Predicting the Eagles’ 53-man roster | Jeff McLane

While a few dozen players still have Thursday night’s preseason finale to impress Eagles decision-makers before the 53-man roster deadline Saturday, our annual tradition of predicting who makes the team gets a head start on one of the more difficult days on the NFL calendar.

General manager Howie Roseman has assembled a roster that is among his deepest. But the Eagles are still light at several positions, which could spur maneuvering after cut-down day. Almost every year there are players around the league who survive trims only to be cast off days later.

The NFL is as much a meritocracy as any professional team sport, but Roseman has variables such as the salary cap and draft investment to consider as he whittles 37 players from a roster of 90. Those circumstances are taken into consideration in this beat reporter’s guesstimate for 2019 (with the understanding that this list could change over the next 48 hours):

On roster (3): Carson Wentz, Josh McCown, Nate Sudfeld.

Cut: Clayton Thorson, Cody Kessler

McCown has clearly won the backup spot and will probably retain that role after Sudfeld’s broken wrist recovers. The only remaining question, perhaps, is whether the Eagles will unconventionally keep four quarterbacks or hope Thorson passes through waivers before landing on the practice squad.

On roster (4): Miles Sanders, Jordan Howard, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement

Cut: Josh Adams, Wendell Smallwood, Donnel Pumphrey, Boston Scott

Clement is healthy and Sproles is a coaching favorite. Adams and Smallwood led the Eagles in rushing last season, which explains some of their struggles but also shows how the talent at running back has been upgraded. Adams could be one of several candidates to follow Joe Douglas to the Jets.

» READ MORE: Which running backs will make the Eagles' cut?

On roster (5): Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Nelson Agholor, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Mack Hollins

Cut: Greg Ward, Charles Johnson, Marken Michel, Carlton Agudosi, DeAndre Thompkins

The top four are gifted and versatile. Hollins hasn’t exactly won back a roster spot, but he’s a former fourth-round pick who has four-core special-teams experience. Ward has done nearly everything the Eagles could have asked, but receivers of his ilk are a dime a dozen.

On roster (4): Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Richard Rodgers, Joshua Perkins

Cut: Alex Ellis, Will Tye

Rodgers’ foot injury doesn’t appear to be as serious as last year’s knee sprain, which would make him an unlikely injured reserve candidate. But the Eagles will need a third tight end until he returns. Perkins filled that role last year, but he’s been mistake-prone this preseason. He survives in this scenario, but a more suitable blocking tight end might take his place.

On roster: (10): Jason Peters, Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, Brandon Brooks, Isaac Seumalo, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Andre Dillard, Matt Pryor, Jordan Mailata, Stefen Wisniewski

Cut: Nate Herbig, Brett Toth, Anthony Fabiano, Keegan Render, Sua Opeta, Riley Mayfield

Ten offensive linemen are a lot, but Brooks has yet to be cleared. If he isn’t ready by Week 1, the guess here is that Wisniewski stays for the time being. But Seumalo can back up at center, and Herbig, should he make it to the practice squad, would be one promotion away from adding depth.

On roster (6): Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Vinny Curry, Josh Sweat, Shareef Miller, Daeshon Hall

Injured reserve: Joe Ostman

Cut: Eli Harold, Kasim Edebali

Signs point to Hall’s inclusion. He’s had the best preseason of the second-tier ends and could even supplant Sweat in the rotation on game days. Even if Miller avoids a redshirt season on IR, the Eagles have kept six ends before.

On roster (4): Fletcher Cox, Malik Jackson, Tim Jernigan, Hassan Ridgeway

Cut: Treyvon Hester, Aziz Shittu, Kevin Wilkins

Cox’s foot injury could compel the Eagles to keep five tackles. But if it’s only four, Ridgeway, who was acquired in a draft-day trade, could have the edge on playoff hero Hester.

On roster (5): Nigel Bradham, Kamu-Grugier-Hill, Nate Gerry, Zach Brown, L.J. Fort

Cut: T.J. Edwards, Alex Singleton, Chris Worley, Hayes Pullard

Grugier-Hill (knee) won’t be back in time for the first few games, but he isn’t an IR candidate. Bradham’s availability for the opener, as he recovers from foot surgery, could come down to the wire. The bet here is that Roseman finds some way to add another linebacker. Edwards or Singleton could hold down a spot for the time being, but neither has yet to make that probable.

On roster (5): Ronald Darby, Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, Avonte Maddox, Cre’Von LeBlanc

Physically unable to perform (PUP) list: Jalen Mills.

Cut: Orlando Scandrick, Josh Hawkins, Jeremiah McKinnon, Ajene Harris, Sojourn Shelton.

Darby is another post-op player who may need a week before making a return. With LeBlanc still in a walking boot and Mills’ mysterious foot injury no closer to recuperation, Scandrick could slide onto the roster. He hasn’t exactly made it a no-brainer.

On roster (4): Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Andrew Sendejo, Rudy Ford

Cut: Johnathan Cyprien, Deiondre’ Hall, Tra Elston, Jason Thompson

The Eagles’ search for a viable fourth safety has yielded them Cyprien, Ford, and Thompson over the last month. The team did Tre Sullivan a favor by releasing him Monday. His performance had slipped, and he may benefit from a change of scenery. Ford, who came last week in a trade, could earn the last spot by default, at least for a few days.

On roster (3): Jake Elliott, Cameron Johnston, Rick Lovato

Cut: None

The Eagles decided against camp competition for their three specialists. Elliott hasn’t been sharp, but as long as he keeps hitting long field goals and clutch kicks, his job is safe.