The Eagles kicked off their revenge tour with a 16-13 win over the preseason powerhouse Baltimore Ravens(we are so back)! There were some ups and downs, but it was great to see the Birds back on the field for the first time since January. So, who stood out, who failed to impress, and who landed somewhere in the middle?

Winners

Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Trotter was everywhere on Friday night, and as I’m writing this, you know who he reminds me of? T.J. Edwards. He just always seems to be in the mix on every play. Trotter finished the night with a team-high 6 tackles, 1 sack, and a QB hit. I love the kid, and when you factor in who his dad is, there’s no doubt in my mind that he could easily become a fan favorite. While there are still some hurdles Trotter will need to overcome, I can easily see him becoming a starter at some point this season.

Nakobe Dean

Is this going to be controversial? Maybe, maybe not. I loved what I saw from Dean and Trotter; this would be a super undersized pairing, but they just seemed to bring more energy and fire than their LB counterparts. While Nakobe Dean didn’t fill the stat sheet with crazy numbers (1 tackle, 1 PBU), he did have a QB hit that won’t show up on the stat sheet due to a defensive holding call. He showed flashes of potential. Sure, we can say he does this every year, but he deserves a chance. Last year was filled with injuries, and it’s understandable if fans are frustrated, but the kid can play. Yes, he’s undersized, and yes, he’s not elite in coverage, but he’s going to play with a chip on his shoulder because people are doubting him. Dean looked fast on blitzes and hurried the QB multiple times. I loved seeing Dean and Trotter out there, and if the season started today (it doesn’t), I’m taking them as my starters.

Three-Headed Monster at CB (Kelee Ringo, Isaiah Rodgers, Quinyon Mitchell)

This is something fans should be excited about—young talent emerging at cornerback. With Darius Slay possibly playing his last year with the Eagles (and maybe in football), it’s reassuring to see younger players step up and make plays. And the best part? The Eagles’ second-round draft pick, Cooper DeJean, didn’t even play, yet we’re still feeling good about the talent on the outside. What stood out to me in this game was how Ringo and Rodgers lined up on the outside, while Mitchell primarily played in the slot. Could Mitchell start at slot CB this year? It’s definitely possible. Mitchell’s best play of the night was a PBU where he broke on an inside route and nearly picked the ball off. He showed the quickness and IQ that made him a first-round talent. Ringo allowed only 1 catch on 5 targets, making a particularly nice play in the end zone where the receiver looked like he won on a slant route, but Ringo fought to get back into position to break up the pass. Rodgers, playing his first game in two years, also impressed. He did allow a catch for a decent gain, but I was really impressed with his pursuit and the peanut punch that knocked the ball loose as he was tackling the receiver. Overall, I’m really impressed with this group.

Will Shipley

Will Shipley gained a lot of fans last night. He wasn’t flashy, but he was consistent. Shipley refused to lose yards, and that’s something he’s done his whole life. I liked what I saw from the rookie out of Clemson. He picked up a blitz and held off the free rusher long enough for Kenny Pickett to complete a pass to John Ross. That’s an area he needs to work on if he wants to see the field this season, and it was nice to see him step up to that challenge. The touchdown reception was a nice icing-on-the-cake moment. I was really impressed with Shipley and am curious to see how long it takes before he takes over the RB2 spot.

Impressive pass pro rep by Will Shipley. That’s the biggest box he has to check to be able to get onto the field in the regular season. pic.twitter.com/K5R6w2Q4qP

— Shane Haff (@ShaneHaffNFL) August 10, 2024

Britain Covey

Covey looked good on punt returns, especially with Ainias Smith struggling. It’s safe to say the punt returner role is locked up for a while. Covey also finished the night with 4 catches for 24 yards, showing some YAC ability. I do think that with the starters, he could have a role. Look for Covey to build on this performance going forward.

Jalyx Hunt

This is more of an honorable mention, but Jalyx Hunt showed some of what made him such an intriguing draft prospect. Hunt finished the night with 4 tackles and was flying across the field. I was super impressed with him. Hopefully, this is something he continues to build on—he’s still raw, but I can see the big picture. Great pick, Howie.

Losers

Kenny Pickett

The “Kenny Pickett is Joe Montana in the preseason” hype train has derailed itself early. Pickett just didn’t look great Friday night. He finished 14/22 for 89 yards and 1 touchdown, with his longest completion being just 10 yards. It’s the preseason—air it out and make some plays happen! Pickett played it too safe in my opinion, and while that’s not inherently bad, he didn’t even look good playing safe, and that’s where you lose me. It reminded me of Sam Bradford, and that was a tough year for us. He wasn’t accurate either; it just wasn’t… good.

Ainias Smith

Arguably the biggest loser of the night was Ainias Smith, the rookie out of Texas A&M. I had high hopes for Smith coming into the season, but as of now, I’m not sure he makes the team. I know it’s still early, but reports from camp haven’t been great, and the preseason debut wasn’t the start I imagine he wanted. As a receiver, he finished with 1 catch for 7 yards, and as a returner, he fumbled the ball out of bounds after trying to reverse field. I’ll give him some grace—recovering from a stress fracture is tough, and he may still be getting acclimated to football again—but he hurt his chances of making the roster.

Devin White and Zack Baun

It wasn’t the greatest night for these two. What started as a night of hope and optimism quickly vanished as the Ravens’ second-team offense drove down the field on the Eagles’ first-team defense. Devin White looked lost at times, and I’m just not sold on Baun as an off-ball linebacker. It doesn’t help that the other LBs on the roster looked much better than these two. I still believe in Devin White, but we’re getting close to the first game in Brazil, and he needs to show something. As for Zack Baun, I just don’t get it. I want to, especially since Vic Fangio has raved about him, but I have yet to see any indication that he’s an upgrade over what we currently have “behind” him.

Whoever Wants to Win the TE3 Spot

There wasn’t a single TE that stood out to me last night. The bar isn’t high, but it looks like nobody wants to win the spot. Put me in, coach.

Matt Hennessy

At one point, I thought this was a great signing. Hennessy offers C/G depth and could easily be your top interior lineman off the bench. But on Friday night, he was playing deep into the game—not a good look. He didn’t play badly, but it seems like he’s no longer a lock to make this roster.

Who Knows

Nolan Smith

Yes, Nolan Smith recorded a sack, but it was in the third quarter against the third-stringers. The real question is, why was he even out there to begin with? Jalyx Hunt flashed a lot more than Smith did Friday night—perhaps because Smith was lining up in coverage on some snaps, but who knows. I’m not out on Nolan Smith by any means, but I’d like to see more production from him.

Tanner McKee

It’s not your fault, Tanner—the hand you were dealt wasn’t the greatest. McKee wasn’t awful, but he wasn’t great either. I’d like to see him get some reps with the second team next week against the Patriots to see how he fares. Until then, though, he didn’t do much to bolster his case for the QB2 spot.

James Bradberry

I wanted to mention Bradberry because he didn’t play badly! He didn’t do anything particularly great either. I just hope this switch works out. I like him, and I think he, along with Slay, can be solid mentors for the younger guys. But I do understand it’s a business. Let’s see if he improves next week.

Jake Elliott

Was he trolling? In all seriousness, it’s better to get the misses out of the way now. I have no worries at all with Jake Elliott. They could never make me hate you.