Clearer Picture

Following Week 2 of the NFL preseason, a flurry of injuries and transactions have made the roster picture for the Philadelphia Eagles a bit more clear.

On the latest episode of “Inside The Birds,” Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher provide updates and intel on the team’s position battles. 

Getty Images: Third-year RB Kenneth Gainwell is expected to have a big role in the rotation

Marcus Mariota/Tanner McKee

Adam Caplan: “Mariota is really not playing well. It’s not just practice, it’s the games…I like that McKee has been pretty good in the games, he doesn’t get a lot of practice reps. Mariota has to be better because he is one injury away from playing. This accuracy is just not acceptable.”

Geoff Mosher: “The number three quarterback is performing well in games against guys who are going to be cut and he is a rookie who has never played in an NFL game. The Eagles are a franchise who believes so much in the value of the backup quarterback, they want someone who they know who can win games for them. If they don’t believe Mariota is that guy, they are not going to hand the keys to McKee. If there were somebody out there who they felt was better than Marcus, then they make that move.”

Running Backs

Caplan: “It’s starting to get clear. (Kenneth) Gainwell is their situational back, their four-minute, two-minute back, could be their main goal line back…Gainwell seems to get the most snaps of all the backs. Boston Scott gets his reps. The thing we don’t know is who is the main ball carrier? Gainwell doesn’t have the juice of (Rashaad) Penny or (D’Andre) Swift. Swift is a bounce-it-outside runner, Gainwell is an inside runner, and Penny is a home run hitter. That is where you get your committee going.”

Fred Johnson

Mosher: “As we understand it, Fred Johnson is going to wind up on this team because he is a backup left tackle naturally and they don’t have another guy who you can say is a natural backup left tackle and that is an important spot.”

Caplan: “He has experience, is a veteran, sort of a young journeyman. Long, over 6’7. We saw him get work with the twos over the last week and a half.”

Defensive Tackles

Mosher: “From what we are hearing, (Kentavius) Street, Moro Ojomo and (Marlon) Tuipuloto are all having good camps and all performing well, Tuipuloto especially…unlike running backs and receivers, when you waive these guys on cut days they are not automatic that you bring them back because teams are always looking for good interior defensive linemen.”

Cornerbacks

Mosher: “There had to be a reason that they were starting to put James Bradberry in the slot…It’s interesting that they have Avonte Maddox who has been hurt a lot, were using Zech McPhearson in the slot and also now cross-training Bradberry there and you don’t normally keep six corners.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.

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