Preseason Week 2 Competition Tracker: Eagles at Patriots

Nakobe Dean has inched ahead in the LB battle over Zack Baun and rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is gaining ground.

Aug 9, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Devin Leary (13) with Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) closing in. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

As a perceived contender on the NFC side of things, the Eagles entered training camp with few question marks, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Entering Thursday night’s second preseason game it’s time to check in with the competition tracker and where Philadelphia stands in finding answers with just over three weeks until the season opener against the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

QB2: Kenny Pickett vs. Tanner McKee

This is more of a manufactured competition from those who’ve taken a liking to McKee, a second-year player with upside. The Eagles traded for Pickett to be a cost-effective backup for the final two years of his rookie contract and that remains the plan.

Status: There never was a competition for backup QB and an uptick in second-team practice reps for McKee is just about furthering the development of a prospect the coaching staff likes.

TE2: C.J. Uzomah vs. Grant Calcaterra

Entering camp the thought was that veteran free-agent signing C.J. Uzomah would be the backup tight end to Dallas Goedert with Grant Calcaterra trying to hold off the field for the TE3 job.

It turns out Calcaterra, a third-year player with only 9 career receptions, was entrenched in the coaching staff’s minds and a shoulder injury during the preseason opener in Baltimore that’s kept the SMU product out of practice this week isn’t re-opening any debate.

The question is whether Albert Okwuegbunam can return from an abdomen injury or if the fledging E.J. Jenkins has shown enough promise to push Uzomah from the TE3 job. 

Status: This has already been called with Calcaterra the winner.

WR3: Parris Campbell vs. the field

This competition has been misunderstood from the start and the bigger issue is finding a backup to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith outside the numbers.

The Eagles are fine with piecemealing the actual WR3 job. Think Britain Covey as a traditional slot receiver, king-sized rookie sixth-round pick Johnny Wilson as the red-zone threat or blocker, Campbell as the YAC option, or John Ross as the deep threat.

Eagles WR Parris Campbell / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

In-house the leading candidates to back up Brown and Smith remain Campbell, who just returned to individual drills in practice after dealing with a groin injury, Ross, and Wilson, a player fans and even some media are skipping steps with.

This is the area GM Howie Roseman is most likely to look outside the organization for a fix.

Status: The Eagles are content to piecemeal the actual WR3 role in 11 personnel and Roseman will continue to look for help for an actual outside backup.

RG: Mekhi Becton vs. Tyler Steen

Becton has surpassed Steen right now but we’re not ready to call this race. There wasn’t much positive news coming out of Tuesday’s joint practice for the Patriots other than a solid rush up the middle where the issues seemed to usually start with Becton, a natural tackle.

Steen fell behind after missing eight days with an ankle injury and is still limping so the second-year player is now playing from behind and will need more inconsistent days from Becton to open the competition back up.

Status: You can’t call this but Becton is now the heavy favorite and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland seems enamored with what the nearly 6-8, 363-pound 2020 first-round pick could bring to the offense.

If both falter you might have to open this thing up to others like rookie Trevor Keegan and veterans Max Scharping and Matt Hennessy.

CB2: Isaiah Rodgers vs. Kelee Ringo vs. Quinyon Mitchell

From a practical standpoint, Rodgers has taken the lead to get the most snaps opposite Darius Slay in Week 1 but there’s a lot of context to that. 

When there are only two CBs on the field expect Mitchell to be opposite of Slay and when a slot corner is needed the first-round pick will slide inside with Rodgers taking over at right cornerback.

Ringo is still making a case against Rodgers and had a nice game against Baltimore in the preseason opener. The latter has been more consistent in practice, however… which leads us to the slot.

Slot CB: Quinyon Mitchell vs. Avonte Maddox vs. Cooper DeJean

The only reason you can’t call this is the return of Cooper DeJean to practice after missing three weeks with a hamstring injury. Ultimately, the Eagles want to roll with DeJean, the No. 40 overall pick in April, on the inside and Mitchell on the outside but the injury has pushed back those plans.

Maddox has fallen back in the slot race while taking first-team reps at safety in pace of the injured C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Status: The best bet for Week 1 is Slay and Rodgers outside for the majority of the snaps in Week 1 with Mitchell handling the inside work. At some point that will turn into the trio of Slay, Mitchell and DeJean.

Linebackers: Devin White and Zack Baun vs. the field

The sea change started Tuesday in Foxborough with Nakobe Dean taking Baun’s spot next to Devin White. That duo is now the heavy favorite for Week 1.

That said, this remains the most heated competition with White, Dean, Baun, as well as rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr, and second-year man Ben VanSumeren all still getting some first-team reps.

Status: White and Dean are trending toward being the Week 1 LBs. If Trotter finishes the summer strong he will be getting at least rotational snaps early and be in line for a larger role sooner thar than later.

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