With Dennis Kelly, The Eagles Biggest Strength Gets Even Better
The Eagles have the best starting 5 on the offensive line. And it’s not really close. Two All-Pros in Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson. Two guys who have the potential to be All-Pros at some point in Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata. Then it will be either Cam Jurgens or Tyler Steen at RG, both of who show great promise. But what we maybe don’t talk about enough is how great their depth is. Jack Driscoll, Sua Opeta, and whichever of Jurgens or Steen don’t win the job. Well, that depth just got even better. Because the Eagles have reunited with Dennis Kelly.
Dennis Kelly spent the first 3 seasons of his career in Philly before eventually being traded to the Titans for Dorial Green-Beckham. Kelly went on to be a solid swing tackle, even starting some games for the Titans, and later the Packers and Colts. Dorial Green-Beckham… well he turned into nothing. He played just 1 season here and had just 36 catches for 392 yards. And despite him being a WR, and Kelly being an OT, caught the same amount of TDs for the Eagles that Kelly did for the Titans.
Former Eagles OL Dennis Kelly has MORE TD catches in the 2019 playoffs than ANYONE on the Eaglespic.twitter.com/RTBNTjrjOJ
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) January 19, 2020
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The Eagle’s one potential hole on the OL is now filled. They had yet to replace Andre Dillard. Leaving Driscoll as the only backup with any significant experience at Tackle. Now they get a perfectly capable backup RT, who can also swing inside to Guard when needed. Kelly gave up 0 sacks in 240 snaps last season with the Colts. You can slot him in anywhere except Center, and count on him to at the very least hold down the fort.
And that could be needed at some point. Jason Kelce’s Iron Man Streak is well-documented. The dude does not miss games. But Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and Landon Dickerson all missed games last season. Injuries happen, especially in such a physical position. Having capable backups may seem like a luxury, but that depth can save a team if one of their starters goes down. The Eagles needed that depth in 2017 when Big V replaced Jason peters, and they still went on to win the Super Bowl.
The Eagles, ever since Andy Reid, have valued Offensive Line very highly. That trait was passed along to Howie Roseman. It is part of the reason why they have been one of the most consistently successful teams this century. Since 2000 the Eagles have the 6th most wins, 3rd most playoff appearances, and the 3rd most playoff wins. And consistently having not just a great O-Line, but great depth along the line, plays a huge role in that success. Dennis Kelly is just the latest example of that.
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8 Returning Eagles Whose Jobs are On the Line In Training Camp
Honorable Mention- Derek Barnett
Derek Barnett in some ways is a cut candidate. And a lot of people have speculated he could be. His career with the Eagles thus far has been disappointing, to say the least. Very little on-field production, to go with a long list of boneheaded decisions. He resigned with the Eagles last season on a 3-year deal but suffered a season-ending injury in Camp.
If it were just on the merits of who most deserved a spot, he would be on the bubble. DE is a deep position, and he is not one of the 6 best players there. The caveat is his contract. If they cut him, it is a dead cap hit of over $10 million. Unless there is someone who really stands out behind him, or he is really bad, he will likely be on the team. Even if it is only as a deep reserve guy.
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K’von Wallace
When the Eagles first drafted K’von Wallace, fans had high hopes. Granted that might just be because he is a safety from Clemson, and the Eagles have a good history with them. But there were also highlights of a safety flying around the field and making hard hits and big plays. We have not seen that guy at all in Eagles Green though. In fact, he has barely seen the field on defense.
Now the Eagles have at least 3 Safeties in front of him. Terrell Edmunds, Reed Blankenship, and 3rd-round pick Sydney Brown. There is a reserve spot left at Safety he could take. But he is by no means a lock for that spot. The Eagles also have Justin Evans at Safety, and there are corners on the roster bubble who could perhaps be a reserve at both Corner and Safety. K’Von Wallace’s spot could be in jeopardy if he does not show some signs of life in camp.
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Arryn Siposs
Siposs has been one of the league’s worst punters over the past two seasons. That is not my opinion, it is what the stats say. He was 26th last season in average punt yards and 28th in punts inside the 20. He showed some promise early in his first season. But around the middle of the season, he fell apart, and that carried into last year too.
Last season he had no competition. This year that is not the case. The Eagle brought in a UDFA Punter, Ty Zentner, who has a big leg, though perhaps a slight problem with accuracy. But he should at least push Siposs for a job. And Siposs is going to have to show more than he did last year to remain the Eagles’ punter.
