Eagles’ Mysterious Practice Absences Hint at Two Key Cuts on Offense

Practices are going to be very weird this week. After becoming accustomed to having 90 players on the field, fans will see just 53 by Wednesday.

With Tuesday’s roster cut deadline approaching at 4 p.m. ET on August 29, some of those cuts have already begun around the league. There are also players who haven’t yet been officially cut, but who already know their time in Philly is up.

Two such players became clear at practice on Monday:

Eagles Roster Cuts

Neither Trey Sermon nor Greg Ward Jr. have any known injury issues going on, and both were clear cut candidates, so it’s hard to read this as a simple coincidence.

Ward never even really seemed close to making the roster. It’s been two years since his sophomore breakout, and he’s done little in the time since. Philly’s receiver room is way more crowded than it was when he managed to earn some playing time back in 2020, and he never even really made the conversation this offseason.

The clear “make it” guys were always A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus. Britain Covey and Devon Allen compete for a special teams spot, and Joseph Ngata has an outside shot at WR5.

Sermon had a chance to be on the bubble when Miles Sanders left, but the running back room just became too crowded. D’Andre Swift is the RB1, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott aren’t likely going anywhere, and Rashaad Penny looks to be healthy and ready to go. We don’t need to carry five running backs on the 53-man roster, so that leaves Sermon on the outside looking in.

Sermon didn’t really do himself any favors in the preseason finale either, rushing for just 30 yards on 16 carries.

These cuts are tough, because Sermon and Ward are both interesting offensive players who shouldn’t have too much trouble finding another home around the league, even if it’s just on a practice squad.

But when you’re a Super Bowl contender with as much depth as the Eagles, difficult cut decisions are part of the deal. 53 roster spots is not a lot, and you need to make the most of every single one, especially with the long 17-game regular season. Everyone needs to either be contributing or to have the potential to develop into a contributor, and that ship has sailed for both Sermon and Ward.

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