With 53 in Place - For Now - What's Next?

Here are 3 predictions for moves to come, including the construction of the practice squad

The Eagles have a roster, trimming it to the league-mandated 53 players by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

So, what’s next?

Here are three predictions:

Claim Collin Johnson. The WR was waived by Jacksonville. The key word there is Jacksonville. Dave Caldwell is now a personnel executive in the Eagles’ front office after eight years as the Jaguars, and if you don’t think his influence weighs heavy then look again. The Eagles have already brought in three players Caldwell brought to Jacksonville – QB Gardner Minshew, CB Josiah Scott, and WR Michael Walker.

Walker was waived-injured while Minshew and Scott are on the 53-man roster.

Johnson was a fifth-round pick of Caldwell’s in the 2020 draft out of the University of Texas. He’s 6-6, 222 pounds, exactly the kind of size this WR corps can use. He averaged 15.2 yards per catch on 18 catches while scoring two touchdowns.

MORE: Recently Cut Players that Could Draw Interest from Eagles

The surprise might be is if one of the five teams ahead of the Eagles in the waiver claim line doesn’t grab him. If so, keep an eye on John Brown, a 31-year-old veteran that would fit nicely in a youthful WR room.

This would give the Eagles six WRs on the roster. A corresponding move would need to be made to make room for him, but the Eagles are expected to IR Tyree Jackson and perhaps even Landon Dickerson.

Bring back Andrew Adams. The safety very well could go unclaimed and if he does, look for the Eagles to add him to the 53-man roster. To make it happen, they will need to make a move. It could be that linebacker Davion Taylor is put on IR.

Room will also need to be made for T.Y. McGill whenever he is ready to come of the Reserve/COVID list. There could be room depending on who and how many players go on IR.

Put together the 16-man practice squad. Here’s who I think they add:

QB KJ Costello

RB Jordan Howard

RB Jason Huntley

WR John Hightower

WR Andre Patton

WR Tyron Johnson

OL Kayode Awosik

OL Sua Opeta

LB JaCoby Stevens

S Elijah Riley

S Grayland Arnold

CB Mike Jacquet

CB Kevon Seymour

CB Craig James

DT Raequan Williams

DT Hassan Ridgeway

DE Matt Leo (he doesn’t count toward the 69 players, since he is in the International Pathway Program)