Eagles Nick Sirianni "Talking About" Playing Key Players In Preseason

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio indicated the Eagles head coach is considering playing starters in the preseason opener, plus Devon White's answer on value of preseason.

Eagles linebacker Devin White talks after Day 2 of training camp. / By Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – Until losing their final two preseason games last August, the Baltimore Ravens had won a remarkable 24 straight exhibition games. So, at least the Eagles don’t have to worry about that piece of history when they travel to the Inner Harbor to play the Ravens in their preseason opener on Friday night (7:30 p.m.)

Nick Sirianni’s final day to meet with reporters before the game will be Wednesday. He doesn’t typically reveal his plans for if or how much his key players will play, citing competitive advantage, but this is a new role for Sirianni so maybe that will trigger a new approach, and he will give a glimpse into his plans.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio gave his take on Monday about whether the starters could play and his thoughts on the preseason workload for key players in general.

“I think Nick is going to at some point tell you guys what the rotation may be generally speaking,” said Fangio. “I do think he's talked about playing those guys. I don't think he's made a final decision. But I do think it's good that guys get to play some in the pre-season.

"Even the best players I've been around, they want to play, and they don't want their first play of the year to be a regular season game. They want to get out there and feel it.”

There are two more preseason games left after Friday night, but getting the reps to the first team in Baltimore makes the most sense over the final two because they have a joint practice in New England before playing the Patriots in the second game, and the finale at home against the Minnesota Vikings, is just two weeks before the regular season begins, which is too close to risk an injury.

Sirianni has played has played his starters for a few series in previous summer games, and the thinking is he will again since the offensive line hasn’t been able to build much cohesion together because of a variety of injuries that kept players off the field for a few practices already and the defensive unit is a young group that could benefit from a chance to grow by playing against another offense.

Linebacker Devin White was asked about the Ravens and their incredible winning streak and related it back o the Eagles.

“I feel like whoever’s in the game should be able to show up,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re all NFL players, we’re all at the highest level, so you need to go in there and play like it. It is a tell to how much work they put in that the second, third guy can go in there and be just as productive as the first guy, and it should be the same way over here, no mater who wins.

“I’ve been taking reps with the ones, the twos, I don’t care what D-line, what outside linebackers, corners, safeties, I’m working with, we all need to work as one unit and be just as dominant as a person that’s working with the ones. It’s just that mindset you have to have, some people got it, some people don’t.”

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