Those of us who journal this great game for a living dedicate so much time to doing so. Every September, we forecast who we think will earn spots on the initial 53-man roster.
But, that's simply the start of all the action. Howie Roseman, his staff, and the Eagles coaching staff will continue tinkering with the lineup.
Ahead of Week 1's game versus the Green Bay Packers, they continued to play musical chairs. Here are a handful of the most recent transactions and a theory we have attached to each one.
Kyle Phillips is signed to the practice squad, but were there better options?
The Eagles often, when adding and removing bodies from the scout team, tend to stick with guys they are already familiar with. Kyle Phillips is a new face though, one we're still getting to know, but he reminds us of Britain Covey.
At five-foot-eleven and 189 pounds, Phillips is three inches taller than the smallish Covey and carries about 17 more pounds of weight. Perhaps Kyle is a replacement should injury occur.
He spent his first two seasons with the Tennessee Titans and battled both injuries and fumble issues. Our question is this. Would John Ross not have been better?
Jack Driscoll is reacquired and added to Eagles practice squad to provide quality depth.
Speaking of 'familiar faces', here's someone we know. Welcome to Jack Driscoll's portion of the discussion. His unexpected reacquisition brings with it varying feedback. Some see this as a good move. Others disagree.
A fourth-round draft choice of the Eagles in 2020, he has appeared in 54 games with Philly with 17 starts. Frankly, we believe random injuries have slowed his progression, but trust us on this if you're skeptical. The Birds could do a lot worse than a Jack Driscoll reacquisition.
Why did the Eagles sign Caden Sterns in the first place?
All offseason, we followed rumors suggesting the Eagles might add a former Vic Fangio pupil, a former Denver Broncos safety. They did exactly that albeit adding the other guy. Rather than acquire Justin Simmons they added Caden Sterns.
Picking Sterns up was a head-scratcher. He had just failed a physical with the Carolina Panthers two days before Philly picked him up, yet the Birds, for some reason, added him anyway.
That made us believe they intended to keep him. Surely, they'd stash him until he was healthy, but he was released during final roster cuts.
He was re-signed to the practice squad, and now, he's again been released. Our question is this. Are we the only ones wondering why this guy was signed in the first place?
Devin White misses the trip to Brazil.
The Eagles are headed to Brazil, and per their own report, Devin White isn't traveling with them. He's recovering from an ankle injury, so Nakobe Dean is up to bat. We'll discuss that last nugget more in a second.
We believe Devin will be a good addition, but if we're being frank, we're nervous. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave up on him.
Even though White's playing time was limited during the preseason, something has become obvious, He's solid, but he may not be the most talented linebacker on Philly's roster.
Kevin Foelsch is released... again.
We mentioned earlier that the Eagles often keep guys they're familiar with on speed dial. What we failed to mention was they have no issues with moving on from those guys just as quickly as they sign them. How many times was Greg Ward re-signed and released? Think about Brett Toth's journey.
Kevin Foelsch has a ways to go before he eclipses those guys' transactions totals, but if he's called upon again, it feels like he needn't put all of his belongings in his locker. We only say so because that will make the process of moving out smoother.
He's gone again, shortly after being waived during final roster cuts and being reacquired to join the practice squad, but if Philly is in a pinch and needs an extra body on the scout team, he may be someone they call.
Nakobe Dean is expected to start (as he should).
We've said this before. We'll say it again. Nakobe Dean is suddenly this team's best interior linebacker. Shortly after news broke of Devin White sitting out of Week 1's action, Jeff McLane reported that Dean was slated to start anyway.
Dean is still growing and learning. Pass coverage could improve, but how many NFL linebackers are great run defenders and coverage guys?
Here's an answer. There aren't many, but there's much to like about Nakobe. It's good to see that after all the doubt some have shown that he didn't give up on himself.
