2022 NFL Season Football • Page 725

I regret to inform you all that for a fourth year in a row, I have jumped on the Parris Campbell hype train

 

I also still struggle with it at times. I’m sure you and I share many similar experiences with our personal struggles and with how others have perceived or tried to understand us, but I’m happy to hear things have gotten easier for you over time, even if it’s just a little bit. Things have certainly gotten easier for me too in certain aspects. I think the struggle is much more internal these days than it was before when I was younger, where it was more easily visible to my peers and others.

 

You need help

But, also, lfg

 

Yes exactly, hit the nail on the head, that’s exactly how I feel

 

You're both wonderful and I love you

 

Alright, as mentioned, I’m hitting you all with my Eagles 53-man roster prediction. I don’t care if you don’t care because deep down inside I know you do care because I care. Thank you.

Quarterback (3)
1. Jalen Hurts
2. Gardner Minshew
3. Carson Strong

Hurts and Minshew are pretty self-explanatory, though I’m not ruling out the possibility that the Eagles trade Minshew to a team for a solid draft pick in the event another team’s starting QB suffers a significant injury. QB3 will be a camp battle between Reid Sinnett and Strong. Currently, Sinnett is ahead, but I’m giving Strong the edge here after the Eagles gave him the most guaranteed money of any UDFA this offseason. Obviously, the QB3 will be a healthy scratch weekly unless Hurts or Minshew were to miss any time, but one of these two could very well be the QB2 entering the offseason as Minshew is on the final year of his rookie contract.

Running Back (3)
4. Miles Sanders
5. Kenny Gainwell
6. Boston Scott

This is pretty self-explanatory here. Sanders and Gainwell figure to be main two backs rotating in and out of the starting lineup, while Scott operates as a veteran backup. One name to keep an eye on this summer is Jason Huntley, who showed some juice last summer and in the Eagles’ week 18 game against the Cowboys where he recorded the second longest return of the season on special teams. The Eagles have quietly struggled in the return game since Darren Sproles retired. Huntley could be a surprise addition solely for that reason.

Wide Receiver (5)
7. A.J. Brown
8. DeVonta Smith
9. Quez Watkins
10. Zach Pascal
11. Jalen Reagor

Brown and Smith are the clear starters here. I expect them to operate more as a WR1a and WR1b tandem as opposed to something more like WR1 and WR2. They will play a full complement of snaps so long as they are healthy as one of the best WR duos in the league. Similarly, I expect Watkins and Pascal to operate as WR3a and WR3b. I think Watkins’ role will obviously be as the team’s deep threat, while I think Pascal gets more snaps than some might expect. I think Pascal will see some high-leverage snaps in red zone and short yardage situations, as well as a blocker in the run and screen games.

As for Reagor, it pains me to include him because he has been bad in every facet of the game since entering the league, but I don’t see Howie Roseman giving up on a first round pick from two years ago just yet, especially after J.J. Arcega-Whiteside lasted three full seasons with the team despite offering nothing on offense as a second round pick (he’s still on the roster transitioning to TE!). Nick Sirianni can say Reagor is battling for a roster spot, but Roseman gets final day of the 53-man roster. Hopefully Reagor can show some improvement as a returner on special teams, otherwise he’s nothing more than a direct backup to Watkins on offense.

Names to keep an eye this summer are Greg Ward, Britain Covey, and Devon Allen. All will compete for return duties on special teams. Ward may be the most reliable, but he offers no juice otherwise. Covey and Allen offer much more speed. If either can show something as a returner and even just a little on offense, that should be enough to justify a roster spot for them over Reagor.

Tight End (3)
12. Dallas Goedert
13. Jack Stoll
14. Grant Calcaterra

Let’s keep this simple. Goedert is a top ten TE in the league and is actually good. He can do it all. Stoll is more of a blocker, while Calcaterra is more of a receiver. It’s worth noting that Calcaterra went down with an injury yesterday during practice and word has yet to come out regarding his injury. Hopefully he’s okay as he has been flashing so far during camp. A name to keep in mind is Tyree Jackson, who the Eagles were high on last year as he converted from QB to TE. He’s currently recovering from a torn ACL and is on the PUP list. I expect him to enter the season on the PUP list, but I’m interested to see if he’ll push one of Stoll or Calcaterra for a roster spot once he is eligible to return in-season.

