TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 15: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles calls a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs at Raymond James Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

After weeks of training camp, we finally have a 53-man roster, or at least the initial one. As we all know, this will likely not be the 53-man roster that takes the field next Friday when they open the season vs the Packers. The Eagles will scoop up players cut from other teams, or maybe even make another trade. Those moves are going to mean people who thought they made the roster, were cut, or traded.

But in general, we now know what the roster will look like to open this season. The various camp battles have been decided, and only the last few additions to the team are still in danger of being cut.

The Best Show Ever talked to a former NFL Executive Andrew Brandt, who joined the show and explained that these final cuts, and the final additions, have far more to do with where the team feels it needs depth than it does the players themselves.

“Cutting the roster is much more about numbers and position groups than about players. The cutoffs always come down to, okay, we keep in 5 safeties or 9 linemen, or we keep in 6 wide receivers or 4 running backs. You know, these are the tough decisions. You can do everything right. But there may be an injury on the Line. So you got to go heavy there. There may be some kind of contract dispute on receivers. So you got to go heavy there. I mean these are all the things that people don’t know. They’re really going to the roster cut down.“

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Another wrinkle is the new practice squad rules, something we saw the Eagles take advantage of last year. Teams can now activate players off the practice squad for game time up to 3 times before they have to be signed to the actual roster. For example, the Eagles did not actually have a punter on their roster for several weeks last season, they just kept Arryn Siposs on the practice squad, and activated him on gameday.

They could do the same thing this season with someone like Josh Jobe, who is a Special Teams Ace but is not viable at his natural position of Cornerback. It is not a permanent solution, but it gives them extra flexibility for a few weeks.

So where did the Eagles decide they needed that extra depth? Which player did they stash on the roster, and who were they willing to let walk? Who will be on the team for week 1?

(This Article is Updated With the Latest Roster moves)

Here Is What the Eagles Initial 53-Man Roster Looks Like:

QB (3)
Jalen Hurts

Tanner McKee

Kenny Pickett

You could have written these 3 in pen at the start of camp. They were always gonna make it, and Will Grier was never going to make it. They brought Grier in to help Moore implement his system, not to compete. The only thing that became a question was if McKee could take the QB 2 job.
RB (3)
Saquon Barkley

Kenny Gainwell

Will Shipley

Like QB, there was never much competition here. These 3 were always locks. I suppose if Kendall Milton had a great camp, he could have forced the Eagles to keep 4. But that was never very likely.
WR (5)
AJ Brown

Devonta Smith

Jahan Dotson

Britain Covey

Johnny Wilson

IR- Ainias Smith

The Eagles threw a wrench into this in the last week of camp by trading for Jahan Dotson. But even before that, everyone thought the WR3 would be someone not on the team. And it seemed a few weeks in that neither Parris Campbell nor John Ross were going to stick around. The guy who did the most for his case in camp was Johnny Wilson. Not enough to win the WR3 job, but enough to get a roster spot, especially with how willing he was as a blocker.

Ainias Smith going onto the IR is another wrench. They would have had a tough decision otherwise. he did not play well enough in camp to earn the spot, but they still have a lot of hope for him going forward. Now that he is on the IR, they can stash him for a few weeks, without wasting the roster spot.
TE (2)
Dallas Goedert

Grant Calcaterra

IR- Albert Okwuegbunam

Surprise Cut: EJ Jenkins

The first somewhat surprising cut, EJ Jenkins. Jenkins impressed in camp and many thought he was going to win the TE3 job. But the Eagles cut him. This could be a place to watch for them scooping someone else up, notably Jack Stoll who the Giants cut, but had been with the Eagles for a few seasons before that.

Albert O goes on the IR, letting them stash him for a bit longer while they figure stuff out.
OL (9)
Lane Johnson

Mekhi Becton

Cam Jurgens

Landon Dickerson

Jordan Mailata

Tyler Steen

Fred Johnson

Trevor Keegan

Darian Kinnard

The question on the O-Line was more about numbers than it was about players. Would they keep 10, or only 9? They went with 9, with rookie Dylan McMahon likely being the odd man out.
EDGE (6)
Bryce Huff

Josh Sweat

Nolan Smith

Brandon Graham

Jalyx Hunt

Patrick Johnson

Edge Rusher is a big question mark for them. They don’t have a sure thing like Haason Reddick anymore. The players they have left have a high ceiling, but also a low floor. There are concerns about all of them going into the season, especially with Nolan Smith after a disappointing camp. Whether or not they can get consistent pressure off the edge will be a major thing to watch this season.
DT (6)
Jalen Carter

Jordan Davis

Milton Williams

Moro Ojomo

Thomas Booker

Bryon Young

They had some tough choices to make at DT. Tuipulotu has been here, and has been a quality player, fora few years, but Thomas Booker came on strong in camp. It turns out they both made the initial roster. Depth at DT was a big strength in 2022, and having guys behind Carter and Davis, who had conditioning issues last season, is probably smart.

(Update) Marlon Tuipulotu made the original 53-man roster, but was released when the Eagles claimed Byron Young, who was cut by the Raiders. n
LB (6)
Devin White

Zack Baun

Nakobe Dean

Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Ben VanSumeren

Oren Burks

Linebacker is better off than it was a year ago. That is not saying much though. the question is if it is good enough. Like Edge Rusher, there is potential there. But Devin White has under performed, Zack Baun has never played LB, and Dean has yet to prove anything at this level. It might still be a major weakness, but I doubt it gets as bad as it was last season.

Oren Burks was not on the original 53 man roster, but was moved off the Practice Squad once James Bradberry was put on the IR.
CB (6)
Darius Slay

Kelee Ringo

Quinyon Mitchell

Isaiah Rodgers

Cooper DeJean

Eli Ricks

Corner was arguable their weakest position last year. Now it might be their deepest. Slay, Mitchell, Ringo, Rodgers, and DeJean were all locks. The question was Eli Ricks and Josh Jobe. Rick is the better corner, but Jobe is a Special Teams Ace. For now, Jobe is out. They may think he can make it onto the practice squad, where they could then call him up to play Special teams for at least the first 3 weeks. Whereas Ricks may have gotten scooped up.
Safety (4)
CJ Gardner Johnson

Avonte Maddox

Reed Blankenship

Tristin McCollum

PUP- Sydney Brown

IR- James Bradberry

Sydney Brown starting the season on the PUP list helps them with their decision making. They can keep both Maddox and McCollum for now, and then make that decision when Brown gets healthy. They definitely need the extra depth to start out. Bradberry makes it for now, but reports suggest it might be because they are working out a trade for him, with the Titans showing interest. It still doesn’t sound like he will be on the final 53-man roster.

(James Bradberry was later moved onto the IR)
Special Teams (3)
Jake Elliott

Braden Mann

Rick Lovato

No surprises here. None of these 3 had any competition in camp. Braden Mann stabilized what had been a weak position for the Eagles last season. jake Elliott is among the best kickers in the league, and Rick Lovato is solid as a long-snapper gets. There was never even a chance for there to be a shakeup here.