Dark horse Eagles roster candidate sees injury come at worst possible time

It wasn't that long ago that we were barely discussing E.J. Jenkins and his chances of landing on the Philadelphia Eagles' roster, but let's not be hard on ourselves or question our football acumen. Why would we have thought there was a reason to?

The former undrafted rookie free agent began his career with the New York Jets shortly after the 2023 NFL Draft. Adversity came early. He was waived during final roster cuts.

He then sandwiched a stint with the Las Vegas Raiders between a two-week stay on Philly's practice squad and writing his name on a future/reserve contract.

That isn't exactly the pedigree we look for when discussing roster hopefuls, but E.J. has done what a fringe player is supposed to do. He walked into training camp, and since day one, he performed as if he was supposed to be there.

With each opportunity as practice, he did his best to do something memorable when the ball came his way. That dedication led to a nice performance during the preseason.

Also read: Eagles preseason standouts who have strengthened their cases

E.J. Jenkins impresses everyone, including his Eagles coaches.

Here's a list of the seven tight ends who are currently on the Eagles' roster: Jenkins, Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Kevin Foelsch, Albert Okwuegbunam Jr., C.J. Uzomah, and Armani Rogers.

We assumed Albert O had an inroad to make the roster following the announcement of his one-year deal. We assumed Uzomah's acquisition meant he'd compete for a roster spot. We thought about Grant's chances, but truth be told, many had given up on him.... Shame on all of you!

Foelsch and Rogers were late acquisitions. Jenkins had been around longer. We weren't discussing E.J. being valued by the coaching staff more than Dallas, Grant, C.J., or Albert. In our minds, he had a shot to compete for a spot on the practice squad.

He had other plans.

Let's hope E.J. Jenkins' momentum isn't thrown off course by a recent injury that has kept him sidelined at Eagles training camp.

Goedert and Calcaterra will make this team. We already knew that, but we learned something else recently. Jenkins is a better player than the other tight ends on this roster.

The ball only went his way once during the preseason opener versus the Baltimore Ravens. He hauled in one for a four-yard gain, but he kept grinding. He enjoyed a better night in Week 2.

E.J.'s five receptions this past Thursday versus the New England Patriots tied for the team lead with Joseph Ngata. His 47 yards receiving were the second highest total from that evening on both sidelines (Ngata pitched in with 88 yards).

We saw him haul in contested catches near the sideline. We saw him sky and outclimb defenders for another. All in all, he did himself a ton of favors.

Unfortunately, this is a 'good news, bad news' scenario.

Jenkins, now viewed by most as the third-best tight end on the Eagles' roster, hoped to carry his newfound momentum into the final stages of training camp. He has, unfortunately, had to sit out of the most recent Saturday and Sunday practices with a knee injury.

Let's hope it isn't too serious. A spot on the Eagles' roster might be his for the taking, Nothing is guaranteed, but we know every rep will continue to matter. Every missed opportunity may prove detrimental, but for Jenkin's sake, we're crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.

Update: Good news comes on Tuesday ahead of the Eagles' 15th training camp practice. EJ and Joseph Ngata, Philly's leading receivers from Week 2's preseason game, return to practice.

Read more Eagles preseason news and notes