Finally, mercifully, preseason football is over for the Eagles. They'll rest up Saturday after their 19-17 win against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Friday night and get back on the field next week, which promises a flurry of action – maybe even some trades – before Tuesday's 4 p.m. roster cutdown deadline to 53.
Real football comes the following week, when the Eagles will open their regular season on the following Thursday at The Linc against the Cowboys. You might have heard this already, but the Cowboys will have to watch the Eagles unveil their Super Bowl banner.
Most of the starters and several key contributors didn't play against the Jets, which is par for the course in the Nick Sirianni era. But here are my takeaways from the game.
Who didn't play reveals a lot
Of all those who played vs. didn't play, it's interesting that Josh Uche didn't dress but Azeez Ojulari did. Uche had a good start to camp and cooled down while Ojulari did the opposite. Ojulari's track record of injuries clearly didn't convince the Eagles to put him bubble wrap for the final exhibition, which could say something about his roster spot. EDGE depth is an area Howie Roseman will be examining closely in the coming days.
Sydney Brown didn't play. He obviously was making the 53-man roster, but it's a good sign for him that Vic Fangio didn't think he needed more reps. Jihaad Campell, who like most rookies needs reps, didn't play while Jeremiah Trotter Jr. did – so there's your clue that Campbell won the starting job.
Veterans Adoree' Jackson, Matt Pryor and A.J. Dillon didn't play, so it appears they've locked up jobs, but Brett Toth and Kendall Lamm did, which isn't a great sign for them.
Jakorian Bennett got more valuable reps
One guy who's making the team but still played quite a bit was cornerback Jakorian Bennett, who played 35 snaps against the Browns last week and got a bunch more against the Jets. Bennett gave up a few completions despite some pretty good coverage. He also had a pass breakup very early in zone coverage against a receiver sitting down in front of him, although Bennett arrived a little early and probably would've been flagged in a preseason game.
The hunch here is that Adoree' Jackson starts the first few weeks until Bennett gets more experience in the defense and is ready to take over, although the Cooper DeJean factor is also there. Mac McWilliams will be an interesting rookie to watch as the season goes along. He makes plays.
Kyle McCord finally drove the ball, but ...
...It wasn't a good thing. McCord was known coming out of Syracuse, where he led the NCAA in passing, as a very willing downfield thrower, which we didn't get to see much of in his limited camp reps or against the Browns. He took deep shots early and often against the Jets, but none connected, and one led to an interception.
From a five-wide formation on 2nd-and-13, McCord went deep down the left side for ... Montrell Johnson Jr., a running back who for some reason was about 30 yards downfield and didn't have much of a chance to make a play. On his next deep heave, McCord looked for Darius Cooper, who wasn't really open and ended up double covered as the safety came over by the time McCord's pass made it to him, leading to Malachi Moore picking off the pass. In the second half, he under-threw Terrace Marshall deep down the right sideline.
Overall, McCord threw some risky passes, a bunch of errant passes and showed skittish pocket presence. He had one nice sidearm toss to Ben Van Sumeren and he was victimized by a few drops, but he also made two other throws that should've been picked. He'll make the 53 because he was drafted, but he needs more development, especially with pocket poise.
OL depth is a concern
Some, if not all, of the rookies will make it because they were draft picks, but none of them are ready to play right now. Who's #nextmanup at right or left guard if the Eagles need a starter for a few games? Matt Pryor, perhaps. Last year, Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen were those guys. With Johnson gone and Steen starting at right guard, the Eagles don't appear as stocked in the reserve cupboard.
Trevor Keegan, a 2024 fifth-round pick from Michigan, should have been a competitor for a top reserve role this year but he's been anchored to the third team, even trying out center, which hasn't gone well. Looks like he's a rare OL pick by the Eagles who could be cut after one season. Trade acquisition Kenyon Green likewise hasn't seized the opportunity.
Montrell Johnson Jr. fits the zone run scheme
He probably won't make the 53 but rookie free agent running back Montrell Johnson Jr. showed he's got some juice. He ran a 4.41 at the NFL Combine, which is impressive for a 212-pound back, and put that speed on display, averaging more than five yards per carry. He's got a nice jump cut that suits well for the Eagles' zone-heavy run schemes, which shined through on his 15-yard TD run (right after he got flattened by a Jets linebacker). The Eagles didn't run the ball well from under-center formations – like at all – but they rarely go under center in real games, so it's not a big deal.
He didn't play the preseason opener because of an injury and gained just 20 yards on six carries against the Browns, but he's an ideal candidate to have on the practice squad and could see an elevation if the running back room sustains an injury. Johnson came out of the game after appearing to sustain a lower leg injury. Hopefully, he's ok.
Jake Elliott looks primed for a bounce-back
After a tough 2024 season marked by some nagging injuries, Jake Elliott has looked very strong, both in camp and the preseason. Elliott nailed a 51-yard field goal right inside the goal post against the Jets and then nailed a 53-yarder in the second, showcasing his length strength and potentially forecasting a bounce-back season. He added a few more as the Eagles had trouble finding the end zone.
Also, the operation looked clean, a nice sign for veteran long snapper Charley Hughlett and punter Braden Mann, who as Jimmy Kempski noted recently, had a great camp.
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