With the 2021 offseason moving along and the first rookie mini-camp in the books, it’s the perfect time to take a crack at a 53-man roster projection for the Philadelphia Eagles.

On the offensive side of the ball, most of the starting spots seemed to be pretty locked up; one spot that is up-for-grabs will be the left tackle position, with Andre Dillard and Jordan Mailata battling for the starting position.

On defense, many of the spots seemed to be locked in, but competition will be fierce at the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite Darius Slay, in new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon defense.

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There will be plenty of competition for backend roster spots at each position, with special teams playing a big factor in making the team.

Quarterback (2)

  • Jalen Hurts
  • Joe Flacco

Even though new head coach Nick Sirianni hasn't come out and named Hurts the starter, unless the Eagles make a major trade, he will be under-center when the Eagles head to Atlanta to open the 2021 season.  Flacco is a fine backup, but his days of leading a team as a 16-game starter are behind him.

Running Back (4)

  • Miles Sanders
  • Kerryon Johnson
  • Jordan Howard
  • Kenneth Gainwell

Running back is very interesting, with Miles Sanders likely to get most of the touches. The interesting question will be, how will the team use the rest of the backs in the offense. Johnson gives the team a big back and Howard is also a short yardage guy. Gainwell could be used as a third-round back and add a change of pace-type of players, catching the ball out of the backfield. Don’t be surprised if Boston Scott makes the team and bumps Howard or Johnson if he isn't healthy.

Wide Receiver (6)

  • DeVonta Smith
  • Jalen Reagor
  • Travis Fulgham
  • Greg Ward
  • J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
  • John Hightower

The top two (Smith, Reagor) are locks, but the battle for the rest of the spots should be extremely competitive. Fulgham and Ward should have a leg up on the competition since they were the most productive guys of the group.

Philadelphia Eagles v Green Bay Packers
Greg Ward, (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
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I'll give Arcega-Whiteside another look with Sirianni getting a chance to work with him and I think Hightower edges out 2020 sixth-round pick Quez Watkins, giving the Eagles a deep threat. If the Eagles elect to go with more speed, Watkins could knock-off Arcega-Whiteside for the final spot.

Tight End (3)

 

  • Dallas Goedert
  • Richard Rogers
  • Hakeem Butler

Goedert will take over as the teams top pass catching tight end, with Zach Ertz tenure in Philadelphia likely over. While Rogers isn't currently on the roster, Im going to pencil him back in as a solid backup to Geodert. The competition for the No. 3 tight end spot should be one of the more interesting camp battles this year. Butler, a former wide receiver, is an athletic player who at 6-foot-5 gives the team another big bodied redzone target.

Philadelphia Eagles v Washington Football Team
Dallas Goedert (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
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However, if the team wants to go with a blocking tight end, UDFA Jack Stoll is a dark horse to make the team in that role.

Offensive Line (9)

  • Lane Johnson, OT
  • Brandon Brooks, OG
  • Jordan Mailata, OT
  • Isaac Seumalo, OG
  • Jason Kelce, C
  • Andre Dillard, OT
  • Nate Herbig, OG/C
  • Landon Dickerson, OG/C
  • Jack Driscoll, OT/OG

With Johnson and Brooks set to return, joining Kelce and Seumalo, the Eagles may have one of the better offensive lines in football, if they can stay healthy. The one battle will be at left tackle, with Mailata a slight favorite over Dillard.

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Jordan Mailata (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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If Dickerson is healthy and ready to play, he would be the primary backup at both guard positions and at center. Herbig and Driscoll got plenty of playing time in 2020, and provide depth at guard and tackle, especially If Dickerson isn't ready to play at the start of the season.

Defensive Line (10)

  • Brandon Graham
  • Derek Barnett
  • Josh Sweat
  • Ryan Kerrigan
  • Fletcher Cox
  • Javon Hargrave
  • Milton Williams
  • Marlon Tuipulotu
  • Tarron Jackson
  • Patrick Johnson

Things get really interesting on the defensive line, with a very thin, but talented group.

Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave are an excellent duo, but they are very young behind those two veterans. Graham, Barnett, Sweat and Kerrigan are likely locks, but after those four the team is very inexperienced. Of the 10 defensive lineman here, four of them are rookies, but they are not locks to make the team.

(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Jordan Hargrave (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
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On the interior defensive line, Hassan Ridgeway and T.Y McGill could win one of the interior positions as a reserve.

Linebacker (5)

  • Eric Wilson
  • Alex Singleton
  • Davion Taylor
  • Shaun Bradley
  • Genard Avery

It appears that Wilson and Singleton are the favorites to start at linebacker, with a lot of inexperience backing them up.

Taylor was a 2020 third-round pick, so he is likely to make the roster. The tea, traded a fourth-round pick for Avery, who is a pass rushing specialist, and they are moving him from defensive end to linebacker.  The last spot, I'm going to go with Bradley, who can play special teams and is a good tackler, edging out T.J. Edwards.

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Davion Taylor (Getty Images)
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Defensive Back (11)

  • Darius Slay
  • Avonte Maddox
  • Anthony Harris
  • Rodney McLeod
  • Craig James
  • Zech McPhearson
  • Andrew Adams
  • K'Von Wallace
  • JaCoby Stevens
  • Josiah Scott
  • Marcus Epps

This is a spot that will likely change between now and the start of the season, with the team in desperate need of a No. 2 corner. Right now, Maddox is the incumbent at that spot, but he struggled as an outside corner in 2020 and is better suited in the slot. The team invested a fourth-round pick on McPhearson but its doubtful he is ready to start right away on the outside.

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Darius Slay (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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If Harris can regain his 2019 form, the Eagles got a good one at safety and McLeod's health will be a big factor. The rest of the group is very unproven with Adams and Epps both special teams aces.

There is a ton of unproven, young players in this group.

Special Teams (3)

  • Jake Elliott (K)
  • Arryn Siposs (P)
  • Rick Lovato (LS)

Elliott is signed so he is likely to return, even after struggling in 2020.  The team let Cam Johnson walk in the offseason and Siposs is the only punter on the roster, but that doesn't mean that he is a lock to make the roster.  The team will certainly have its eyes to other punting competitions around the league.

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