Eagles 53-man roster projection: OL Brett Toth makes a strong case; will LB Oren Burks be cut?

With the Eagles’ preseason finale and the training camp that preceded it now behind them, next Tuesday’s cut-down day looms large as all that remains.

The roster will need to go from 90 to 53 between in short order, with several players putting the finishing touches on their cases to make the team during the Eagles’ 26-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday.

Here’s my best guess at who made it, who will end up on the practice squad, and who won’t make the cut.

Jalen Hurts, Kenny Pickett, Tanner McKee

Cut: Will Grier

It makes sense for the Eagles to carry three signal callers, especially to avoid needlessly exposing McKee to waivers. He can serve as the emergency quarterback on game days and continue to develop into a potential No. 2 behind Hurts and Pickett.

Grier could have value on the practice squad as a “translator” because of his familiarity with Kellen Moore’s system, but the Eagles didn’t carry a fourth quarterback on the taxi squad last year and might not have space to this season either.

» READ MORE: Eagles grades: Was Oren Burks’ impact vs. Vikings enough to make a roster case ahead of cutdown day?

Saquon Barkley, Kenneth Gainwell, Will Shipley

Practice squad: Tyrion Davis-Price, Lew Nichols

Davis-Price rebounded from an early fumble Saturday and had a solid day, but neither he nor Nichols impressed enough in the preseason to force the Eagles into carrying a fourth running back. Both flashed more than enough throughout the summer to get a look for the practice squad, though, so long as the Eagles are willing to have two backs among the 16 available slots.

A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, Britain Covey, Johnny Wilson

Practice squad: Ainias Smith, Parris Campbell, Joseph Ngata

Cut: Jacob Harris, Griffin Herbert, John Ross, Austin Watkins

It’s pretty rare for the Eagles to leave draft picks off the initial 53-man roster, but Smith’s slow start to training camp might make him the exception to the rule. The fifth-round rookie out of Texas A&M flashed at times late in training camp and had a decent punt return on Saturday, which was enough to give me pause from leaving him off when accounting for his draft pedigree. Still, Dotson’s arrival makes the bottom of the receiver depth chart crowded enough to justify it.

» READ MORE: Eagles wideout Jahan Dotson holds his football future in his hands. Quite literally, in fact

Covey’s contributions as a return specialist are the primary reason he should be safe, but it helps that the third-year wideout has taken strides as a slot receiver as well. The Eagles were lucky to get him through waivers and onto the practice squad last year. This year it isn’t worth the risk, especially with the new kickoff format placing more value at the returner spots.

Campbell could be a post-Week 1 addition, when the team wouldn’t have to guarantee his salary. He played reasonably well this summer, but his lengthy absence with a groin injury was costly.

Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra

Practice squad: E.J. Jenkins

Cut: Kevin Foelsch, Albert Okwuegbunam, Armani Rogers

Determining how many tight ends make the team is the first truly pivotal, challenging decision when predicting the initial 53. There’s precedent for them to go light at the position: They had two tight ends on the roster in 2020 and carried three in 2022.

If they do keep a third, Jenkins is the most deserving. Despite a missed blocking assignment and a drop in the corner of the end zone Saturday, Jenkins’ body of work throughout the summer could be enough for him to eke out a roster spot. I have him just missing the cut, but a surprise addition to injured reserve could definitely result in him making the team.

Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, Lane Johnson, Tyler Steen, Trevor Keegan, Fred Johnson, Dylan McMahon, Darian Kinnard

Practice squad: Brett Toth, Nick Gates, Anim Dankwah, Laekin Vakalahi

Toth made a strong case to make the 53-man roster and was one of the primary reserves this summer, but being a vested veteran means he doesn’t have to go through waivers if released and can re-sign with the team after cut-down day.

Depending on the severity of his ankle injury, Steen could start the season on injured reserve with a designation to return. The Eagles get two IR slots with that designation, meaning a player could start the year on IR and be available after Week 4 without occupying a roster spot on cut-down day. Steen has been sidelined since last Thursday’s game against the New England Patriots, but it’s unclear if he’s expected to miss extended time with the injury.

