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The Philadelphia Eagles will open the preseason against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium, but the final score will be secondary to what Nick Sirianni and his staff learn about the roster.
Jalen Hurts and many established starters may receive little or no playing time. Baltimore has already announced that Lamar Jackson and its proven starters will sit. That will shift the spotlight toward players competing for backup jobs, rotational roles and the final spots on Philadelphia’s initial 53-man roster.
Here are five things the Eagles need to learn during their preseason opener.
Philadelphia has spent training camp installing a new offense under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion. Saturday will provide the first opportunity to evaluate the system against an opponent in a game setting.
The Eagles don’t need to unveil every formation or concept they plan to use during the regular season. They do need to show that players can communicate the calls, line up correctly and operate with the timing Mannion has emphasized throughout the summer.
Pre-snap penalties, missed assignments and wasted timeouts would signal that additional work is needed. Clean operation would be an encouraging first step, regardless of how many points the offense scores.
Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are listed together behind Hurts on Philadelphia’s first unofficial depth chart. The preseason should help create some separation. Dalton brings 15 seasons of experience and has handled nearly every situation an NFL quarterback can encounter. McKee has developed inside the Eagles’ organization and entered camp as the incumbent backup.
Both quarterbacks should receive meaningful work if Hurts sits. The evaluation will extend beyond passing yards and touchdowns. Mannion and Sirianni will study how each player manages the huddle, handles pressure, avoids turnovers and keeps the offense on schedule.
Cole Payton should also receive an opportunity. His performance could determine whether Philadelphia views him as a developmental quarterback worth keeping on the practice squad.
Philadelphia knows what it has in Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen and Lane Johnson. The questions begin behind them.
Markel Bell is listed as Johnson’s primary backup at right tackle and could receive extended playing time. The rookie has impressed Johnson during camp, but preseason competition will offer a better indication of how prepared he is to handle NFL pass rushers.
Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin, Jake Majors, Micah Morris, Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams are also competing for reserve roles. Versatility will matter, but the Eagles must first determine which linemen they can trust to keep the pocket clean and avoid drive-killing mistakes.
The backup offensive line doesn’t need to dominate every snap. It must show enough consistency to give Philadelphia confidence that the offense can function if injuries occur during the regular season.
Vic Fangio has several established pieces in Riq Woolen, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Andrew Mukuba. The preseason opener should help clarify the depth behind them.
Kelee Ringo, Jonathan Jones, Jakorian Bennett, Mac McWilliams, Michael Carter II and Marcus Epps are among the players competing for roles in the secondary. McWilliams has generated momentum during training camp and is listed as one of the options behind DeJean at nickel cornerback.
The Eagles need to evaluate more than coverage. Communication, tackling and discipline will become equally important against Baltimore. Preseason games frequently expose missed assignments that weren’t obvious during controlled training camp practices.
DeJean’s listing at both nickel cornerback and safety illustrates Fangio’s desire to build a flexible secondary. The performance of the players around him will determine how freely the Eagles can move him once the regular season begins.
Several competitions may ultimately be decided when Philadelphia punts or kicks off.
Britain Covey is listed as the primary punt returner, with Makai Lemon and Elijah Moore behind him. Will Shipley leads the kickoff-return group ahead of Dameon Pierce and Tank Bigsby.
The return opportunities will attract attention, but coverage and blocking assignments may carry more weight with the coaching staff. Reserve receivers, running backs, linebackers and defensive backs must prove they can contribute without receiving regular snaps on offense or defense.
Players such as Pierce, Covey, Ringo, McWilliams, Smael Mondon, Chance Campbell and J.T. Gray can strengthen their roster cases by producing on special teams.
Philadelphia won’t leave Baltimore with every question answered. One preseason game cannot settle every position battle or determine whether Mannion’s offense is ready for Week 1.
It can provide the first meaningful evidence.
The Eagles need to see clean execution, dependable depth and young players capable of handling the speed and pressure of an NFL game. If those answers begin to emerge Saturday night, the preseason opener will have served its purpose regardless of what appears on the scoreboard.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Five questions Eagles must answer against the Ravens
Continue reading...
