Eagles Cut-Down Day Reaction With ESP and BLG

all right we are live here we go what's going on everybody welcome to another edition of the go Birds podcast a post off officially post training camp post preseason the first regular season pod of the go Birds 2024 season uh I am joined by of course Brandon what up man how you doing today doing very good finally glad that we're closer to week one actual football we love training camp don't get me wrong but you know it's time for the real deal well and also let's just get right to it how did you do in the 53 man roster competition where you at so I I I I I did pretty well I was at 51 of 53 which feels good but uh where are you at yeah I I'm not sure I I want to know that too that is really on my mind but uh I I think I got a couple wrong so I me more than you wrong so uh you may have beaten me here so I do know who the winner is I believe but I don't know if we should should announce it yet but unfortunately second year in a row second place for me so close but but no cigar um wow all right let's get into it uh so big pitcher thoughts first on the 53 man roster let me give you mine and then I'm curious to see what you think and then we'll go position by position my initial thought on the 53 man roster is I'm fine with who they picked we we'll get into some of the specifics on you know maybe they should have kept Dylan McMahon I'm sure it seems like the name everyone's worked up about James Bradberry but I've you know me and you have both covered the same amount of training camps roughly there have been years where we wrap up a training camp and the roster comes out and it is I can't believe they didn't keep this guy or how could you not keep this guy or this guy definitely didn't deserve a roster spot I don't feel that way about any of the cuts this year I look at it and I think it's a good roster for week one I think it's the best roster for week one in Spec in you know specifically Howe Roseman talked after the uh after the um cuts today and said they view it as a a 70 man roster essentially especially because of um you know the the offensive guard they they signed out of Australia so I just I'm not worked up about any of the cuts they didn't make I don't think they made any big mistakes I don't think there was a guy that I'm shocked they kept um I think it was mostly in a year where no one really stood out at the bottom of the roster from a training camp perspective I thought it was a a pretty good job by the Eagles yeah I don't know how much of this is kind of just having been doing this for you know uh 11 plus years now yeah and how much of it is like so just like kind of the perspective over time and how much of it is just how things have kind of changed a bit but like by contrast going back in 2013 people were like insens they didn't keep Emanuel AO and you know instead kept Casey Matthews like really mad online about it uh and it it feels like I don't know that we don't we don't have have that same level of discourse again that's a long time ago um it's still was still Howry Roseman obviously chip was there uh as well so you know things change I think part of it is a bit of a SE change of everyone collectively realizing that you know all this stuff is kind of fun to argue talk about whatever especially at this time of year when there aren't anything there's the real games aren't happening yet but it's like it doesn't really matter like the how the how the this sounds obvious how the star players how the players actually perform and stay healthy what like that's what truly matters yeah and I think this year especially I just don't think the roster is that deep towards the bottom I think they're a very topheavy roster I think almost every guy they cut will get through to practice squad I think maybe I can think a two players that maybe will get claimed i' would be surprised if both of them did so um you know how he talked after a lot again how we used it as a 70 man roster and I think that's very true like guys that were cut today will play week one against Green Bay guys that were cut today will be end up end up being players that play snaps each week that's just how it works so with the expansion of the practice squad with allowing veterans on there with the call-ups it just it lessens the importance of the initial 53 I think what what's noteworthy about the initial 53 is they get to protect guys that you know like it it kind of shows who they value the most so you know let's just let's just jump right into it actually um let's let's talk about the name it seems everybody's most worked up about and then we'll do the rest of it later but Dylan McMahon um where are you with the decision to cut Dylan McMahon and do you think it was a mistake do you think people are wrong to be outrage where are you at with it and outrage is yeah a bit much for what a day three six round draft pick right um who like even if Dylan McMahon is on this roster he's probably not going to play this year he's probably going to be a healthy scratch most of the Season you know barring injuries to the center position um I do think you know you look at who they how they could have kept him on the roster and I think that's a fair thing to say especially when like they had one of those two uh IR so the you know the new IR thing this year where you know you could keep the two players on IR without having to cut them they did that with anayia Smith and Albert o did you really need to use one of those spots on Albert o who has done nothing since he's gotten here Jaylen Herz clearly doesn't trust him when he has been on the field um doesn't play special teams as a backup tight end who doesn't play special like what's the point of really kind of burning one of those spots on him when it felt like okay Trevor Keegan got banged up he's probably not going to be able to play Early in the season he's only been repping at left guard Not Right Guard at all so he's probably going to be a healthy scratch even if he is healthy uh like why not just use one of those spots on him then maybe that opens up another spot for McMahon if you lose Albert o is it really truly the end of the world especially like when Jack stole is out there Donald parum is still out there um you know again I should don't we get so fired up about this it kind of just feels like why did you have to have uh um who I just said his name is yeah yeah why do you have to have Albert o on this team or or James Brad like why had why do they have to be on this roster well let me let me ask for a clarification because maybe I'm misunderstanding the rules so you get eight players that you