This one is pretty easy to figure out. The most common theory is the Eagles are probably going to elect to keep six cornerbacks and four safeties. Then again, let’s make another argument. Let’s say that they’ll keep five safeties. Over time, they have usually kept five and used one of them as a special teams ace. That was Rudy Ford’s job before he got hurt and Chris Maragos’ job before Ford came along.
This season, it appears that Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox, Nickell Robey Coleman, Sidney Jones, Cre’Von LeBlanc, and Rasul Douglas are the favorites to wind up as the six cornerbacks. Rodney McLeod, Jalen Mills, Will Parks, and K’Von Wallace are the four safeties.
If Philly does go with a fifth safety, you’d think that it would be Ford, seeing as how the coaches love his speed and he held down that spot a year ago before being injured, but Marcus Epps, Craig James, Prince Smith, and Elijah Riley are battling for spots as well. Grayland Arnold is making a name for himself as well.
It’s too early to tell anything at this point, but here’s the long and the short of everything. If we pulled out a sheet of looseleaf paper and ranked every Eagles defensive back from top to bottom, Michael Jacquet might be the guy at the bottom of the entire pack, and with minimal grass time and no preseason games, that isn’t a spot an undrafted rookie wants to be in. There’s no way he makes this roster.