Jalen Hurts and many established starters may receive little or no playing time. Baltimore has already announced that Lamar Jackson and its proven starters will sit. That will shift the spotlight toward players competing for backup jobs, rotational roles and the final spots on Philadelphia’s initial 53-man roster.
Here are five things the Eagles need to learn during their preseason opener.
How quickly can the offense operate under Sean Mannion?
Philadelphia has spent training camp installing a new offense under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion. Saturday will provide the first opportunity to evaluate the system against an opponent in a game setting.
The Eagles don’t need to unveil every formation or concept they plan to use during the regular season. They do need to show that players can communicate the calls, line up correctly and operate with the timing Mannion has emphasized throughout the summer.
Pre-snap penalties, missed assignments and wasted timeouts would signal that additional work is needed. Clean operation would be an encouraging first step, regardless of how many points the offense scores.
Who is leading the backup quarterback competition?
Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are listed together behind Hurts on Philadelphia’s first unofficial depth chart. The preseason should help create some separation. Dalton brings 15 seasons of experience and has handled nearly every situation an NFL quarterback can encounter. McKee has developed inside the Eagles’ organization and entered camp as the incumbent backup.
Both quarterbacks should receive meaningful work if Hurts sits. The evaluation will extend beyond passing yards and touchdowns. Mannion and Sirianni will study how each player manages the huddle, handles pressure, avoids turnovers and keeps the offense on schedule.
Cole Payton should also receive an opportunity. His performance could determine whether Philadelphia views him as a developmental quarterback worth keeping on the practice squad.
Can the reserve offensive line protect the quarterbacks?
Philadelphia knows what it has in Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen and Lane Johnson. The questions begin behind them.
Markel Bell is listed as Johnson’s primary backup at right tackle and could receive extended playing time. The rookie has impressed Johnson during camp, but preseason competition will offer a better indication of how prepared he is to handle NFL pass rushers.
Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin, Jake Majors, Micah Morris, Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams are also competing for reserve roles. Versatility will matter, but the Eagles must first determine which linemen they can trust to keep the pocket clean and avoid drive-killing mistakes.
The backup offensive line doesn’t need to dominate every snap. It must show enough consistency to give Philadelphia confidence that the offense can function if injuries occur during the regular season.
Which defensive backs can be trusted behind the starters?
Vic Fangio has several established pieces in Riq Woolen, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Andrew Mukuba. The preseason opener should help clarify the depth behind them.
Kelee Ringo, Jonathan Jones, Jakorian Bennett, Mac McWilliams, Michael Carter II and Marcus Epps are among the players competing for roles in the secondary. McWilliams has generated momentum during training camp and is listed as one of the options behind DeJean at nickel cornerback.
The Eagles need to evaluate more than coverage. Communication, tackling and discipline will become equally important against Baltimore. Preseason games frequently expose missed assignments that weren’t obvious during controlled training camp practices.
DeJean’s listing at both nickel cornerback and safety illustrates Fangio’s desire to build a flexible secondary. The performance of the players around him will determine how freely the Eagles can move him once the regular season begins.
Who can earn a roster spot on special teams?
Several competitions may ultimately be decided when Philadelphia punts or kicks off.
Britain Covey is listed as the primary punt returner, with Makai Lemon and Elijah Moore behind him. Will Shipley leads the kickoff-return group ahead of Dameon Pierce and Tank Bigsby.
The return opportunities will attract attention, but coverage and blocking assignments may carry more weight with the coaching staff. Reserve receivers, running backs, linebackers and defensive backs must prove they can contribute without receiving regular snaps on offense or defense.
Players such as Pierce, Covey, Ringo, McWilliams, Smael Mondon, Chance Campbell and J.T. Gray can strengthen their roster cases by producing on special teams.
Final analysis
Philadelphia won’t leave Baltimore with every question answered. One preseason game cannot settle every position battle or determine whether Mannion’s offense is ready for Week 1.
It can provide the first meaningful evidence.
The Eagles need to see clean execution, dependable depth and young players capable of handling the speed and pressure of an NFL game. If those answers begin to emerge Saturday night, the preseason opener will have served its purpose regardless of what appears on the scoreboard.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Five questions Eagles must answer against the Ravens
Continue reading...
