Eagles 53 Man Roster Prediction, part 3 (DT's, DE's, LB's)

Defensive Tackles

Keep: Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams

Fletcher Cox

Coming into his 11th season in Midnight Green, Fletcher Cox is looking to continue his all-world play for hopefully another year. While Cox may not have racked up huge Sack numbers last season with just 3.5 his presence is heavily felt on this Eagles Dline. No matter what age or stage of his career, the Mississippi State product will nearly always command a double team which helps his counterparts on the defensive front mightily. Look for Cox to continue his great play and to work in rotation with 1st round pick Jordan Davis to give both of them ample rest.

Javon Hargrave

Coming into the final year of a 3-year pact signed with the Eagles back in 2020, Javon Hargrave has been the epitome of quiet consistency. Hargrave has recorded 13 Sacks during his time with the Eagles and has provided some great run stuffing ability next to Fletcher Cox on the Eagles Dline. Hargrave has also been lucky when it comes to injury missing only 2 games during his time with the Eagles. Look for Hargrave to flourish as the Eagles now have a plethora of defensive linemen to sub in and out to give starters rest.

Jordan Davis

There is much excitement surrounding the Eagles 2022 1st round pick, and rightfully so. Davis dominated during his time at Georgia, the 6’6 336 pound behemoth was one of the best run stuffers in the SEC last season. While Davis may not get the flashy Sack numbers that others do, he does so much in the trenches that reverberates all across the defense. Look for Davis to have an impact right away, I think its safe to say that Davis is going to be a mainstay on this Eagles squad for a long time to come.

Milton Williams

As a 3rd round Rookie out of Louisana Tech last season, Milton Williams proved to be a valuable piece on this Eagles Defensive line. Williams racked up 2 Sacks, 6 TFLs, and 6 QB hits for the Birds last year. At the very least Williams will be a strong rotational player, hopefully, the Eagles will be able to mold him into yet another starter. But for Now, Milton Williams fits in perfectly on this Eagles squad and he is here to stay.

Cut: Rennell Wren, Marlon Tuipolotu, Marvin Wilson, Kobe Smith

Rennell Wren

A former 4th-round pick of the Bengals, Rennell Wren has disappointed for the Eagles this summer. Though being listed as 5th on the depth chart Wren shows no signs of having a chance to make this squad come final cuts. I question if the Eagles would bring him back for a possible practice squad job but I doubt it considering the options they are afforded.

Marlon Tuipolotu

There is a very good chance the Eagles could keep 5 Defensive Tackles, and they may very well do it to not risk putting Marlon Tuipolotu on waivers. Tuipolotu has flourished this Training Camp taking huge strides and becoming a much better player. The Eagles have been very impressed with his play as of late and while he is not pushing Milton Williams just yet, he could be soon with a few more months of work. If Tuipolotu doesn’t make the roster and isn’t picked up off waivers, he will no question be awarded a practice squad spot.

Marvin Wilson

Wilson was seen as a guy that possibly push for a roster spot come September but he hasn’t produced to the level the Eagles have wished. By no means has he played bad but there haven’t been any “wow” moments to give him enough notoriety to make the roster. If he isn’t signed off waivers he will most certainly be a practice squad addition. Wilson is a guy with a ton of talent just looking for his big break, it could come soon but maybe not soon enough.

Kobe Smith

Smith has yet to appear in an NFL game since being signed as a UDFA by the Titans in 2020. He has bounced around from practice squad to practice squad, even earning a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in 2020. But there is just too much competition on this Eagles defensive line, Smith may be able to earn himself a practice squad spot but he will no doubt need to open some eyes first.

Defensive Ends

Keep: Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat, Tarron Jackson

Brandon Graham

After tearing his Achilles in week 2 of the 2021 season, many believed it was the end of the road for Brandon Grahams NFL career. Those people clearly don’t know anything about BG. Graham made it his mission this offseason to come back stronger and better than ever, and all reports from training camp point to that work paying off. His world-class work ethic and larger-than-life personality are what have given Brandon Graham a special place in the hearts of Philadelphia Eagles fans everywhere. Coming into his age 34 season, Graham will look to be a mainstay on this Eagles dline for yet another season.

Josh Sweat

Sweat had a breakout season in 2022, earning his first pro bowl while racking up 7.5 sacks along with 41 QB pressures. It has become abundantly clear that the 5th-year Florida State product is leaps and bounds above Derek Barnett and has come to earn his starting spot on an already stacked Eagles defensive front. Look for Sweat to continue his great play and hopefully take another leap in his NFL career this season.

Derek Barnett

It came as a surprise to many this offseason when the Eagles elected to sign former 2017 first-round pick Derek Barnett to a 2-year contract extension. Coming off the worst statistical season of his career, where Barnett recorded just 2 sacks and 11 QB hits. Many also knock Barnett for his tendency to commit stupid penalties that cost his team. The Tennesse product had 10 personal fouls last season which ranked among the tops in the NFL. If Barnett wants to remain on this and in the league he will need to discipline himself and pick up his production.

Tarron Jackson

Entering his second season in the NFL, Tarron Jackson will look to make the jump to hopefully become a rotational piece on this stacked Eagles defensive line. Jackson has made waves this summer becoming a standout during Training Camp and separating himself from his competition early on. Look for the Coastal Carolina product to have a much bigger role in year two as he looks to establish himself on this Eagles team.

