The Philadelphia Eagles finalized their initial 53-man roster by making more than 30 transactions, then used the practice squad to retain several developmental prospects and experienced reserves.
Philadelphia placed cornerback Jakorian Bennett and tight end Grant Calcaterra on injured reserve with designations to return Aug. 30. Both players had to make the initial roster before being moved to preserve their eligibility to return during the regular season.
The Eagles released 10 vested veterans who were not required to pass through waivers: linebacker Chance Campbell, wide receivers Britain Covey, Danny Gray and Quez Watkins, outside linebacker Tarron Jackson, guard Michael Jordan, running back Dameon Pierce, tight end Stone Smartt and cornerbacks Ambry Thomas and Shaun Wade.
Philadelphia waived the following 26 players:
DT Uar Bernard

#tight #return #jakorian

Howie Roseman did not close the door on a Zach Ertz reunion, but he also made it clear that the organization likes its current tight end group. Following the Eagles' 53-man roster cuts, Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice asked Roseman whether the Eagles had spoken with Ertz or had interest in bringing the veteran back to Philadelphia.
"First, I'd say what an unbelievable player, what an unbelievable person, tremendous respect for him," Roseman said. "At the same time, love what we have going in our tight end room, too."
Ertz is nearing the nine-month point in his recovery from a significant knee injury. Nothing appears imminent, although Philadelphia has maintained contact with one of the most accomplished tight ends in franchise history.
"Have talked to Zach over a period of time, obviously rehabbing his ACL and the relationship, just like a lot of our former players who've been here," Roseman said.
The Eagles formed their initial roster with Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, second-round pick Eli Stowers and E.J. Jenkins at tight end. Grant Calcaterra was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return, making him eligible to rejoin the roster after four games. That depth reduces the need to rush into an agreement with Ertz. It also gives Philadelphia time to monitor his recovery and evaluate its current group during the opening weeks.

#tight #roster #current #group

Rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon is among the Eagles players not suited up for tonight's preseason game against the Patriots, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The Eagles' first-round pick injured his hamstring on Aug. 3 and missed nine practices before returning to limited work on Thursday.
Lemon will have two weeks to catch up before the season opener.
Linebacker Jihaad Campbell, running back Tank Bigsby, defensive tackle Byron Young (shoulder), wide receiver Hollywood Brown, wide receiver Elijah Moore (neck), cornerback Jakorian Bennett (knee), tight end Grant Calcaterra (back) and offensive tackle John Ojukwu (pectoral) are among players who played last week who are not playing tonight, per McLane.

#receiver #Eagles #back

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: It's preseason!
We are back! Sort of. The Eagles' preseason opener was hardly an inspiring return to watching the Eagles. I am not interested in using a preseason game featuring almost no established starters to make sweeping declarations about Sean Mannion. The Eagles have repeatedly demonstrated that they are happy to sacrifice preseason entertainment to protect important players and conceal the more meaningful parts of the playbook. Whether you agree with that approach or not, this organization does not treat these games as rehearsals for its actual offense.
There were still some early indications of Mannion's influence, particularly in the running game. As part of the run-game data we are tracking for our Patreon this season, I charted six Outside Zone runs and three Duo runs. That is not a large enough sample to declare that the Eagles have transformed their offensive identity, but the emphasis was noticeable. The structure of the running game was more interesting than the results, especially when you add in more under center runs.
The other important piece of context is that Baltimore's defense was not nearly as vanilla as the Eagles' offense. Jesse Minter called several creative pressures and tested the communication and protection rules of an inexperienced offensive line. By comparison, the Eagles kept everything extremely basic.
The opening clip summarizes much of the first-team offense. The Eagles used Grant Calcaterra and Eli Stowers together, but neither currently looks capable of giving them the blocking they would need from a legitimate two-tight-end package. Calcaterra is fortunate not to be penalized here, while Stowers' usage throughout the game was strange. We repeatedly asked a player drafted primarily for his receiving ability to perform difficult ****** ignments as an attached blocker.

#game #offense #calcaterra #running

Coordinator changes often create uncertainty. New play-callers bring new ideas, new tendencies, and sometimes entirely different visions for how an offense should operate. That may be one reason Dallas Goedert had a relatively quiet start to Philadelphia Eagles training camp. That certainly stood out. The targets reportedly weren't as frequent early in camp, which sometimes birthed legitimate questions about how Sean Mannion's offense might distribute opportunities.
Lately, however, a different trend has emerged. Per various sources, including ESPN's Tim McManus, "Jalen Hurts' connection with tight end Dallas Goedert is heating up. The Eagles have made a concerted effort to get the ball into Goedert's hands, involve him in the passing game, and make him a larger part of the offensive rhythm. Whether it's short completions underneath, chain-moving routes over the middle, or red-zone opportunities, Goedert's involvement has steadily increased as camp has progressed.
The Eagles have several intriguing options at tight end, but none match Goedert's combination of experience, production, and quarterback trust. Johnny Mundt is a valuable addition and appears to have carved out a role in certain personnel packages. The veteran has built a reputation as a blocker; however, not as a player expected to carry a significant portion of the passing attack.
Rookie Eli Stowers may eventually become a dynamic receiving threat, but the Eagles have shown little urgency in accelerating his development. That's understandable, considering he's still relatively new to the position and continues to learn the finer points of the NFL game.
Cameron Latu is an interesting developmental player whose versatility could create opportunities. Some have even wondered if he could occasionally function in a fullback-type role. Grant Calcaterra remains on the roster, but he never quite developed into the player many hoped he would become. E.J. Jenkins and Dae'Quan Wright have traits the coaching staff appreciates, but both face difficult paths toward meaningful offensive roles.

#opportunities #dallas

The Philadelphia Eagles enter training camp with a tight end room led by one of the most accomplished players on the roster and surrounded by one of the more interesting depth battles on offense.
Dallas Goedert remains the headliner. He is still the Eagles' most complete tight end, one of Jalen Hurts' most trusted targets, and a valuable piece of Philadelphia's offensive identity. His ability to win in the passing game while also contributing as a blocker gives the Eagles a dependable veteran at a position where reliability matters.
The intrigue begins behind him.
Grant Calcaterra returns with experience in the system. Johnny Mundt brings veteran toughness and blocking value. Stone Smartt gives Philadelphia an athletic option with pass-catching upside. Cameron Latu, E.J. Jenkins, Eli Stowers, and Dae'Quan Wright all enter camp trying to prove they can force their way into the conversation.
The Eagles do not need every tight end to become a star. They need clarity. They need a reliable second option, dependable depth, special teams value, and perhaps one young player who can become part of the offense's future.