Philadelphia opened up the preseason at home against the New York Jets on Friday, and after a near-perfect start, the Eagles squandered an 11-point halftime lead.
The Birds’ roster has about 35-40 locks, leaving 45 players competing for 14-18 spots on the 53-man roster.
With two joint practice sessions against the Browns and Dolphins looming, it was likely the final time you’ll see Philadelphia’s starter in any live game action before the season opener.
NFL careers are born during the preseason, and several players on the Eagles improved or hurt their chances on Friday.
Here’s a breakdown below.
Help -- RB Jason Huntley
Huntley has taken advantage of his increase in reps and could be a key contributor, both as a rusher and a returner.
Helped -- WR Jalen Reagor
Reagor looked engaged on Friday night, catching three of his four targets. Reagor needs to be consistent and outperform the opponent’s third or fourth cornerbacks to be a key contributor.
Helped -- TE Noah Togiai
Togiai has improved each year, and he’s starting to create some momentum after a few good practices and a solid outing against the Jets.
The young tight end logged four catches for 29 yards, and he could be a player to watch at a position lacking true depth.
Helped -- Reed Blankenship
Blankenship led the Eagles in tackles with 8 total, including six solos, while also showing that he has a nose for the football.
Helped -- Josiah Scott
Scott has been taking some first-team reps at safety, and as a slot cornerback by trade, that versatility could slide him to the top of the depth chart.
He was active against the Jets and is a player to watch with Anthony Harris, Jaquiski Tartt, and others struggling.
Hurt the cause --WR Deon Cain
Cain had been the talk of offseason workouts and the first week of training camp, but that production didn’t translate to the game.
Cain had one catch for 14 yards on four targets vs. the Jets, and he’s looking to crack a crowded wide receiver group.
Hurt the cause -- Jaquiski Tartt
Tartt was unavailable for several days while dealing with a personal matter, and the lost reps could place the talented safety squarely on the roster bubble.
Hurt the cause -- QB Reid Sinnett
Sinnett has played on par with Gardner Minshew through two weeks of practice, but during the preseason opener, he was an inconsistent 9-17 passing for 81-yards and a touchdown.
Sinnett was sacked three times, and if you take away a 75-yard scoring drive late in the fourth quarterback, the third-year quarterback was responsible for three and outs on three of his first four series of the second half.
Things could tight at other key positions and Sinnett did nothing that warrants Philadelphia keeping three signal-callers on the 53-man roster.
Hurt the cause -- WR Greg Ward
Ward has been out almost two weeks with a toe injury, and you can’t make the 53-man roster on the sideline.
Hurt his cause -- J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
The former second-round pick was targeted one time on Friday night, and the now traded former Stanford star dropped the pass.
