3 Eagles Whose Jobs Are on the Line in Preseason Opener
The arrival of the 2023 NFL preseason means it’s finally time to put the Eagles’ Super Bowl LVII loss in the rearview mirror. Philadelphia begins its quest for another championship run this Saturday night when they pay a visit to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
Super Bowl losses aren’t easy to swallow, but general manager Howie Roseman worked hard this offseason to address the team’s needs. From a stellar draft showing to locking down franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts through 2028, the Eagles are in a good position to make noise this fall.
As great as Philly’s roster looks on paper, not everyone’s job is safe. The preseason — especially the first exhibition game — is used to weed out the pretenders to ensure that Nick Sirianni enters September with the best roster possible.
Here are three Eagles whose jobs are on the line in the preseason opener against the Ravens.
Eagles Roster Battles
1. Trey Sermon
There were high hopes for Trey Sermon when the San Francisco 49ers drafted him 88th overall in 2023. Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistent play prevented him from living up to the hype, resulting in the Eagles claiming him off waivers last September.
Sermon barely had a chance to impress Sirianni & Co. in 2022, recording two carries for 19 yards on eight offensive snaps.
Even with Miles Sanders departing this offseason, the 24-year-old’s question for more playing time is hindered by offseason additions D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny on top of the returning Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell.
In other words, Sermon needs a huge preseason showing to prove that he deserves to be the Eagles’ fifth running back.
That could be easier said than done, though. Even though they won’t be at full force Saturday, the Ravens still had one of the best run defenses last season, allowing only 89.8 rushing yards per game (No. 3 in NFL) as well as 3.8 yards per carry (No. 3).
The Eagles also won’t be hit with any dead money if Sermon is cut, further increasing the probability of him losing his roster spot if he doesn’t shine this weekend.