Eagles practice squad includes Exton’s Kyle Lauletta; Redskins sign Wendell Smallwood
Also signed to the practice squad are wide receiver Greg Ward and two tight ends, Alex Smith and Josh Perkins.
Howie Roseman wasn’t kidding Saturday evening when he said “we’re not just going to keep guys on the team because we draft them in a certain round.”
The reference was to Roseman’s waiving of fifth-round rookie quarterback Clayton Thorson, whose spot on the 53-man roster pretty much disappeared with the addition of 40-year-old Josh McCown. But the reporters listening Saturday figured it wasn’t like the Eagles general manager was admitting that drafting Thorson was a mistake; if Thorson cleared waivers, he’d presumably be joining the team’s practice squad. That happens with fifth-round picks sometimes, it isn’t a big deal.
On Sunday, though, agent Mike McCartney confirmed that second-year Giants quarterback Kyle Lauletta was joining the Eagles’ practice squad, after being waived in Saturday’s cutdown. The Dallas Morning News reported that Thorson would join the Dallas practice squad.
Thorson, a standout at Northwestern, looked awful early in camp and in the first preseason game, improved and looked pretty good both in the second preseason game and in the joint practices with the Ravens, then was dreadful in the preseason finale Thursday night. Overall, Thorson completed 30 of 62 preseason passes for 266 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. His passer rating was 45.5.
Lauletta was a dark-horse favorite of draft evaluators coming out of Richmond in 2018, and became a fourth-round Giants pick. He hails from Exton and starred at Downingtown East High. Last season Lauletta saw action in two games for the Giants, failing to complete any of the five passes he threw.
Lauletta, 24, was a victim of the Giants’ drafting of first-round Duke QB Daniel Jones. Lauletta lost a battle for the third spot behind Eli Manning and Jones to veteran Alex Tanney. This preseason, Lauletta completed 37 of 62 passes for 453 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 103.8 passer rating.
“I said it last week: It’s a credit to Kyle the way he came in here every day and worked to get better and competed after we drafted Daniel,” Giants coach Pat Shurmur said Saturday. “Not every guy would respond that way, and Kyle improved as a result. So there was a lot to consider in that decision, but ultimately we decided to go with Tanney.”
Of the Eagles waived Saturday, only two were claimed -- running back Wendell Smallwood, by Washington, which faces the Eagles this coming weekend in the season opener; and undrafted rookie offensive tackle Brett Toth, by Arizona. Toth is the former Army star who was allowed to defer part of his military service to sign with the Eagles. He hadn’t played since the 2018 Senior Bowl and looked rusty in his only preseason action, Thursday against the Jets, but the Cardinals obviously must like his potential.
Smallwood, 25, was a fifth-round pick in 2016 who was never a star for the Eagles but had his moments. He gained 850 yards on 211 carries in three seasons, a respectable 4.0 yards per carry.
The Eagles surprised observers by keeping only two tight ends on their 53, but on Sunday, they announced nine members of their 10-man practice squad, and that group included TEs Alex Ellis and Josh Perkins. They might be comfortable leaving Ellis and Perkins there and using an offensive lineman as the third tight end in three-TE sets. Or, now that cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc has made the initial 53, he could go on injured reserve later this week and be eligible to return at midseason, which would open a roster spot for Ellis or Perkins. LeBlanc has a foot injury.
After Lauletta, Ellis, and Perkins, the practice squad members announced were as follows: Wide receiver Marcus Green, defensive tackle Bruce Hector, guard Sua Opeta, running back Boston Scott, linebacker Alex Singleton, and wide receiver Greg Ward.
All but Green were in training camp with the Eagles. Green, 23, was a sixth-round Falcons draft choice this year from Louisiana-Monroe. The Eagles traded Hector to the Cardinals for safety/special teams player Rudy Ford on Aug. 22, but Hector subsequently was waived. He played in eight Eagles games last season.
Josh Adams, who led the Eagles in rushing last season, joined the Jets’ practice squad Sunday after the Eagles waived him on Saturday. The Jets’ GM is Joe Douglas, the former Eagles player personnel vice president who brought Adams to the Eagles as an undrafted rookie from Notre Dame and Central Bucks South.