Eagles Analysis: Five storylines to watch for vs. Jets

There won’t be many starters on the field for Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets during the final preseason game. There will be many players on the bubble of making the roster and this final preseason game will be their time to shine. This final showdown in the preseason will not only show what these roster hopefuls can bring to the table but it means that the regular season is right around the corner.

Tim Tebow is returning to the home of his former team. Some Eagles, like Kiko Alonso and Josh Huff, will see playing time but their snaps will be limited. It’ll give the Jets a chance to put their backup quarterbacks to the test. Big names like Sam Bradford, DeMarco Murray and Darren Sproles won’t see playing time but less familiar names will see their last chance of making the team. There will be 22 fewer Eagles a few days after tonight’s action but here are five important storylines to look for during the game.

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Tim Tebow vs. Matt Barkley

There is a lot of competition for the No.3 quarterback position in Philadelphia. Thursday night will be the final time for these two to duke it out. Matt Barkley will start the game and Tim Tebow will see some playing time after he leaves. There has been more of Barkley in the past three preseason games and has had slightly more success.

Yet there is still no clear winner for the job. Chip Kelly hasn’t made his decision on the matter and games, rather than practice, matter more to him in terms of evaluation. The decision for Kelly will come down to whether he chooses a better passer with more experience playing offense or one who is more versatile and offers use throughout the roster.

Who Plays and Who Won’t

60 minutes of playing time is a lot of time to spread among a diverse group of players. Many of the Eagles’ top players won’t see more than a snap or two. However, there will be some faces that haven’t been seen much during the preseason. Linebacker Kiko Alonso will see time on the field and it’ll be his first game back since December 2013. Wide receiver Josh Huff will also be back in the lineup after missing last week’s game due to the death of a family member.

He’ll need to work on showing that his production levels having gone up. Starting kicker Cody Parker is day-to-day and might not suit up due to a groin injury. It kept him out last week and might keep him out until the season opener in Atlanta. Sam Bradford most likely won’t see any playing time and Mark Sanchez might not even see the field either.

Roster Battles

Besides quarterback, there are tons of other positions that have meaningful battles for starters. One place to start is the offensive line. There are five starting players for the Eagles but the team needs to settle on either three or four backups. David Molk will certainly be one of the backup players at center. Matt Tobin would be a solid backup for the other four sports on the offensive line.

There are still one, maybe two, spots still up for grabs and tonight might solidify who will fit in there. Defensively, the backfield also is still up in the air. E.J. Biggers, Jaylen Watkins and Randall Evans will try to secure jobs at cornerback. Ed Reynolds and Jerome Coupin are in competition for the job at safety. After Thursday’s game, there will be more of a clear picture of who’s made the cut.

Final Receiver Spots

There are a few questions about how the Eagles will handle their roster spots this season, particularly when it comes to wide receiver. In 2014, the Eagles carried six wide receivers on the team. This year, the wide receivers thus far are Jordan Matthews, Josh Huff, Riley Cooper and Nelson Agholor. There are still two empty spots if Kelly wants to stick to the six WR plan. Miles Austin, Rasheed Bailey and Jeff Mahel are fighting for those two spots.

Expect to see more Bailey after his particularly standout preseason but Mahel is more familiar with Kelly’s offense. He has the better chance of landing one of the final two spots, even over Austin. If Bailey doesn’t make the roster, he has a really good chance to make the practice squad. But tonight’s game might prove differently.

Running Back Battle

A big question will be if the Eagles will have four running backs this season. It wouldn’t be surprising given that Kelly is leaning towards having a running style of offense. Last season you didn’t need more than three with LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles. McCoy is gone and Sproles is most likely the No. 1 back at this point. Kenjon Barner has been great this summer, having scored three times and had a few big plays.

Purdue’s Raheem Mostert also is in competition to stick around. He’s fast on his feet and has also made some big plays during the preseason. He’ll have a better shot to stick around through the final cut and make the practice squad but both will have their final test on the field against the Jets.

Next: Eagles Opponent Preview: Jets Q & A with The Jet Press

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