The Philadelphia Eagles have yet to conduct a single practice, so is it a little early to project the their 53-man roster? Eh, each year I find that the initial look at the 53-man roster is a good indicator of depth, both at the gameday limit, and the 53-man roster limit. With Eagles OTAs kicking off next week, now feels like the appropriate time to guess on the team's Week 1 roster.
(Players bolded in red are gameday inactives.)
Quarterback (3): Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Kyle McCord
The Eagles traded away Kenny Pickett, confident in McKee's readiness to take over as the QB2. (Personally, I thought McKee was already better than Pickett last year, but whatever.)
McCord could maybe push McKee, but his competition in camp is more likely for the QB3 spot against Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was sent to Philly as part of the Pickett trade. McCord will be given every opportunity to beat out Thompson-Robinson, and I believe he will.
Running back (4): Saquon Barkley, Will Shipley, Avery Williams, Ben VanSumeren (FB)
If you read our player review of Shipley, you already know that I'm bullish on the possibility of him being an upgrade on Kenny Gainwell at the RB2 spot. He's a lock to make the roster, at a minimum.
Williams received over-the-top praise — almost comically so — from Nick Sirianni at the NFL owners meetings.
Some of you may be asking, "Uh, who the hell is Avery Williams?"
The Eagles signed him in free agency.
He played cornerback as a rookie in 2021, making 22 tackles, with 1 forced fumble, before moving to running back in 2022. In 2024, Williams’ only role was on special teams. He was the Falcons’ primary kick returner and punt returner. He averaged 9.3 yards on 20 punt returns and 27.2 yards on 15 kick returns.
With Britain Covey moving on to play for the Rams, Williams could become the new return specialist.
I suppose we'll put him with the running backs, though I really don't know what role he would play, and what that would look like if he gets to play the regular offense.
Some of you may be wondering why A.J. Dillon didn't make the cut. Well, he missed the entire 2024 season with a stinger and signed a veteran minimum deal, so it's not as if other teams are going to be banging down the door for him.
I believe the Eagles can safely bring Dillon back to the practice squad and make him a Week 1 call-up.
Wide receiver (5): A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson, Ainias Smith
Brown, Smith, and Dotson are the starters, obviously. Thereafter, the Eagles aren't exactly flush with depth. Wilson is close to a lock, as he found a role as a Zach Pascal-type who blocks, runs rub routes, etc.
Smith had a brutal start to camp last year but showed some promise late in the summer. He needs a better showing throughout the entirety of the summer to make the team. For now, I have him on, but as a gameday scratch.
Tight end (3): Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Kylen Granson
The Eagles were able to get Goedert to take a significant pay cut, so he's back, which is huge for the offense because there isn't much behind him.
Calcaterra will be back, and of the remaining tight ends fighting for jobs behind him, the most promising to me is Granson, who is small (6'2, 241), but who is an impressive athlete and who got good blocking grades (9th both in pass blocking and run blocking) from PFF (grain of salt, as always).
Offensive line (11): Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Kenyon Green, Kendall Lamm, Drew Kendall, Myles Hinton, Cameron Williams, Trevor Keegan
The Eagles kept as many as 11 offensive linemen on their 53-man roster at times last season, and I think they'll go heavy here in 2025 as well, especially since they added so many linemen in free agency and the draft.
Mailata, Dickerson, Jurgens, and Johnson are all decorated players, obviously. I have Steen as the starting RG for now, with the following roles on gameday:
• Lamm: Swing tackle
• Green: Swing guard
• Kendall: Backup center
Hinton and Williams make the cut as developmental guys, and Keegan (my 53rd player) sticks around for another season, despite his lack of versatility.
Edge defenders (6): Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Azeez Ojulari, Bryce Huff, Josh Uche, Antwaun Powell-Ryland
This time last year, the Eagles' top three edge rushers were Josh Sweat, Bryce Huff, and Brandon Graham. Sweat and Graham are gone, and Huff was a bust in his first year with the team.
Smith and Hunt are the starters, and as long as Ojulari proves to be healthy he's a near-lock to make the team.
Huff is going to be back, friends. His albatross contract is too prohibitive to trade or cut him. The team is just going to have to hope that he can at least contribute as some sort of situational pass rusher.
I have Uche on as well. Per a source, he will begin his Eagles tenure with the edge rushers, but I also wonder if he could also see some reps at off-ball linebacker.
Powell-Ryland gets in as a developmental guy.
Interior defensive line (5): Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Ty Robinson, Thomas Booker
Only five interior linemen got snaps for the Eagles last season, but they also were able to stay healthy there. I think they'd like to keep six, and if they did, Byron Young is a possibility, but there might not be room on the roster.
Linebacker (4): Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter, Smael Mondon
Nakobe Dean will almost certainly start training camp on the PUP list, and very likely will remain there to start the season. The Eagles can perhaps go light at linebacker, since Dean will be back at some point, and because the team has additional depth at linebacker with VanSumeren and maybe Uche.
Cornerback (5): Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, Adoree' Jackson, Mac McWilliams
Eli Ricks is my 54th player. He narrowly misses the cut. Mitchell, DeJean, and Ringo are locks. Jackson serves as a safety net for Ringo, and McWilliams has inside-outside versatility. Rookie Andrew Mukuba can also play some in the slot, if needed.
Safety (4): Reed Blankenship, Justin Simmons, Andrew Mukuba, Sydney Brown
I really like Mukuba's smarts and instincts, and think he can adapt to the mental side of the NFL quicker than most rookie safeties. But… why put all your eggs in that basket when there are available veterans on the market like Simmons or Julian Blackmon? They could serve in a similar "safety net" role at safety like Adoree' Jackson above at corner. They also shouldn't cost much at this point in the offseason, and Simmons has openly expressed his desire to play in Philly.
Specialists (3): Jake Elliott, Braden Mann, Charley Hughlett
Give me a long snapper competition to watch, you cowards.
PUP list (1): LB Nakobe Dean
As noted above.
NOTE: I don't have any undrafted rookies on my way-too-early 53, but I'd rank their chances like so:
1) Maxen Hook, S, Toledo: The fourth safety spot is wide open, and Hook was regarded by some draft analysts as a fourth- or fifth-round prospect.
2) Montrell Johnson, RB, Florida: Physical runner with 4.41 speed.
3) Hollin Pierce, OT, Rutgers: He's 6'8, 341, with LT-RT versatility. If he didn't have so much competition for one of the backup spots, I'd have him first.
MORE: Eagles win-loss predictions
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