Eagles Schedule Filled With Players Who Have Previous Ties To Philly

There are 29 players currently on other teams who used to play for the Eagles that are on this year's schedule.

Oct 3, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) walks off the field after loss against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA – It won’t take long for the Eagles to see a few familiar faces, players that were on their roster at one time or another who they could very well see again at some point during the season.

Heading into the start of NFL training camps in July, there are 29 former Eagles on other teams’ rosters who will either play or watch from the sideline against their former team during the 17-game regular-season odyssey.

It starts with the Green Bay Packers, who will be the Eagles season opener in Brazil on Sept. 6. There are three Packers who were on the Eagles’ roster in previous seasons – offensive linemen Andre Dillard and Lecitus Smith and linebacker Eric Wilson.

None of those three players strike fear into anybody, and Smith may not even be on the roster by then.

The New York Giants have the second-most former Eagles at four, and the two teams will play twice as always. Two of them are tight ends Jack Still and Tyree Jackson. The other two are Jalen Mills, the starting cornerback on the Eagles’ 2017 Super Bowl championship team, and defensive back Elijah Riley.

The Washington Commanders have three former Eagles: quarterback Marcus Mariota, offensive lineman Julian Good-Jones, and tight end Zach Ertz.

Ertz will have turned 34 just four days before the Eagles and Commanders meet for the first time. Still, he may be at the top of the list of former Eagles capable of doing some serious damage.

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders (26) before action against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Two others with the capability to hurt the Eagles, just based on the position they play, would be a pair of running backs: Carolina’s Miles Sanders and the L.A. Rams’ Boston Scott.

Scott is currently listed third on L.A.’s depth chart behind Kyren Williams and rookie Blake Corum, though that could change by the time Philly visits L.A. for a second straight season, this time on Nov. 24.

Sanders could be traded by the time the Panthers come to Lincoln Financial Field on Dec. 8. He is behind Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks.

Probably the best former Eagles player who Philly will see again is Isaac Seumalo, a starting guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers have six former Eagles on their roster. In addition to Seumalo, Pittsburgh has linebacker Kyron Johnson, running back La’Mical Perine, defensive back Josiah Scott, punter Cam Johnston, and receiver Quez Watkins.

Watkins may be the most dangerous former Eagle on the schedule. He isn’t a high-volume pass catcher, but his speed could allow for a big play that could turn momentum or even win the game, which is on Dec. 15.

Perine may not be remember as a former Eagle, but he spent a week in September 2022 on the practice squad.

Other former Eagles on this year’s schedule are:

DT Kentavius Street (Falcons)

S Ugo Amadi (Saints - He was traded for J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and, 10 days later, the Eagles traded him again)

LB Joe Bachie (Bengals - He was signed off the saints’ practice squad in 2020 and played four games with the Eagles)

OL Sua Opeta (Buccaneers)

LB Jordan Hicks and S Rodney McLeod (Browns)

S Terrell Edmunds and CB Ronald Darby (Jaguars)

WR Nelson Agholor (Ravens)

RB Rashaad Penny and WR Jordan Matthews (Panthers)

More NFL: An Eagles Modern Mount Rushmore With Players From Just The 2000s