Left Tackle (2)
15. Jordan Mailata
16. Andre Dillard
17. Kayode Awosika

Left Guard (2)
18. Landon Dickerson
19. Sua Opeta

Center (2)
20. Jason Kelce
21. Cam Jurgens

Right Guard (2)
22. Isaac Seumalo
23. Jack Anderson

Right Tackle (2)
24. Lane Johnson
25. Jack Driscoll

The starting offensive line is arguably the best offensive line in the league. Feels good, man. I have the Eagles going a bit heavier on depth here because I know the organization values depth in the trenches and because there could be, or is going to be, some turnover here in the offseason. Kelce is year-to-year as he weighs playing versus retirement. Meanwhile, Seumalo, Dillard, and Opeta are not under contract after this season.

I’m not ruling out the team possibly trading Opeta away for a day three pick like they did with Matt Pryor last year. Some beat writers think the Eagles should trade Dillard for a day three pick, but I think they will be more likely to trade him in-season once an injury around the league presents an opportunity than right now.

Driscoll is a lock to make the roster as the team’s backup RG/RT. Anderson has shown versatility as a backup C/RG and Awosika has also shown versatility at RG and LT, which should incentivize the Eagles to keep them around to prepare for the aforementioned depth turnover to come.

Interior Defensive Line (4)
26. Fletcher Cox
27. Javon Hargrave
28. Jordan Davis
29. Milton Williams

Cox and Hargrave will still be the primary starters here, despite the team spending a first round pick and some change on Davis in this year’s draft. However, Davis will certainly get plenty of run as a nose tackle when the Jonathan Gannon rolls out any odd-numbered fronts, as well as a rotational player in nickel packages. I’m curious to see what role Gannon has for Williams this season. Last season, they wanted to use him inside on perceived pass downs and on the outside for perceived run downs due to his unique size and skill set. He showed flashes, but I am left wondering how they plan to get him involved with how much depth they have on the defensive line. Hopefully Gannon can figure it out because there is a very real possibility that Davis and Williams are the starters next season with Cox and Hargrave currently scheduled to hit free agency in the offseason.

Edge Rusher (4)
30. Josh Sweat
31. Brandon Graham
32. Derek Barnett
33. Tarron Jackson

I expect the top three to mostly rotate along with Haason Reddick, who I will mention in a bit. Personally, I would like to see Sweat and Reddick as the primary pass rushers, as they are the team’s best pass rushers. Meanwhile, Graham and Barnett would operate as rotational pass rushers. I am very curious to see what Graham can still offer as a 34-year-old coming off a torn Achilles, but he’s been cleared for camp and has reportedly been looking good. With that said, his contract was designed to designate him as a post-June 1st cut next offseason, which is why I have Jackson making the roster. I don’t expect Jackson to play much, if at all, on defense this season, but he offers them development depth that is under contract through 2024.

SAM Linebacker (2)
34. Haason Reddick
35. Kyron Johnson

Gannon had a cast of goofballs playing this pass rusher/coverage hybrid position last season and now it looks like he’s finally got a guy who can play it in Reddick. Considering the contract the Eagles gave him in free agency, I hope Reddick is rushing the passer more than he is dropping into coverage. Through the first few days of camp, though, he’s been dropping into coverage more often. This will be worth keeping an eye on this summer and throughout the season, as Reddick has shown he’s at his best rushing the passer. Here’s hoping Gannon can figure out a good balance. Johnson, meanwhile, figures to be his direct backup and someone who can contribute on special teams after drawing some positive analysis for his effectiveness there in college.

Linebacker (5)
36. Nakobe Dean
37. T.J. Edwards
38. Kyzir White
39. Davion Taylor
40. Shaun Bradley

Currently, most of the first-team reps have gone to Edwards, White, and Taylor with Bradley sprinkled in. Dean has been running exclusively with the twos, but it’s only a matter of time before he starts getting his opportunities with the ones. Edwards has been having a strong camp thus far and Taylor has also been having a solid camp after showing some flashes last season before winding up on IR. How the playing time gets figured out is anyone’s guess, but my prediction is that Dean, Edwards, and White will rotate as starters during the season as Taylor continues to develop. Bradley has been tackling machine on special teams and figures to maintain that role this season.

