Building a winner 🏆 | Sports Daily Newsletter

Howie Roseman described Tuesday as the “worst day of the year” — nobody wants to tell players that their NFL dreams are on hold. But it’s part of the job, and the Eagles general manager has been around long enough to know when he’s built a winning roster.

On Wednesday, Roseman and the Eagles continued their efforts by signing 14 players to the practice squad to fill out the depth chart. After favoring the defensive side heavily in the initial 53-man roster, the Eagles balanced things with nine offensive players, including wide receiver Parris Campbell, on the practice squad.

However, there’s still no apparent backup center, writes EJ Smith. Here are some other takeaways of the Eagles’ roster.

— Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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❓Which position group are you most concerned about on the Eagles’ roster? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

It took J.T. Realmuto a while to find his swing after coming back from knee surgery. A few weeks ago, he began talking to the hitting coaches about shortening his stride. When the Phillies catcher is at his best, he’s driving balls to right-center and center field, and that’s what he’s done over his past week. Here’s how he unlocked that power.

On Wednesday, the Phillies’ offense managed just three hits, while Taijuan Walker struggled on the mound, allowing six earned runs on 13 hits over six innings in a 10-0 loss. Columnist Marcus Hayes writes that Walker’s contract — worth $72 million over four years — was a big mistake.

Next: The Phillies face the Braves at Citizens Bank Park this evening (6:40 p.m./NBC Sports Philadelphia).

Defensive lineman Thomas Booker was signed to the Eagles’ practice squad last season after being waived by the Houston Texans, who selected Booker in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Stanford. He said that the grind is paying off after he found out Tuesday that he made the initial 53-man roster and has new “appreciation for the opportunity.”

The Columbus Crew, fresh off their Leagues Cup championship, continued to show why they’re one of MLS’s elite teams by defeating the Union, 1-0, at Subaru Park. The loss keeps the Union in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Are you an expert fan? A seasoned tailgater? A sports complex aficionado? If so, we want to hear your best tips and tricks for attending games in South Philly. Whether you leave at a certain time, take a secret route, or know where the shortest food and bathroom lines are, let us know your Philly “fan hacks” and you might be featured in an upcoming story. Just fill out this form to submit yours — and please, nothing illegal.

Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.

Which Eagles bubble player could you see having the most upside?

I know James Bradbury has made the initial 53-man roster, but after reading Marcus Hayes column I will be hoping he can stick for the long and very demanding upcoming season. — Everett S.

I think Tristan McCollum has major upside. He played hard and smart through the pre-season. — Bill H.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Marcus Hayes, Lochlahn March, Jeff McLane, EJ Smith, Alex Coffey, Jonathan Tannenwald, Aaron Carter, Gustav Elvin, Jeff Neiburg, and Owen Hewitt.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

That’s it for me this week! Hope everyone has a great Thursday. Jim will be back on the controls tomorrow. — Bella