Eagles Blitzed in Preseason Finale, so Who Makes 53-Man Roster?

Here is my projetction for the 53 players who will be on the team after 4 p.m, on Tuesday

There’s no sense diving too deeply into the Eagles' lopsided 48-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

It was a bad end to the summer, but meaningless, so too much should not be read into the final score. Still, it does look very bad optically and a team with such high expectations should look better no matter who played.

Miami played its starters into the second quarter while the Eagles sat nearly three dozen players, and it was a mismatch from the start.

Despite the unlevel playing field, there are some concerns, no doubt.

Shoddy tackling is at the top of the list followed closely by a second-string secondary that doesn’t seem to have enough pieces at both cornerback and safety to be comfortable heading into the season.

The defense was mixing and matching with second and third-team players, but there isn’t much excuse for not putting up more of a fight, allowing Miami to do whatever it wanted against them.

The Dolphins raced to a 27-0 lead before the Eagles managed a Jake Elliott field goal.

Even those three points came courtesy of a good special teams play from punt gunner Devon Allen who bore in on returner Preston Williams, perhaps forcing Williams to muff Arryn Siposs’ boot. Matt Leo recovered it.

Of course, a holding penalty on rookie tight end Grant Calcaterra nullified a touchdown run by Kennedy Brooks and the Eagles had to settle for a 26-yard field goal.

It was 41-3 when Jason Huntley broke a 67-yard TD run, which was Philly's only TD of the night.

Perhaps, more importantly, who will now make the 53-man roster and who will be brought back on the 16-man practice squad? The deadline to trim the roster is 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Here is my prediction:

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK (2): Jalen Hurts, Gardner Minshew

Analysis: Nick Sirianni said he’s been a part of opening-day rosters with just two quarterbacks, and that feels like the path the Eagles will take. Reid Sinnett probably goes to the practice squad, with the likelihood that nobody claims him. Carson Strong played eight snaps vs. Cleveland and most of the fourth quarter in Miami, but he rarely got reps in practice, and probably won’t be brought back to the practice squad.

RUNNING BACK (3): Miles Sanders, Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott

Analysis: It’s surprising the Eagles haven’t done much to upgrade here, but keep in mind Sanders didn’t do much this summer due to a hamstring issue. But these three players carried most of the load in 2021 and will do so again, with Jason Huntley and UDFA Kennedy Brooks likely ticketed for the practice squad.

TIGHT END (4): Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra, Noah Togiai

Analysis: Calcaterra spent most of the summer nursing a hamstring injury and didn’t do much, but in the brief glimpses we have seen him acquit himself well in the passing game, but his run blocking needs more polish.

OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Isaac Seumalo, Jack Driscoll, Cam Jurgens, Andre Dillard, Sua Opeta, Jack Anderson

Analysis: The Eagles have everything they need with these 10.

WIDE RECEIVER (5): A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, Zach Pascal, Jalen Reagor

Analysis: Britain Covey sort of tailed off after injuring his thumb, but he is an intriguing option in the punt return game, and should make it to the practice squad, because Reagor can at least return punts even as his offensive snap count probably sinks into the single digits. 

Reagor, though, could very well be traded, and if he is that will open the door for Coey and maybe Allen, who has shown some ability as a punt gunner and his 55-yard lightning bolt TD vs. Browns is difficult to forget.

DEFENSE

SAFETY (4): Marcus Epps, Anthony Harris, Andre Chachere, Reed Blankenship

Analysis: Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s words stuck with me in my decision to keep Blankenship – that he can play single high or in the box. That’s solid versatility. Wallace hasn’t doesn’t much to show he should make the roster, but he was a fourth-round pick in 2020. Jaquiski Tartt did not show enough.

CORNERBACK (6): Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Avonte Maddox, Zech McPhearson, Josh Jobe, Josiah Scott

Analysis: Slay and Bradberry are a solid 1-2 on the corner while Maddox excelled in the slot last year and earned a three-year contract extension. Depth is a concern, but UDFA Jobe looked good enough to earn a spot.

LINEBACKER (7): T.J. Edwards, Haason Reddick, Kyzir White, Nakobe Dean, Davion Taylor, Shaun Bradley, Patrick Johnson

Analysis: This may be one of the strongest groups of linebackers the Eagles have had in a long time, with Reddick and White arriving in free agency, before the Eagles knew Dean would be sitting there in the third round of the draft. Sixth-round pick Kyron Johnson should land on the practice squad. . The question is: has Taylor done enough to make it? I think so.

DEFENSIVE LINE (9): Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Derek Barnett, Tarron Jackson, Marlon Tuipulotu

Analysis: Davis, taken 13th overall in the draft, will eventually become a three-down player and the rookie will have good teachers in veterans Cox, who returned on a one-year contract, and Graham, who missed last season after tearing an Achilles’ in Week 2. Williams, Jackson, and Tuipulotu could take big leaps in Year 2.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

KICKER: Jake Elliott

PUNTER: Arryn Siposs

LONG SNAPPER: Rick Lovato

Analysis: Siposs had a solid first half but struggled mightily in the second half, yet the Eagles decided not to bring in another punter to challenge him. Elliott is coming off one of his best seasons, setting the franchise record with a 90.9% field goal percentage, making 30-of-33 of his kicks plus all 44 PAT tries.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.