Cornerback (6)
41. Darius Slay
42. James Bradberry
43. Avonte Maddox
44. Zech McPhearson
45. Tay Gowan
46. Kary Vincent

Slay and Bradberry are the starting outside corners and Maddox is the starting slot corner. McPhearson is a good bet to make the roster as the primary backup corner after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, but the depth chart from there is anyone’s guess. Gowan, Vincent, Josiah Scott, and Mac McCain are all competing with other corners to make the bottom of the roster. Because of how many bodies there are in camp at this position, many of the players behind McPhearson have only been getting a handful of reps with the twos before being rotated out with other guys for the following practice. I’m leaning towards Gowan and Vincent given their respective sizes and that the Eagles traded draft capital for them last season to see and develop these guys. Scott was also traded for last season, but he figures to max out as a backup slot corner in the league, while McCain was on and off the practice squad last season. I’m following the draft capital used to acquire Gowan and Vincent, even if it wasn’t much. This depth chart will truly be decided in the preseason.

Safety (4)
47. Marcus Epps
48. Anthony Harris
49. Jaquiski Tartt
50. Andre Chachere

This is easily the Eagles’ weakest position group. None of the names I have included here are under contract after this season. The team is confident in Epps and he’ll get the opportunity to start. He’s been having a good camp so far, but we’ll see. I think there will be a legit competition between Harris and Tartt for the other starting safety position. Harris was mediocre at best last year and was brought back on another one-year deal worth half as much as he made with the Eagles last season. Tartt isn’t making much either. Perhaps they’ll constantly rotate with each other throughout the season so they can stay fresh and healthy.

Chachere will be competing with K’Von Wallace this summer for the final safety spot. I used to have Wallace making the team, but I’m starting to lean in favor of Chachere because he’s been making some plays in camp so far and has versatility to play slot corner in a pinch. Meanwhile, Wallace has had a quiet camp after struggling with poor play and injuries thus far in his career. Working in his favor is the fact that he’s at least under contract beyond this year, but he’s far from a lock.

Specialists (3)
51. Jake Elliott
52. Arryn Siposs
53. Rick Lovato

Elliott is the kicker and Lovato is the long snapper. Siposs is the current punter, but he struggled last season. The Eagles don’t have any other punters in camp to compete with him, but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the team brings in competition once teams start cutting players. Siposs should not just be handed the job after what he showed last season.

And that’s it. Thank you to anyone who actually reads all of this.

 

No joke you are my main source for Eagles stuff so this is brilliant, thank you for spending the time to do this.

I hope the secondary can remain at least competent this year, it's the one part of this squad that can fold quite easily.

I know i've been rough about Hurts but after reading some optimistic views on him I have faith this year, he has the weapons, great experience from last year, and is obviously a lot more familiar with Sirianni.

My birthday (September 11th) is also Week 1 so fuck yah on that!

 

Hey thanks! I appreciate that a lot. I just follow what I hear from some of the beat writers I follow. I think Bo Wulf and Zach Berman do a really good job for The Athletic and they have a podcast I listen to so if you ever have the time and desire, I recommend that. I also follow Brandon Lee Gowton from Bleeding Green Nation. His takes are a little more fan-like, but he gives really good updates on Twitter and the website. Every now and then, I’ll listen to the Inside the Birds podcast, which features Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher. I think Adam is a bit of a pompous ass, but he helps offer great insight considering he’s an insider and not just a beat reporter. Plus, they get Greg Cosell on sometimes for film breakdowns which are always enlightening.

I see stuff on Twitter from other guys too, like Jeff McLane and Fran Duffy, so I try to boil everything down along with my takes for my best educated guess. If you’re interested in reading or listening to more Eagles stuff, I definitely recommend Wulf and Berman and their pod Birds With Friends, but the others all have areas where they shine too.

I hear you on the secondary. Easily my biggest area of concern. I know Slay and Maddox are coming off of good seasons, but secondary play can really fluctuate year to year. It won’t surprise me if they both come down a bit (I keep reading/hearing about Maddox getting beat in camp, I think mostly by Quez…something I’m keeping a pulse on…) Bradberry has always been a solid/good corner throughout his career aside from his first season with the Giants where he was, like, one of the best in the league that year. Safety is a HUGE question mark.

Definitely an area I’m concerned about this season and moving forward as Slay is getting older and has only one year left on his contract (where he’s owed $26m!!!) and Bradberry is only on a one-year deal. No safeties worth mentioning under contract after this year. Just wondering when the hell they’re gonna get serious about getting younger players on rookie contracts in there to start.

As for Hurts, I’m with you. I’m cautiously optimistic. Odds are, he’s not gonna be the guy, but it’s just more fun to root for him and hope he’s the guy than sit back and be nihilistic all season. Brown was a HUGE get for the offense and he finally has a consecutive year in a system for the first time since high school. He can take some steps forward. He still definitely has areas to improve upon, but I think he was better last season than he is given credit for. He’s also just a second round pick barely making anything so they are FAR from locked in on Hurts as the guy so I’m just not stressed about it. Here for the roller coaster ride and hoping for the best while being realistic about it all.

