The Eagles have assembled a talented 90-man roster as they prepare to head to training camp next week.
That means they’ll have to make some tough decisions when it comes to trimming their roster to 53 players by the August 27 deadline. There will be some really fun competitions this summer and some good players won’t be held back.
Here are 15 veterans in the hot seat heading into camp:
DB James Bradberry: The soon-to-be 31-year-old was a starting cornerback for the Eagles the past two seasons and was named a second-team All-Pro in 2022. But he had a horrible year in 2023 and won’t start in 2024. In the spring, we were looking forward to seeing Bradberry play safety, but he was injured early in one of the open practices. Presumably, Bradberry will work at safety this summer in an attempt to stay on the Eagles’ roster. Perhaps the Eagles can find a trade partner to get something in return for Bradberry, but an outright cut shouldn’t be out of the question. It’s a tricky situation with a player who seemingly fell off a cliff last year but is still under contract.
LB Oren Burks: The 29-year-old will likely make the Eagles roster, but it’s not guaranteed. With 91 games and 15 starts under his belt, Burks brings some experience to the Eagles’ linebacking corps, but he doesn’t appear to be in contention for a starting job. The competition for the other spot next to Devin White will likely come down to Zack Baun or Nakobe Dean. Burks will have to make the team based on his special teams abilities, and perhaps a younger option like Ben VanSumeren will be more appealing, especially if the Eagles don’t want to guarantee Burks’ salary.
WR Britain Covey: I think Covey will make the Eagles’ 53-man roster. He ended up being one of the best punt returners in the NFL last season and that’s a role worth keeping. But the Eagles added a bunch of guys with punt return experience this offseason with Cooper DeJean, Ainias Smith and Isaiah Rodgers. So if Covey doesn’t factor into the Eagles’ offensive plans, maybe they don’t think he’s worth keeping as a punt returner. That may be a mistake, but it’s not crazy to think it could happen.
RB Tyrion Davis-Price: If the Eagles keep only three running backs, it will be Saquon Barkley, Kenny Gainwell and Will Shipley. But if they keep a fourth, Davis-Price will be in the running. Davis-Price was a third-round pick by the 49ers in 2022 and has only played in seven career games, so calling him a veteran is probably a bit of a stretch. But he’s a guy with pedigree who’s on the bubble.
OL Matt Hennessy: The Eagles signed the veteran to a one-year deal after he missed the entire 2023 season with a knee injury. Hennessy has played in 41 games with 22 starts in his career after the Falcons used a third-round pick on him in 2020. The Eagles signed him for some depth on their interior line, but have since added Mekhi Becton and Max Scharping in free agency and drafted Trevor Keegan and Dylan McMahon on Day 3. Hennessy still has a chance to make the team, but there are ways it might not happen.
CB Josh Jobe: Not long ago, Jobe was the Eagles’ top cornerback on the outside, so his inclusion on this list shows how much talent the Eagles have added to the position. The Eagles now have Quinyon Mitchell, Kelee Ringo, and Isaiah Rodgers ahead of him. If Jobe wants to make the roster, he’ll have to do so on the strength of his special teams play, which is very possible. Jobe has become a terrific punter on the punt team and is a favorite of special teams coordinator Michael Clay.
OT Fred Johnson: Johnson spent last season as the Eagles’ backup left tackle and didn’t really get to play on offense because Jordan Mailata stayed healthy. The Eagles like Big Fred and extended him last summer because of that. But the addition of Becton makes it tricky. If Becton ends up being the top backup on both sides — a traditional swing tackle — then Johnson’s role will be a little harder to figure out.
LB Patrick Johnson: The Eagles used a seventh-round pick on Johnson in 2021 and he has quietly carved out a significant role on special teams, playing in 48 games over the past three seasons. In those three years, Johnson has played 868 snaps on special teams to lead the Eagles. But with the addition of players like Baun and Burks, there’s no guarantee the Eagles will keep Johnson for his fourth season.
CB Zech McPhearson: Last year, the Eagles planned to start the season with McPhearson as the backup. If that had been the case, McPhearson would have been called up early in the year when Avonte Maddox was injured. But McPhearson tore his Achilles tendon in the preseason and missed the entire year. Now, he’s back for his fourth NFL season and finds himself in a crowded cornerback room.
DT PJ Mustipher: If the Eagles really want a pure backup, Mustipher makes sense. He stands 6’4″ and weighs 300 pounds. But there are clearly several players ahead of him on the roster and the Penn State product will have to earn a roster spot this summer.
OLB Julien Okwara: The Eagles signed the former third-round pick in February, a move that went unnoticed. But Okwara is just 26 and has played in 38 career games with nine sacks. He’s a long-armed outside linebacker who could compete for a roster spot.
TE Albert Okwuegbunam:The Eagles traded Albert O just before the start of the 2023 season and kept him on the roster for most of the year despite limited playing time. But Okwuegbunam had a big preseason game last year and has a chance to show he deserves a roster spot over Grant Calcaterra, who has been the No. 3 pick in recent years and could also be on this list.
CB Eli Ricks:We saw some promising signs from Ricks in his first year as a UDFA at Alabama. But, again, the defensive backs room is crowded. Ricks played 16 games last season and has the ability to play both inside and outside cornerback, but he’ll have to beat out some other guys to make the roster this year.
Editor John Ross: The former first-round pick is a great story. Ross hasn’t played in the NFL since 2021 and has officially retired, but he began his comeback by trying out with the Eagles during rookie camp and earning a roster spot. The speedster may be an underdog, but the Eagles also don’t have much depth at receiver. So maybe Ross can resurrect his career at age 28.
TE CJ Uzomah: The 31-year-old has played in 106 games with 82 starts and is the Eagles’ top choice as a blocking TE2 for their 12-man package. But perhaps one of the other younger tight ends on the roster can challenge for that spot behind Dallas Goedert.
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