There’s typically not a lot to look forward to in a third preseason game. We’ve gotten all of the Philadelphia Eagles’ training camp reports, we’ve seen the other preseason games, and we mostly know what their starting offense and defense are going to look like.
“Mostly” is a big word there. There have been a few injuries this week that have made some position battles a little foggy and opened some spots on the depth chart. On top of that, there are rotational positions that still need to be filled out. It might actually be a weirdly important Friday in August.
It’s a big day for John Metchie and Ainias Smith
Nick Sirianni’s Eagles are maniacally mindful of the reps that their guys get, and if they’re playing in this game, it means something… especially since there’s an inherent danger when you simply step foot on the field at MetLife Stadium.
That ‘something’ isn’t necessarily an indictment of who the players are and what their standing is, though. There are still some things we can learn about the 2025 Eagles based on what happens with the Jets on Friday night.
Who’s going to be rotating at the edge?
Based on everything that Vic Fangio has ever said, the best way for him to evaluate guys is to watch them take live reps, which actually makes a whole bunch of sense.
Last year, Nolan Smith played pretty deep into the third preseason game, and he ended up being a massive piece of the Eagles' defense. History would tell you to draw conclusions about the future of someone who’s playing in this game, but recent history tells you that’s not a universal truth.
If we see Josh Uche, Azeez Ojulari, Ogbo Okoronkwo, or Patrick Johnson late in this game, that doesn’t mean they’re toast; it’s just Fangio wanting to see more.
Now, there’s a difference between Smith and the other guys who are playing in this third preseason game: Smith was one of Howie Roseman’s first-round picks, and the other guys are on one-year deals.
That being said, these reps are moderately valuable. Will a Patrick Johnson strip-sack mean that he makes the 53-man roster? Not necessarily… but Ojulari consistently being able to set an edge and kill a run to his side is going to mean a whole lot more. Just keep that in mind.
What does a Kelee Ringo injury mean for CB2?
Fangio’s whole thing during training camp is that none of the corners have separated themselves from each other in the battle for CB2. Unfortunately, the last time he spoke to the media was before Kelee Ringo landed himself on the injury report with some kind of quad thing, so we didn’t get his take on how that’ll affect things.
That means that we’re going to see a whole lot more of Adoree’ Jackson, Jakorian Bennett, and Mac McWilliams against the Jets.
You have to imagine that a good showing from any of those guys is going to go a pretty long way. That might sound dumb, partly because it is, but Bennett is the only corner who’s made a play in coverage in any of the preseason games.
We also know that Fangio’s not scheming for these games; he’s actually doing the opposite. He’s putting some people in bad positions and bad coverages to see how they respond. If we can get another game with Bennett making plays without any help, it’ll go a long way not only for Fangio but also for our mental health in general.
What's next for wide receiver depth?
On Thursday, it was reported that Johnny Wilson is going to have season-ending leg surgery after he got rolled up on during Tuesday’s practice. It stinks. It stinks really bad.
There’s not really a one-for-one replacement for him out there. He’s six-feet and six-inches tall and weighs 230-ish pounds; that’s a rare body type for a wide receiver. Based on training camp reports of Jalen Hurts having more trust in him and seeing what he did in the first preseason game, it seems like he might’ve had a real job in the Eagles offense.
That means that the wide receiver room is now A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, and probably Darius Cooper. Behind them are the conveniently/newly acquired John Metchie and 2024 fifth-round pick Ainais Smith.
If the Eagles keep six wide receivers on the 53-man roster, they’re both fine. If they only keep five, then someone’s got to go.
At six feet tall and 200-ish pounds, Metchie has a reputation for being a gritty receiver. Maybe he’s not exactly the biggest threat downfield, but if you’re going to run to the outside, he’s the guy you want blocking.
Smith is the opposite. At five-feet and nine-inches tall and 175-ish pounds, he’s much more of a slot receiver and gadgety type of guy.
It would be a much easier decision for Howie Roseman if either of them were just an undrafted guy because he’s not exactly the kind of general manager to just cut a guy who he spent a moderately valuable draft pick on or that he just traded for… I think that’s actually just called ‘being a really, really good general manager.’