» READ MORE: Three ups and three downs from Eagles-Vikings preseason game

Vakalahi and Dankwah are on my practice squad list because both could be upside players with a year under offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland’s tutelage. Neither featured much in the preseason, either because the team didn’t trust them to maintain a clean pocket or in an effort to hide them in order to get them through waivers.

If Vakalahi clears waivers, signing back with the Eagles would give the team an extra spot on the practice squad through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo, Thomas Booker

Practice squad: P.J. Mustipher

Cut: Gabe Hall

This is the youngest the Eagles have been at defensive tackle in quite some time, with Carter and Davis both expected to take on expanded roles in Fletcher Cox’s absence. Williams and Ojomo figure to be part of the interior rusher rotation while Tuipulotu offers value as an early-down gap plugger. Booker is among the dark horse candidates who may have played their way onto the 53-man roster with strong summers. I think he’s done enough to get on.

Josh Sweat, Bryce Huff, Brandon Graham, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Patrick Johnson

Practice squad: Tarron Jackson, Julian Okwara

Cut: Terrell Lewis

Smith’s extensive playing time on Saturday was interesting, but his quiet performance may be more instructive in suggesting there’s some playing time up for grabs behind the main trio of Sweat, Huff, and Graham. Johnson had a strong preseason opener against the Ravens and should be safe, and Hunt’s spot is secure as a third-round pick who played well enough this summer to suggest he may be ahead of schedule as a developmental edge rusher.

Jackson and Okwara had bright moments on Saturday, but the former has a good chance to clear waivers, and the latter is a vested veteran and exempt from waivers as a result. They could both be practice squad candidates if they don’t make the team.

Devin White, Nakobe Dean, Zack Baun, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Ben VanSumeren

Practice squad: Brandon Smith

Cut: Oren Burks

Burks made a very strong, late case to make the roster on Saturday and genuinely looked “too good” to be playing in the preseason finale most of the time. Still, VanSumeren showed plenty in Burks’ lengthy absence due to a knee injury. The second-year linebacker is a quality special-teamer with the upside to grow into a role on defense down the road as well, making it hard to put Burks ahead of him in the pecking order going into Tuesday.

Darius Slay, Quinyon Mitchell, Kelee Ringo, Cooper DeJean, Isaiah Rodgers, Avonte Maddox, Eli Ricks

Practice squad: Josh Jobe, Zech McPhearson

Cut: Shon Stephens, Parry Nickerson

The battle for the final few cornerback spots ended with a bit of whimper Saturday with McPhearson, Jobe, and Ricks each giving up a big play or two against the Vikings’ receiving corps. Ricks has had his share of promising moments in his second training camp, although Jobe and McPhearson both offer more as special-teams contributors than Ricks. I gave a slight advantage to Ricks, who has gotten a good amount of reps with the second-team defense during training camp and made the 53-man roster last year because of his upside in coverage.

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C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, James Bradberry

PUP: Sydney Brown

IR: Caden Sterns

Practice squad: Tristin McCollum

Cut: Andre’ Sam

Safety is a difficult position to pin down for myriad reasons. Brown could start the year on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but he’d have to miss the first four weeks of the season as a result. If the Eagles believe the second-year defensive back can return from the ACL injury he suffered last January before then, he could wind up on the initial 53-man roster.

Sterns is another injured safety with some uncertainty going into cut-down day. The 24-year-old signed midway through camp after failing a physical with the Carolina Panthers and has been sidelined since joining the Eagles. He could start the year on injured reserve and could be available after Week 4.

McCollum put together an impressive preseason finale, which is worth something, but he’s the type of player who should be able to clear waivers and stay with the team as a potential practice-squad call-up.

Then there’s the Bradberry situation. The 31-year-old converted cornerback didn’t dress for Saturday’s game. That could mean the Eagles feel good enough about him being the third safety on the depth chart to hold him back, but it could also mean the team wanted to avoid him getting injured going into cut-down day. Perhaps the Eagles can find a trade partner for Bradberry, but otherwise the dead cap hit for releasing him may be prohibitive enough to keep him around as the first safety off the bench in Week 1.

Jake Elliott, Braden Mann, Rick Lovato

The Eagles’ trio of specialists are entrenched at this point, so I won’t predict any roster chicanery trying to squeeze an “extra” spot by cutting Mann or Lovato initially only to bring them back before the first game.