I’ll wait until later in the season or after it to give takes about what I think their needs next offseason will be. My mind has already been looking at the roster and mapping it out for 2023 and I should probably just chill out haha

 

I will try to do one of those for Miami this week as well, good idea

 

I will read all that are posted

 

I'll throw one up for the Pats

 

Pats Depth Chart

QB

1 - Mac Jones
2 - Brian Hoyer
3 - Bailey Zappe

Pretty straight forward. Hoyer doesn’t deserve a job and should just join the coaching staff already but oh well.

RB

4 - Damien Harris
5 - Rhamondre Stevenson
6 - James White
7 - Pierre Strong Jr.

Again, pretty straight forward. Kevin Harris may crack the roster as the next Bolden but I’m doubtful. I also think we’re finally gonna get past the J.J. Taylor fascination.

WR

8 - Kendrick Bourne
9 - Jakobi Myers
10 - Nelson Agholar
11 - Devante Parker
12 - Tyquan Thornton
13 - Matthew Slater
14 - Ty Montgomery

So…I sneaky like the Pats WR room. Like, there’s no studs, no one you need to be afraid of, but I think Bourne can be special, Jakobi is as reliable as it gets, Parker is gonna have 3 really good games before injury and the rest are all at least NFL players. Slater is here but he’s not but whatever.

TE

15 - Hunter Henry
16 - Jonnu Smith
17 - Devin Asiasi
18 - Dalton Keene

So, I’m pretty unsure Keene is making the roster. I have him here because I think Jonnu is gonna be lining up in the backfield a bit more with the Pats going without a fullback so I’m gonna stick with the depth for now.

Offensive Line

19 - Isaiah Wynn
20 - Cole Strange
21 - David Andrews
22 - Mike Onwenu
23 - Trent Brown
24 - Yodny Cajuste
25 - Justin Herron
26 - Yasir Durant

I’m starting to feel a numbers crunch but this line, if healthy, can be FILTHY.

Defensive Line

27 - Deatrich Wise
28 - Davon Godchaux
29 - Lawrence Guy
30 - Christian Barmore
31 - Henry Anderson

Linebacker

32 - Ja'Whaun Bentley
33- Matthew Judon
34 - Josh Uche
35.- Mack Wilson
36 - Cameron McGrone
37 - Raekwon McMillan

RBs are gonna murder us in the passing game =[

Cornerback

38 - Malcom Butler
39 - Terrance Mitchell
40 - Jalen Mills
41 - Jonathon Jones
42 - Jack Jones
43 - Marcus Jones
44 - Shaun Wade
45 - Justin Bethel

WRs are gonna murder us in the passing game =[ (Jack and Marcus Jones are gonna be fucking studs though. Just watch. ) Also, get JoeJuan Williams the fuck off my team.

Safety

46 - Devin McCourty
47 - Kyle Duggar
48 - Jabrill Peppers
49 - Josh Bledsoe
50 - Adrian Phillips

This is probably the best unit. I wouldn’t be surprised if they only give a spot to either Peppers or Bledsoe but I like having both, especially since Peppers may be our best linebacker haha

Special Teams

51 - Nick Folk
52 - Jake Bailey
53 - Joe Cardona

Notable cuts:

JoeJuan Williams
Myles Bryant
Harvey Langi
Kristan Wilkerson
Lil'Jordan Humphrey
JJ Taylor

 

1) Chachere is a dude — I hope he sticks because IND was stupid to cut him after the camp he had, only to have to give freaking Andrew Sendejo starter’s snaps

2) can you post the notable cuts that this would force so that I can get excited about waiver moves the Colts won’t make?

 

That OL and DL depth is stupid lol. Eagles could trade their entire second unit and have them at least compete to start.

 

1) This makes me feel even better about Chachere now

2) I will post them later for sure if there are any!

 

I will be shocked if both Asiasi and Keane make the roster.

James White is on PUP right? I bet he’s there to start the season and one or both of Harris and Taylor make it. I think JJ is not long for the team, though - camp reports of Rhamondre getting a lot of passing work have me thinking he’s the White heir apparent (if not the first outright 3 down back they’ve had in a while).

 

Agreed on Keene. He's really just a depth piece in this situation because Asi Asi, Jonnu and Henry have injury history and Jonnu is i think gonna be a little less of a TE than last year. I guess I'd flip it back to you and ask who on the notable cuts list would you swap one of the TEs for?

