The Eagles’ bye week has already turned into a purge, and the roster churn may not be finished yet.
On Friday, the team moved on from veteran swing tackle and occasional guard Fred Johnson, following earlier releases of receiver Hollywood Brown and running back Jaydon Blue. Add in the trade of Jordan Davis, and Philadelphia now has four open roster spots.
Johnson’s exit closes the book on a nearly four-season run with the Eagles. He appeared in six games this year, but before that he was a steady piece of the roster, playing in all 17 games in each of the previous three seasons and starting 14 of them.
His release also points to where the Eagles appear headed next: younger bodies, especially up front. One name to watch is Yale product Kiran Amegadjie, a 6-foot-5, 326-pound practice squad tackle who could be called up. John Ojukwu is another possibility.
Brown’s release carries a different kind of signal. It suggests the Eagles are likely to get both DeVonta Smith and Tay Wicks back after the bye.
Smith has played in only four games this season because of a hamstring injury, while Wicks has missed the last three games with an ankle issue. Neither was placed on injured reserve, which means both are eligible to return whenever the team wants them back.
Brown also wore No. 0, a number that has developed a strange reputation since the NFL opened it up. Since then, no Eagle who has worn it has lasted more than a year.
The backfield could be next in line for change. Cutting Blue points toward a possible return for Tank Bigsby and/or Will Shipley in time for the Nov. 22 game against the Steelers.
Bigsby has been on injured reserve since Oct. 6 with a core muscle injury, while Shipley has been out since Oct. 16 with a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his foot. Both have already missed the required four games.
And the Eagles may not stop with those moves. Safety Marcus Epps could be in danger, with seventh-round pick Cole Wisnieski potentially getting a look.
The same goes for Arnold Ebiketie and/or A.J. Epenesa, with seventh-rounder Keyshawn James-Newby as a possible replacement.
The Eagles believed they had a trade in place for Ebiketie with the Bengals at the deadline, but Cincinnati backed out.
It also would not be a shock if the team gives Uar Bernard and Josh Weru chances over the final eight games as it keeps reshaping the roster around younger players.
In Other News...
Eagles Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Receiver Plans
The Eagles used their Week 10 bye to make a notable shift at receiver, mutually agreeing to waive veteran Marquise Brown. It ends a brief stint in Philadelphia for Brown, who appeared in four games and posted five catches for 63 yards without finding the end zone.
Browns next stop now depends on whether he clears waivers, which would make him an unrestricted free agent. For the Eagles, the move signals a clearer turn in how they want to shape the receiver room as they come out of the break and into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
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A handful of under-the-radar college prospects are starting to look like the sort of players this front office could circle back to when the board thins out. Running back Jamal Roberts, cornerbacks Jamari Sharpe and Vicari Swain, edge rusher Anto Saka and tight end Andrew Rappleyea all bring traits that line up with different Eagles needs, which is exactly why they belong on the radar now. The bigger question is which of those fits becomes real when draft weekend arrives and Philadelphia starts turning its long-range planning into actual picks. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Sent A Troubling Message About Their Passing Game
The Eagles have already moved on from Hollywood Brown, parting ways with the veteran wide receiver by mutual consent after a brief and quiet stint in Philadelphia. Signed to a one-year deal in March, Brown never found much traction in the offense, appearing in four games and finishing with five catches for 63 yards while the team continued to shuffle pieces around its receiver room.
Browns departure adds another layer to a passing game that has been searching for consistency, even with several other wideouts still on the roster and practice squad. Because of the timing of the release, he now goes through the waiver claim process, leaving open the possibility that another team could step in before Philadelphia gets any chance to revisit the move. [Read more 🡒]