3 Eagles who earned a roster spot in preseason Week 1 and one on verge of being cut
By Kristen Wong
Who are three Eagles who could secure a 53-man roster spot? How about one player who’s on the outside looking in?
The Eagles ended last season with a loss, and they started the 2023 preseason with one, too, failing to take down perennial preseason winners the Baltimore Ravens this past weekend.
Time to worry? Absolutely not.
The Ravens just happen to be really, really good at winning preseason games — they’ve won 24 straight now — probably due to the fact that they have the G.O.A.T. kicker and a Pro Bowl backup QB. Philly’s first preseason game was a loss, but it was a wholly meaningless one, so save the hot takes for another day.
Unless you want to talk about Jalen Carter. The Eagles’ first-rounder beat his college teammate Ben Cleveland to record a quarterback hit on his first NFL snap. 2023 DROY, you heard it here first.
What about a few mildly warm takes regarding Eagles who may have played their way onto the 53-man roster? Preseason is all about giving the young and unproven guys a chance to shine, and at least three Eagles players may have locked up a role come September. On the flip side, one player may have been pushed outside the roster bubble and is now looking in.
Here are 3 Eagles who earned a roster spot in Week 1 of the preseason, and one Eagle who unfortunately could get cut.
Eagles who earned roster spot No. 3: Tanner McKee, QB
Sorry, Ian Book. Your redemption arc will have to wait.
The Eagles’ QB3 spot comes down to sixth-rounder Tanner McKee and ex-Saints pick Ian Book, and on Saturday night, McKee furiously stamped his name on the roster. He’s QB3. No question about it.
McKee, a Stanford product, went 10-of-20 for 148 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions, taking one sack. Working mainly with second- and third-string wide receivers like Tyrie Cleveland and Joseph Ngata, the rookie dipped into his best form all summer and delivered a rock-solid passing performance.
Whereas Book struggled to do anything with the ball, McKee still managed to drive down the field on multiple occasions and looked very comfortable in the pocket. This is much too early to tell, but he could even beat out Marcus Mariota for the immediate backup job if he keeps up the production in the air; Philly should take McKee’s smart decision-making and downfield arm over Mariota’s legs any day.
McKee has his best football ahead of him.