the active gameday roster during the regular-season. After Friday night’s game, the Eagles will have just two elevations remaining for Gates and Jenkins.

– Geoff Mosher (@geoffmoshernfl) is co-host of the “Inside the Birds” podcast and staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.