6 former Eagles who struggled in Week 1 (and 4 who thrived)

It isn't an official title, but they're referred to as 'Stress Free Sundays'. It's nice to settle in to a day full of football knowing the Philadelphia Eagles have already won.

So, what do we do with our time when that happens? Well, as you might imagine, we spent our time tuning in to watch NFL RedZone.

They say 'Once a Raider, always a Raider'. They've never really said the same about the Eagles, but it's a similar vibe in some ways.

Birds fans will often check out a game or two to see how former Birds are doing. Okay, you caught us! Guilty as charged! We couldn't help to peek in on ten guys who used to play in Philly.

Several Eagles endured some forgettable opening weekends in Week 1 of the NFL season.

Well, we can throw two more former Eagles on the 'Once a Raider, always a Raider' list. Though something tells us. These next two won't be remembered in the same light that one of the most loyal fan bases remembers Eric Allen or Charlie Garner.

Gardner Minshew & Marcus Epps, quarterback/DB, Raiders

Gardner Minshew will have much to talk about with his QB coach, Rich Scangarello (Hey, there's another former Eagle) and offensive coordinator (Luke Getsy). There really wasn't much to be pumped about here.

He completed 25 of 33 pass attempts but only logged 7.8 yards per completion with 257 yards through the air in the tally. He also stacked five yards on three rush attempts but lost 32 yards on four sacks.

There wasn't a ton of magic showcased in this one as he tossed a TD pass to Alexander Mattison but also threw an interception en route to a 95.1 rating.

His QBR, 29.8. If you're interested, Marcus Epps racked up five tackles, but if we're being honest, most of what we remember about his day was an argument with one of the L.A. Chargers after a play had ended.

D'Andre Swift, running back, Bears

D'Andre Swift, as most of you know, signed a three-year deal with the Chicago Bears worth $24 million in March. In Week 1, he led his new team in carries and rushing yards. Unfortunately, that only equates to three yards per carry. (ten rushes, 30 yards on the ground). He failed to haul in his only target through the air.

The Bears were fortunate to get some great defensive and special teams play (more on that in a second) as they outlasted AJ Brown's former team by a 34-17 margin.

Zach Ertz, tight end, Commanders

We don't know how you feel about Zach Ertz, but we still love this guy. Sadly, however, we've long come to the conclusion that his best days are long gone and behind him.

He was targeted four times. He logged three receptions for 28 yards, one of those catches moved the chains for a first down.

Miles Sanders, running back, Panthers

Raise your hand if you didn't know where Miles Sanders was. Honestly, we have to cheat and use Pro Football Reference sometimes. As it turns out, he's in Charlotte.

We aren't sure what the Carolina Panthers were seeking when they signed him to a four-year, $25.4 million deal in March 2023, but we're pretty sure they hoped for more than the 432 rushing yards and one TD last season.

He finished with 22 yards on five carries versus the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Linval Jospeh, defensive tackle, Dallas Cowboys

Linval Joseph helped steady the interior of the Eagles' defensive line when he arrived in Philly a few days ahead of Week 11's game versus the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. Since then, he's stopped in two cities in as many seasons.

Sadlt, he's with the hated Cowboys now, but they don't seem to need him. He saw the field for 13 defensive snaps, roughly, 17% of their overall total, and he failed to dent that stat sheet.

Four former Eagles walked out of the NFL's opening weekend with smiles.

We've decided to end this on a high note. Here are a few former Eagles we're proud of following some good days in Week 1.

Alex Singleton, linebacker, Denver Broncos

It wasn't all gloom and doom for former Eagles. Alex Singleton continues to be one of those guys we, at times, wish had hung around. He gave the Broncos some early momentum by picking off a pass, but his team wouldn't win.

He did his best though. He logged nine total tackles including six of the solo variety and one that resulted in a loss of yardage.

Mack Hollins, wide receiver

Mack Hollins used to wear throwback Eagles jerseys to Philly's home games. He also once said that he only desired to play on special teams. Maybe that's partially why he only caught one TD pass during his Eagles tenure.

Since his exit he has been better and was his best in 2021 and 2022 when he caught four TD passes for the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders.

He caught two passes in the Buffalo Bills' season-opening win. That isn't great, but one of those receptions resulted in a Bills TD, so why on earth would we complain?

TJ Edwards, linebacker, Bears

The problem with Philly's occasional negligence in addressing their needs at linebacker is some good guys have gotten out of the door. A former homegrown talent, TJ Edwards, continues to blossom.

He logged 155 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three interceptions last season. He's off to another good start after tallying 15 tackles and a fumble recovery in Chicago's opener.

Kyzir White, Arizona Cardinals

Speaking of linebackers, welcome to Kyzir White's portion of our story. He's still hanging around with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona.

How about a hand for his day? He notched 11 tackles and some pressure on the QB, but his team lost by a 34-28 margin to Mack Hollins' Bills.

Worth mentioning: Quez Watkins, wide receiver, Steelers

It didn't quite go viral, but Quez Watkins losing a punt in the lights during a preseason game didn't go unnoticed by Eagles fans. Quez didn't play on Sunday. Somehow, we seemingly missed he was cut during Pittsburgh Steelers' final roster cuts and was added to their practice squad.

We still felt like that needed a mention in you were unaware.