Philadelphia Eagles roster outlook: Raking each position grouping
Offensive line. 4. player. 54. . .
Even without Brooks and “The Bodyguard”, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line is good enough for a top-five ranking.
With Jason Peters and Brandon Brooks on the roster, you could make the argument that Philly’s got the best offensive line in the game, especially when you factor in the possibility of throwing in a versatile reserve like Halapoulivaati Vaitai in the lineup if something happens. Unfortunately, none of those guys are here.
Andre Dillard takes over for “The Bodyguard”, but that’s a dropoff in talent. Matt Pryor will fill in for the injured Brooks, and believe it or not, that’s a more comforting thought than the previous one. Philly returns Isaac Seumalo, Lane Johnson, and Jason Kelce as well, so they’ll still be one of the most formidable front lines in football. We just need to figure out who the reserves are, where they fit, and how well they’ll play if called upon.
Update: The Eagles reacquire Jason Peters on July 14th. Our original grade of an A- is bumped up to an A.
. . . Special teams. 3. player. 54
The special teams unit is set, and they’re one of the best collectives in football. Rick Lovato is the team’s long snapper and also a lock to make the roster, as are the kicker and punter, Jake Elliott and Cameron Johnston. All three are among the league’s best at their respective jobs. Grade: A
player. 54. . . . Tight end. 2
Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert are two of the NFL’s top ten tight ends. They’re locked in for roster spots and signed through 2021. Josh Perkins, Alex Ellis, and Noah Togiai are also on the squad.
Last year, Philly began the season with two tight ends on their initial 53-man roster. If they follow the more common mold in 2020, carrying three, it would appear that Perkins, Ellis, and Togiai are competing for one spot on the roster. You have to figure that Perkins has the advantage if that’s the case. Grade: A+