Eagles to Watch Tonight in the Preseason Opener ...
>> 10 Eagles to watch most in preseason opener
Nick Fierro
The Morning Call
August 09, 2018
mcall.com
Every Philadelphia Eagle who’s healthy enough will play in Thursday night’s preseason opener against Pittsburgh, according to coach Doug Pederson.
But some players obviously offer so many more levels of intrigue. Thus, as a public service, we have selected the 10 who most bear watching in this contest. Here’s who they are. And why.
10. LT Jason Peters
Based on the way he still moves, it looks like the perennial All-Pro still has it. Conditioning is a concern, though. Will he be able to remain in for all the plays with the rest of the starting group? He doesn’t even do that in practice yet, so it’s a valid question.
9. DE Michael Bennett
This veteran newcomer adds needed versatility that could come in handy if DT Tim Jernigan (back, herniated disc) misses any significant time. Bennett is capable of moving inside on passing downs. But the Eagles may need him to rotate inside on running downs as well to save them a roster spot for a position in which an extra player might be needed on game days. How well he performs there could go a long way toward determining the ratio of DTs to DEs on the roster.
8. P Cameron Johnston
What he’s displayed these last two summers attempting to make the team is an extremely strong leg but perhaps not the consistency to make it in the NFL. Still, the thought here is that he’s better than he might appear on some days when directional kicking or giving the punt return team certain looks could be mistaken for errant attempts.
7. C/G Isaac Seumalo
He’s had a strange first two seasons in that his first was much better than his second. Now that his repetitions are limited basically to backup center, he continues to struggle with the accuracy of his shotgun snaps. If he ever gets his act together, he could have a big future in this league because he can play every spot on the line.
6. RB Donnel Pumphrey
Last year’s struggles as a rookie were widely documented. The Eagles kept him anyway, trusting their instincts that he’s someone who can eventually help. In the meantime, they also brought in veteran Matt Jones and rookie Josh Adams to compete with Pumphrey and Wendell Smallwood for what is believed to be only one spot. Pumphrey looks like he’s made strides. We might know a lot more by the end of Thursday night.
5. DT Haloti Ngata
A proven force who has made multiple Pro Bowls, Ngata is behind Destiny Vaeao on the depth chart at the moment. The Eagles need to squeeze another year out of him, at age 34, for their defense to work, especially now that they’re looking at Jernigan not being available for at least part of the season.
4. RB Darren Sproles
He’s coming back for one more year after a pair of major injuries knocked him out of last season’s glorious run early. Camp has been a mixed bag. Sometimes he shows his trademark explosion, sometimes he doesn’t. He’s 35.
3. TE Dallas Goedert
This rookie second-round draft pick is a playmaking force, no question about it. He also can be a play-preventing force, as his questionable pass-blocking skills suggest. That could be a problem because opponents will scheme to exploit the bejesus out of any deficiency.
2. CB Sidney Jones
Because he was kept on ice for all but one game last year while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, he counts as a major bonus they hope to cash after using a second-round pick on him. Playing mostly in the slot — which he enjoys — Jones looks to be everything they thought he could be when he might have been the top-rated cornerback heading into the 2017 draft before the injury. He’s a beast in coverage, with ball skills and the kind of physical edge that defensive backs coach Corey Undlin has had the pleasure of seeing in all of his corners.
1. QB Nate Sudfeld
Remember, the coaches really believe this guy is legit, and their roster-building actions over the last year proved it. Now he will get to work with the first-team offense in games for the first time. He’s going to see a lot of action in these four preseason games. And even though he’ll be operating a vanilla offense, there will be enough curveballs for him to demonstrate how he can adjust and enough snaps for his teammates to adjust to his cadence and so forth. <<
... and a few more:
Josh Sweat
The Eagles fourth-round pick has been impressing his teammates in camp, showing a sudden burst off the edge and getting an extra jump off the ball, which as allowed him to find the quarterback. Sweat is looking to play his way into the mix at defensive end and has made a strong impression on the coaching staff, He may be the fifth end, but teh Eagles are expecting him to make an impact as an edge rusher. You'll see him play around the second quarter.
De'Vante Bausby
Ok, Bausby was on the Eagles last season, but he didn't play a single snap because he was on the practice squad. Bausby has been one of the most improved players on the team this offseason and is in direct competition with Sidney Jones for the slot cornerback position. Bausby has shown a knack for finding the ball and staying on his defender throughout training camp, rewarding Jim Schwartz for his faith in him. Bausby will get some looks against the first team and will be on the field a bit tonight. Expect to see him line up in the slot and on the outside.
Matt Pryor
Pryor has created hype in training camp, becoming the most surprising player on the Eagles roster. Pryor has been going up against Michael Bennett at right guard and held his own, even winning his fair share of battles. The sixth-round draft pick has been very impressive at his new position. This is the development and improvement Eagles offensive coordinator Mike Groh praised Pryor for. Pryor (6-7, 332) has started at right guard and right tackle and was asked to play both in several games during his days at TCU, displaying the versatility the Eagles covet on the offensive line. He has a massive frame for an offensive lineman with outstanding arm length at almost 36 inches and massive 11.5-inch hands. Pryor has developed a reputation of being an excellent pass protector, using his massive hands to fire off the ball and get an edge rusher off balance. Eagles fans will see plenty of Pryor on the offensive line once the first team is out. Just look for the massive right guard.
Corey Nelson
Nelson was supposed to compete for the first-team spot at WILL linebacker, but hasn't even been in the conversation. Nate Gerry and Kamu Grugier-Hill have received the overwhelming majority of the reps there, while Nelson has been at the SAM behind Nigel Bradham. A special teams ace, Nelson will be on the roster because of his ability there. That wasn't why he came to Philadelphia. Nelson wanted more snaps in a defense, but he hasn't been getting them to date. We'll see how Nelson does in live game action at SAM. He may be the front-runner to replace Bradham for the season opener.
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- Eric L. - |