Yeah, if White starts the year on PUP Taylor will have his spot i think but Stevenson is def gonna be getting a looooooooot of touches.

 

Colts:

QB:
1) Matt Ryan
2) Nick Foles

I don’t think they sign Foles to a 2-year deal if they have any intention of holding a developmental QB on the active roster

RB:
3) Jonathan Taylor
4) Nyheim Hines
5) Ty’Son Williams
6) D’Vonte Price

Last two spots are a crapshoot but I’m going off of that I think the Colts will find this training camp that Lindsay is washed up/is a waste of a roster spot as a non-special teamer, and that Ballard has a thing for big boys, so he’ll probably take 2 of Williams, Price, or Deon Jackson. Cutting Jackson because I don’t think you add this many proven or non-proven bodies if you’re content with him as RB3

Wide Receiver:
7) Michael Pittman Jr
8) Parris Campbell
9) Alec Pierce
10) Dezmon Patmon
11) Ashton Dulin
12) Mike Strachan

Top 5 should be set in stone barring injury. Throwing Strachan on here, because I think they IR him, which technically takes up a roster spot for a day, but probably otherwise either bring in someone from outside the organization or just carry 5.

Tight End:
13) Mo Alie-Cox
14) Jelani Woods
15) Kylen Granson
16) Andrew Ogletree

They seem to like all of these guys a lot so they carry 4.

Offensive Line:
17) Matt Pryor
18) Quenton Nelson
19) Ryan Kelly
20) Danny Pinter
21) Braden Smith
22) Bernhard Raimann
23) Will Fries
24) Jason Spriggs
25) Dennis Kelly

Top 7 are locks. Spriggs, Dennis Kelly, and Ryan Van Demark probably take up 1 or 2 spots between them. Spriggs/Kelly seem like good candidates to be that guy who gets cut and then re-signed the next day with an extra couple Gs in his pocket

Defensive Line:
26) Yannick Ngakwe
27) Grover Stewart
28) Kwity Paye
29) DeForest Buckner
30) Tyquan Lewis
31) Dayo Odeyingbo
32) Eric Johnson
33) Curtis Brooks
34) Ifeadi Odenigbo
35) Ben Banogu

Keeping 10 on the DL sounds reasonable

Linebacker:
36) Shaq Leonard
37) Bobby Okereke
38) EJ Speed
39) Zaire Franklin
40) Sterling Weatherford

Top 4 are locks. I’d imagine 1 or 2 of Weatherford, JoJo Domann, and Brandon King make it to primarily be special teamers

Cornerback:
41) Stephon Gilmore
42) Kenny Moore III
43) Isaiah Rodgers
44) Brandon Facyson
45) Rodney Thomas

Cornerback depth is somehow worse than WR depth on paper. After the top 4, I’d probably keep none of them, but I’m gonna go with the draft pick making it, but hopefully a waiver claim or veteran signing is coming here

Safety:
46) Julian Blackmon
47) Nick Cross
48) Rodney McLeod
49) Armani Watts

Top 3 probably see the field a lot and Watts as a ST ace

Special Teams:
50) Rodrigo Blankenship
51) Rigoberto Sanchez
52) Luke Rhodes

A little surprised that there isn’t a bigger kicker competition after Hot Rod lost the job last year, but I like him so we’ll take it

Notable Cuts:
Sam Ehlinger
Phillip Lindsay
Keke Coutee
Ryan Van Demark
Brandon King
Tony Brown

 

I think it’s more likely they carry 5 rbs than 4 tight ends - drafting two implies to me Harris is a goner after this year and while I love him dearly, I’m pretty bearish on how much career White has left. As such I think they give the rookies (and Taylor, I guess, but I think he’s gone if White does make it back) as much a chance to stick as possible.

It’s an interesting roster. I agree with you on the receivers being sneaky likable, and I think that’s one of the more interesting groups to watch this summer with Thornton in particular (and Nixon!). There was some discussion on sosh about Agholor being a trade candidate, I don’t see many fits outside the Packers and his $$ are somewhat prohibitive but I don’t think it’s completely out of the question.

I expect the defense to suck ass but I’m gonna let myself get optimistic on the corners.

 

That Pats* wide receiver group is horrendous

 

They have 4 players named Jones on the roster? Come on that should be illegal

 

So bad. And they added Tyquan Thornton in the second lol. Over George Pickens and Skyy Moore

 

Speaking of George Pickens

 

I'm semi excited for the Steelers this season. I think the defense will be fun, and the WRs and najee will be fun.