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Marlon Tuipulotu
When healthy, Tuipulotu has played well in a very limited role along the Defensive Line. His problem has been there are just not enough snaps to go around on a very deep rotation at DT. He was behind Cox, Davis, Hargrave, Suh, and Joseph last season. And then the limited snaps he had completely went away when he tore his meniscus.
They used a roster spot on him last year even though there was not much of a role for him. But even with Hargrave leaving, they are still very deep at DT. They added Jalen Carter and Moro Ojomo in the draft and signed Kentavius Street. Once again, it will be hard to find a spot for him along the D-Line.
They will give him every chance to win that spot. And he has impressed in training camps before enough to win a spot. It will likely be to no fault of his own if he does not make it. D-Line is just a tough spot to crack the roster for the Eagles. The same goes for 6th-round pick Ojomo and free agent Street. Someone very good is going to not get a spot. That could be one of the new guys. But it could also be Tuipulotu.
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Greg Ward Jr.
Ward pretty much already lost his job last year. But he did enough to stick on the practice squad, and eventually did get called up and played in 7 games, even catching a TD. But even that tiny role could be in jeopardy this season. The top 4 spots are locked in at WR. AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Quez Watkins will be the main guys getting touches. They will likely keep a 5th, and maybe even a 6th WR. A
He could land a practice squad spot again. He is a trusted veteran who is well-liked by his team and coaches. But there are quite a few young WRS they may also want to at least stash on the Practice Squad. Track star Devon Allen is still around. Britain Covey will likely remain as the return specialist. And then there are young guys like Tyrie Cleveland, Joseph Ngata, Charleston Rambo, and Jadon Hasselwood. It will be very tough for Ward to crack the roster. And this time they might not even keep him around on the practice squad.
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Trey Sermon
Sermon joined the Eagles early last year. But the former 3rd round pick did not see the field very much. He stuck on the roster but was rarely active for the games. And now despite Miles Sanders leaving, there is less room than ever in the RB room.
Not only did Boston Scott return, but the Eagles also acquired Rashaad Penny and D’Andre Swift. Add in Kenny Gainwell, and you have your 4 RBs right there. The Eagles won’t keep 5 on the roster. Especially with so many other tough decisions elsewhere on the roster. This one may be a foregone conclusion. Sermon is more so making his case to other teams to pick him up after he is cut. Otherwise, he may just land on the practice squad.
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Josiah Scott
Scott had a golden chance last season with the injuries to CJ Gardner Johnson and Avonte Maddox. He did not take advantage. Scott was often picked on when in games. To be fair, there are not many deep reserve corners who would come in and excel right away. But his play did not make him unexpendable to the Eagles. And now with the CB room deeper than ever, he may be out of a job entirely in Philly.
Obviously, both Darius Slay and James Bradberry returned. Avonte Maddox is still here as well. Then they acquired Greedy Williams. Plus, they drafted Kelee Ringo. There is one, at most 2, spots left on the roster for Scott. And there is a bevy of young guys, including Zech McPhearson, Josh Jobe, and Eli Ricks that he is competing for that spot with. He is going to have to stand out big-time in camp to stick on the roster this season.
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Ian Book
The Eagles have often kept 3 QBS. They value backup QBs highly and like to have backup plans for their backup plans. Thus Ian Book was on the roster all last season, despite only seeing the field once. With Gardner Minshew leaving, there was briefly an opening as the backup. Then they signed Marcus Mariota. And now even the 3rd QB job is up in the air after they drafted Tanner Mckee.
There is a chance they keep 3 QBs again. That could be Book, it could be McKee. But it also could be someone they pick up that another team cuts, as they did with Book. Regardless, his spot on the team is far from safe.
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Tyree Jackson
The Eagles were very high on Jackson at one point. He showed up big time in training camp a few years back. Then he got hurt. And since then, we have not seen that same potential out of him. He has either been hurt, or non-productive. What he has going for him is there is not a ton of depth at Tight End. Grant Calcaterra has potential but is not uncuttable. Jack Stoll is a good blocker, but expendable. And there is not much beyond those guys.
If Jackson shows up again in camp, he can absolutely win a job. But he could just as easily lose it if he has a quiet camp.
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