Philadelphia Eagles: Way too early 53-man roster prediction (July edition)

Defensive Tackle

Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Milton Williams, Hassan Ridgeway, Raequan Williams

A group that largely looks the same compared to last month’s edition (the Eagles love themselves some stability in the trenches), the only change that I’m making is swapping out rookie Marlon Tuipulotu for the likes of former UDFA Raequan Williams. Ed Kracz of Sports Illustrated highlighted Williams as a player who is expected to take the next step forward in his development this offseason, and it’s not uncommon for a sixth-round pick like Tuipulotu to end up on the practice squad during their rookie year.

Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave are the unquestioned starters at DT1 and DT2, with both players in need of a bounce-back year after below average 2020s. It’s one of the highest paid defensive tackle duos in football history – they need to be significantly better moving forward.

Milton Williams, the team’s third-round pick this spring, is likely to receive playing time at a variety of positions this season. He’s listed as a defensive tackle, but he’s on the smaller size, and will likely take some reps at DE.

Willie Henry, who was signed a few weeks back, is a dark horse candidate to sneak onto the roster over the likes of Ridegway and Williams. He’s struggled to avoid injury in the past, but if healthy, he’s probably worthy of a depth role.