The Eagles’ preseason opener didn’t tell the story of the final score so much as it exposed the first real roster battles.
Baltimore handled Philadelphia 24-7 on Friday, but that’s not the part the Eagles are studying. This time of year is about sorting through the 90-man roster, and after one exhibition game, a few unexpected names are already making noise in Rob Gregson’s post-Week 1 53-man projection for A to Z Sports.
Philadelphia was outplayed from the jump. The Ravens rolled up 31 first downs to the Eagles’ 6, piled up 440 total yards to 159, and held the ball for 41:17 compared with 18:43 for the Eagles. Philadelphia also went 0-for-9 on third down.
Still, the biggest takeaway came in the quarterback room behind Jalen Hurts. Gregson projects fifth-round rookie Cole Payton, the North Dakota State product, to win the No. 3 job and land on the 53-man roster ahead of Andy Dalton. Payton flashed the kind of mobility teams want in a developmental quarterback, scrambling on fourth-and-three and later capping a drive with a touchdown pass in the second half.
That leaves Dalton on the outside in Gregson’s projection, with the possibility that Philadelphia could try to move him for a Day 3 pick rather than carry four quarterbacks on the active roster.
At receiver, one of the clearest surprises is Darius Cooper. The undrafted wideout has made enough of an impression in camp and in the opener to crack Gregson’s projected six-man group. The full receiver projection has DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, Cooper, Hollywood Brown, and Elijah Moore.
Brown stays in the mix despite a quieter start, with Gregson pointing to the $5 million guarantee attached to his deal. Johnny Wilson, Britain Covey, and Quez Watkins are projected out for now.
There were also some notable defensive and trench developments. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. helped his cause with a sack, multiple quarterback hits, and five tackles, while Ty Robinson added a sack and remains in the projected six-man interior defensive line group. Markel Bell is still working toward a swing tackle role among the offensive line reserves.
One of the more unusual names in the projection is Uar Bernard, the raw international developmental tackle with almost no previous organized football experience. Gregson has Bernard making the 53, largely to keep other teams from claiming him off waivers, based on the upside he showed in limited action.
Jonathan Greenard is also projected to stick and is expected to come off the physically unable to perform list, which would add another body to the edge group. In the secondary, Mac McWilliams made his presence felt with heavy snaps and a team-high tackle total, keeping him in the conversation. Gregson says there is still a real battle there with Kelee Ringo, who offers special-teams value and came up with an end-zone interception against Baltimore.
The Eagles still have two preseason games left, at the New England Patriots on August 22 and at home against the Cincinnati Bengals on August 28. They’ll also get joint practices with the Patriots before Week 2, giving the staff another important evaluation window before the roster gets cut from 90 to 53.
In Other News...
Ravens Rookie QB Just Forced His Way Into A Real Debate
Joe Fagnano has already done enough in one preseason outing to make the Ravens take a longer look at him. The undrafted rookie out of UConn stood out against a Vic Fangio defense, finishing Week 1 of the preseason with the most completions and passing yards among quarterbacks, a showing that quickly pushed him from afterthought to conversation piece in Baltimores quarterback room.
Now the challenge gets sharper against a Minnesota defense coordinated by Brian Flores, one that is built to pressure young passers and force fast decisions. Ravens coaches Jesse Minter and Declan Doyle have acknowledged the test ahead and expect Fagnano to pick up valuable experience, but his recent performance has already sparked talk about whether he can develop into a backup option worth keeping around. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Camp Just Exposed One Encouraging Sign And One Real Concern
Joint practices with the Vikings gave the Ravens a useful midcamp measuring stick, and they came away with at least one bright spot. Rookie wide receiver JaKobi Lane stood out with a strong showing, while the secondary, led by Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins, held up well against Minnesotas top targets and gave Baltimore something to feel good about on the defensive side.
The more troubling takeaway came on the other side of the ball, where the offense looked sluggish and had trouble coping with pressure. Ronnie Stanley had a rough day against the Vikings pass rush, and the unit as a whole struggled when the blitz got home, leaving the Ravens with a reminder that camp progress can be uneven even when a few individual performances pop. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Have Real Roster Decisions Riding On This Preseason Game
The Ravens preseason has become less about scoreboards and more about sorting through the back end of the roster, with Jesse Minter leaning on a cautious plan for veterans while giving rookies and second-year players the bulk of the reps. That approach has already left some notable names on the sideline, even players like Trenton Simpson, as Baltimore uses August to answer a lot of small questions at once.
There is still the kicker spot to sort out, and the injury picture is adding its own pressure, with Danny Pinter likely headed for a season-ending setback. For younger players hoping to make their case, the next preseason game carries real weight, because these snaps are not just about showing up in camp, they are about whether there will be a place for them when the roster gets trimmed. [Read more 🡒]