Backend Shuffle

Important decisions await the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline.

On the latest episode of “Inside The Birds,” Adam Caplan, Geoff Mosher and Andrew DiCecco discussed their respective initial 53-man roster projections.

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles QB Kenny Pickett has secured a backup job behind Jalen Hurts.

Quarterbacks

Geoff Mosher: “We’re all in agreement that the Eagles are going to keep three quarterbacks…The only question here is does somebody pick up the phone, try to call Howie (Roseman), and try to get (Kenny) Pickett? I don’t see that happening.”

Adam Caplan: “This is simple. The Eagles are into developing quarterbacks, that’s why Tanner McKee is on the roster. We know he got some work with the twos this summer. He has been a nice story of development as a sixth-round pick and they’ll continue to work with him.”

Andrew DiCecco: “I have always cautioned to pump the breaks with Tanner McKee. Context is really important when you’re looking at the preseason going against third teamers. In practice, he didn’t look particularly sharp.”

Wide Receivers

Mosher: “I debated a little bit on (Britain) Covey, but in the end, I felt a good punt returner and he showed enough this year. The other guys are no debate because they are draft picks. I didn’t see the Eagles cutting them especially because (Johnny) Wilson was running with the first team as long as he was and Ainias Smith seemed to come on at the end of camp.”

DiCecco: “Covey didn’t dress [in the final preseason game] so that’s an indication that he’s a lock. He’s had a really good camp.”

Tight End/O-Line

Mosher: “After a lot of deliberation, I went with three tight ends and nine offensive linemen. I kept E.J. Jenkins…Grant Calcaterra is not a blocker, he has been hurt very much, Dallas Goedert gets hurt too. Do the Eagles want to put Jenkins on the practice squad and immediately get rid of three weeks of activation or do they just want the security of it.”

Caplan: “(Dylan) McMahon is a one position player, he’s not a guard. (Brett) Toth has five position versatility…This has been a Jeff Stoutland special, they keep bringing him back.”

DiCecco: “They have options, I don’t think they want to part ways with McMahon, a sixth round pick who showed encouraging signs of development throughout camp…There’s more upside there than Brett Toth, I don’t think any team’s going to be clamoring for their services.” 

Inside Linebackers

Mosher: “We all have the same five inside linebackers: Devin White, Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and Ben VanSumeren. I wonder if (Oren) Burks being hurt for most of camp made it easy for the Eagles to try to get him back on the practice squad.”

Caplan: “Zack Baun will probably start Week 1. They have very little consistent play from inside ‘backers. Who says if Burks comes back that he couldn’t start later in the season?”

Cornerbacks

Mosher: “We each kept Darius Slay, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Isaiah Rodgers, and Kelee Ringo. The only discussion there is Eli Ricks and Josh Jobe…you want to keep guys who are good at special teams but they also have to be playable if they get in there. I don’t know if Josh Jobe is playable anymore.”

DiCecco: “(Jobe) just seems to have fallen out of favor [on defense]. If Michael Clay had his choice of one player that he could keep, I’m almost positive it would be Josh Jobe…but I don’t know if you can qualify him as a top 53 player.”

James Bradberry

Caplan: “They have to make a decision by Week 1. He did look like he could probably make it at safety then he had the one issue in the game.”

DiCecco: “I took [him not playing the preseason finale] one of two ways. It could be that the Eagles were trying to preserve him and prevent injury, but Nick Sirianni said he saw enough out of him…I don’t see a world where he’s on this roster.”

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