The Eagles pulled off another preseason thriller! While you have to hope this isn’t a preview of the stress that could come during the regular season, it’s still just the preseason, after all. But with players fighting for roster spots and only one game left before the regular season opener in Brazil, every snap counts. Let’s dive into who impressed, who didn’t, and who landed somewhere in between.

Winners

Tanner McKee

Let’s start with the most obvious winner: Tanner McKee. Currently the third-string QB, McKee is competing for the backup role. The only thing standing in his way, in my opinion, is politics. Kenny Pickett (more on him in a bit) had a rough outing and might have been the worst QB on the field last night. Despite that, the Eagles traded for Pickett with the expectation that he’d be the backup. McKee, however, might still be a year away from securing that spot. Last night, McKee finished 15/19 for 140 yards and led the offense down the field for the go-ahead TD. He looked sharp and confident, and the difference between him and Pickett was hard to miss. If Jalen Hurts were to go down, I wouldn’t be surprised if Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni considered starting McKee over Pickett.

Joseph Ngata

Joseph Ngata is likely to miss out on the 53-man roster, but he’s been a favorite of mine during the past two camps. He looked solid against the Patriots and seemed to be McKee’s go-to target. Ngata finished the night with 5 catches for 88 yards, which is impressive. While he won’t wow you with speed, Ngata is a bigger receiver who uses his size to make tough catches. I like his potential, and he’s definitely secured at least another year on the practice squad.

Bryce Huff

Huff was the only starter from the defensive line who played against the Patriots, which raised some eyebrows. However, his performance was encouraging. While he didn’t record a sack, he looked strong against the run. At one point, I remember watching him toss a blocker aside—he was physical and dominant. Huff only played 10 snaps but tied for second on the team with 3 tackles. He’ll need to be a big part of the defense this year if they want to be successful, and Thursday night was a good sign of things to come.

Nakobe Dean

Will Nakobe Dean pull off the upset and win the starting linebacker role? Probably not, but these past two weeks have shown that it could happen at some point this season. Dean led the team with five tackles, and during joint practices this past week, he flashed playmaking ability with a sack and a tipped ball that led to an interception. Keep an eye on how they rotate Dean in next week—it could give us a clue about his standing on the depth chart.

Avonte Maddox

Maddox made a game-changing play by picking off Jacoby Brissett in the end zone. It was potentially the biggest play of the game, and it showed what Maddox can do when healthy. He’s played great so far and has earned himself another year on the team. He could have scored on that play, but Maddox wisely prioritized his health and stepped out of bounds. I’m liking what I’m seeing from him this preseason.

Tyrion Davis-Price

On my podcast, The Linc Lineup, we had this to say about Davis-Price:

And we’re back. https://t.co/9kyv8yAkV5

— The Linc Lineup (@TheLincLineup) August 16, 2024

Davis-Price has looked explosive and runs patiently behind his blockers. I don’t know if he’ll make the team, but he’s definitely in the running for a practice squad spot.

E.J. Jenkins

In past articles, I’ve written that I wanted to see someone step up and fight for the TE3 spot, and finally, we have a winner. Jenkins finished the night with 5 catches for 47 yards, including a leaping effort to secure an off-target pass. He’s earned the spot—time to move on from the rest.

Losers

Kenny Pickett

I just don’t see how you can justify keeping Pickett as the backup QB. Sure, if you’re a die-hard Pickett fan, you might argue that he didn’t have much help—his offensive line consisted of second and third-stringers facing off against starters, and his WR options weren’t great. But he just didn’t look good. Pickett holds on to the ball too long, doesn’t throw with anticipation, lacks a deep ball, and looks uncomfortable overall. It’s hard to ignore the fact that McKee is the better option, and I hope the coaching staff and front office see it too.

#Neverforget pic.twitter.com/ZL6OX2Zh06

— The Linc Lineup (@TheLincLineup) August 16, 2024

#NeverForget indeed

James Bradberry

I wanted Bradberry to succeed as a safety, but it seems like his story might be heading toward a disappointing end. Bradberry was awful and looked lost against the Patriots. I think Howie Roseman will have to take the hit and let him go—I can’t justify a reason to keep him on the roster.

Max Scharping

The Linc Lineup had this to say about Max Scharping:

Mac Scharping is getting his ass whooped every play 😂

— The Linc Lineup (@TheLincLineup) August 15, 2024

It’s true—he was getting whooped. Plays were over before they even started with him at tackle. To be fair, Scharping is a guard, so you have to cut him some slack, but it wasn’t a good look at all.

Who Knows

Nolan Smith

Nolan Smith now has 2 sacks in 2 games. The only issue is that they came against third and fourth-stringers. On the plus side, he finishes plays with violence, making sure opposing QBs feel it when he sacks them. However, Smith also had a Derek Barnett-esque penalty when he headbutted Patriots QB Drake Maye. I’m still on the fence about Nolan Smith.

Kelee Ringo

I thought Kelee played okay in this game, so why is he in the “Who Knows” category? He played into the third quarter. I’m not sure if that’s a sign of how the coaches feel about him, but it’s never a great thing if you’re still out there while your peers are watching from the sidelines.

With one preseason game remaining, the pressure is on for those still fighting for a spot on the Eagles’ roster. Some players have made a strong case, while others are still trying to find their footing. Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni now face some tough decisions as they finalize the 53-man roster in the coming weeks. It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.