Eagles Make Surprise Move With Practice Squad Personnel

One player was added and another released and both play a position where depth is not strong.

Eagles safety Caden Sterns / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA - In a somewhat surprising move, the Eagles have released tight end Jack Stoll from the practice squad and brought back safety Caden Sterns on Wednesday.

The Eagles are light at both positions, and Stoll had played three seasons with the Eagles until leaving this past offseason to join the New York Giants as a free agent. When Stoll was released by the Giants after training camp, the Eagles brought him back to the practice squad.

They have just two tight ends on the 53-man roster - Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra. E.J. Jenkins was elevated from the PS in Friday’s season-opening 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Calcaterra had one catch for 11 yards and a first down in 36 snaps. He also had eight special team snaps. Jenkins played just three snaps but added eight more on special teams.

Goedert, as you would expect, led the way in terms of snaps at his position with 62 (82 percent).

Stoll had 20 catches for 183 yards in three years with Philly and was a solid blocker in the run game.

Sterns was signed by the Eagles late in training camp after he had failed a physical with the Carolina Panthers. He was initially put on the practice squad after camp ended, but was released shortly afterward along with tight end Kevin Foelsch to make room on the practice squad for offensive lineman Jack Driscoll and receiver Kyle Philips.

Sterns is still rehabbing from a serious injury suffered in last year’s season opener while he was with the Denver Broncos.

“Players come back from patella injuries, especially with the rehab and stuff we have,” Sterns said a day before he was initially released from the practice squad. “But it’s been a thing in my career. If I get healthy, I’ll be all right. I’m not worried about how I will play on the field. I think that speaks for itself when I have played. Getting healthy has been my priority.”

The Eagles are woefully thin at safety, with Reed Blankenship and C.J. Gardner-Johnson the starters. When Gardner-Johnson had to leave Friday’s game for one snap with what looked to be a hand issue, second-year safety Tristin McCollum entered.

Avonte Maddox worked at safety most of the summer, but he played at his regular position of slot cornerback against the Packers with rookie Quinyon Mitchell moving to the outside.

James Bradberry was learning to play the position this summer, but he suffered an injury during practice leading up to the opener and was placed on injured reserve.

More NFL: Saquon Barkley Becomes Third Eagles Running Back In Last 10 Years To Win NFC Award