Cut: Matt Leo

Matt Leo

Leo was signed by the Eagles through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program in 2020 but has failed to produce at any level for the Eagles since then. The reason Leo has stuck around so long is for the fact that he does not count toward the roster or the salary cap, leaving no apparent reason to release him. I feel Leo’s time with the Birds could be over sooner rather than later. As he reaches age 30 the Eagles may want to look to bring in a new younger player from abroad to take Leo’s place.

Linebackers

Keep: Haason Reddick, TJ Edwards, Kyzir White, Davion Taylor, Nakobe Dean, Patrick Johnson

Haason Reddick

Debatably the biggest addition made by the Eagles this offseason (besides AJ Brown) was former Temple Owl, Haason Reddick. The Camden New Jersey native has become one of the most feared pass rushers in all of Football off the edge. Racking up 11 sacks last season for the Carolina Panthers, and 12.5 for the Cardinals in 2020. When he gets paired up with the likes of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, and Jordan Davis, he will take this Eagles defensive front to an entirely new level.

TJ Edwards

Year after year TJ Edwards has been looked over by fans, media, and Eagles brass alike. But the former UDFA from Wisconsin has been on a mission since the Eagles gave him a chance after the 2019 draft. Last year Edwards played 61% of the defensive snaps and became a leader on the Eagles defense, even calling plays at multiple points. Though he’s not a guy that will give you double-digit sacks or layout huge hits. TJ Edwards is one of the most valuable players on this Eagles defense and the Birds are lucky to have found a guy like him.

Kyzir White

One of the most overlooked additions of the offseason was the signing of Kyzir White. The Allentown native led the Chargers in sacks last season and has quickly risen among the ranks when talking about the best linebackers in the game. While he’s no world-beater, the former West Virginia Mountaineer is a guy that any team would love to have manning their second level. Look for White to serve a big role this season as an off-ball linebacker and in coverage, mainly on tight ends. However White has exhibited speed to cover receivers when warranted.

Davion Taylor

Despite getting off to a hot start this year in camp, Davion Taylor has reportedly been off as of late. The former 3rd round pick has been a major disappointment during his time in Philadelphia. Taylor has yet to rack up a QB Pressure so much as a sack across the last two seasons in midnight green. The fact that Taylor was a high-round draft pick and has exhibited some potential this summer will most likely keep him on the roster. But as a contract season looms heavy, I see no reason for the Eagles to keep him around next season barring a dramatic leap in production.

Nakobe Dean

When Nakobe Dean dropped to the Eagles with the 83rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Eagles board room exploded with cheers. It is pretty easy to see why, Dean was one of the top college linebackers during his time with the Georgia Bulldogs. Compiling 168 Tackles, 13.5 TFLs, and 7.5 Sacks during his time in Athens. Though he dealt with injuries throughout his time in college which is the main reason he fell so far down many teams’ draft boards. However, Dean is a scrappy hard-nosed defender that never backs down. Joining one of the best Linebacker cores the Eagles have seen in years will help Dean greatly as he will get time to watch and learn while also getting valuable playing time. It is safe to say we are going to see Nakobe Dean making plays in the Mightnight green for years to come.

Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson has perhaps had the best offseason of any player this summer. Eagles brass has reported that he has made leaps and bounds from the player he was last year. We have seen it in limited time during the Eagles preseason games with the Jets and Browns. Hopefully, Johnson can live up to the hype this season as a roster spot looks to be a more realistic chance every day.

Cuts: Kyron Johnson, Christian Ellis, Shaun Bradley, Jacoby Stevens

Kyron Johnson

Selected in the 6th round out of Kansas, Kyron Johnson may end up being one of the most difficult cuts on this roster. Johnson has had a good camp for the standards of a backup linebacker, but he came at one of the worst times. This Eagles Linebacker group is better than its been in years. If Johnson were to have been drafted in the same spot last year, a roster spot would most likely be a no-brainer. Now the Eagles will just have to hope he clears waivers, so they can keep him on the Practice Squad.

Christian Ellis

Singed as a UDFA out of Idaho last season, Christian Ellis bounced on and off the practice squad for the majority of the year before finally getting called up for week 18 where he would impress in just 7 snaps, recording 5 tackles. While there may just be too much competition for Ellis to make the cut this year, he is a guy fans can expect to see on the practice squad come September 11th.

Shaun Bradley

This was one of my toughest decisions, though we don’t know how many players the Eagles will be keeping at each position we can make a solid estimate. Shaun Bradley has been on the Eagles roster for every game over the past two seasons and has played well for his 6th-round status. However, the additions made by the Eagles this offseason may prove to be too much, though Bradley is a great special teamer and has shown an ability to make some plays on defense im not sure how that may stack up against his competition. I still believe Bradley has a good shot to make this roster but if you asked me to take my guess as to if they will keep or cut him, I’d have to go with cut.

JaCoby Stevens

Stevens converted to Linebacker last season and it’s safe to say it hasn’t worked out how the Eagles had planned it. Stevens has struggled to make much progress in his game and its has become rare to hear about him in practice or see much from him in games. I think it is a safe bet that Stevens won’t be on this roster come September 11th.