can place on IR in in the season that you can bring back so you get eight you know not permanent IR spots two of them are in training camp so like 10 total there's 10 total in no I think it's eight including those too right I thought it was 10 and then if you're including those two then it would be eight like if you're already earmarking those players as you know players to return then it's eight after those so Alberto was designated to return they used one of their spots on him is that what you're saying I mean I that's the other part of this it's annoying confusing I don't think we officially like know that CU like it's not like it's a different list but it seemed to be that it was just anas and him so it seems like that's the case and and by with all due toe respect to Jeff McLean's reporting too he said like he mentioned like six to eight week time frame of the injury so that would kind of suggest that okay it's not like a season ending injury that he's dealing with so my takea away from annias Smith and Alberto going on N is they're probably not gonna play this year like I don't think annah Smith is coming back from IR Alberto I would be even he maybe would come back if you get four or five weeks into the season and EJ Jenkins is on practice squad but he's not doing a good job of calcara gets hurt I could see maybe using a spot on him but I don't think they're going into this being like we are using one of our eight spots on Alberto I think Alberto would be a nice player to have I think he's somebody that might have got claimed on waivers had they released him he was claimed last year by The Eagles um so you know traed they they traded for him yeah sorry they traded right but he was gonna be released and they traded for him so so there was interest in him once he was going to be released by Denver I do think one thing Howe is definitely very good at is information collecting around the league having a good idea of what a player's value is so if if Howe felt that if they just cut Albert he would be gone I'm fine with using an IR spot and then at that point you decide and then I kind of feel the same way about Dylan McMahon to your point I think he he like reminds me of Casey two Hill remember the outrage of when Casey two Hill was released there as there should have been keeping ALS on Jeffrey was ridiculous but we don't need to re relate but the point I'm making is like Casey T Hill had like a fine NFL career to an extent like he never turned into anything so Dylan McMahon can't be the backup center versus the Packers like you can't put d McMahon prime time in Brazil as the backup against the Packers so he is still a ways away I believe from contributing to the roster now if he gets claimed and I don't think deagles want him to get claimed that's a Miss by Hoy that's a mistake but until he's not until he gets claimed I can't get worked up about it because there's a decent chance he won't get claimed and he'll just be back on the on the 70 man roster and it's really just a paay difference for him which sucks for him like I'm not discrediting that but in terms of being in the in the building he'll be in the building so with James Bradberry If You released him I do think he would have signed elsewhere I think another team would have given him an opportunity to be on their roster whether that's at straight up Corner which is probably what he wants to play or potentially at safety who knows so I just think Dylan McMahon is not helping this team the same way James Bradbury is this year well I think that's I disagree I I might agree from the sto and he might get attention from elsewhere but I don't think that's my concern as much as like okay so what like we lost James Berry here if I'm the Eagles like is that really this death nail am I really why am I super concerned about that this is a guy who doesn't provide special teams value as a backup safety that's not great isn't actually a safety based on what we saw in the preseason like there isn't a full like confidence level in there at least you know like from the mental side of things there's concern about what he's seeing I think we saw enough evidence to wonder about that and then also from the physical element which I think the preseason games are especially more relevant uh in his case than the practices just because of like that's a big part of the position that you're not really getting to evaluate in the practice setting when they're not tackling being too physical uh at all so I I just you know I think it's possible that James Bar's kind of just like cooked and can't really play anymore and look you just because he made the initial roster also doesn't mean he's like definitely here all season long um sure there's mlan also you know who we referenced earlier mentioned that like you know there's been trade talks dard Wilson you know down in Tennessee it's something to watch out for uh but yeah I just I have a tough time like why does what really is James Bey contributing to this team do do you think like he is the third safety do you think he like gives them good depth I think he might be the third safety him or Maddox and too obviously you know Sydney Brown is you know yeah Sydney but Sydney is not GNA be here for the first four weeks so so you don't have Sydney for the first four weeks we don't know when Kaden Stern is going to play um Maddox is probably the guy they would put in first at safety if someone were to go down but Maddox might also be the top backup nickel if quinon were to go down or quinan goes to the outside because the one of the other Corners is struggling I think with Bradberry it's all about evaluation because I agree with your your point if Bradberry can't play safety then this is a bad selection to keep him for sure but I don't think I think the Eagles believe he can play safety I you know we can't on one hand not saying you but just as a collective say that Vic vanjo really tells it like it is when he talks about Bryce huff and then when he says that he thinks Bradbery's done a decent job converting you're like well he's just saying that and I know he was bad in the preseason but he's learning a new position that doesn't I know it doesn't help them week one but Bradberry has played Corner he's a veteran guy like I just think he brings more value to the team than Dylan McMahon in the long run Dylan McMahon could end up being a better player for sure and I I understand the value of keeping a a rookie over someone that at most is going to be here for one year but that's if you lose Dylan McMahon I I think Howe believes they will get Dylan McMahon through to waivers that could change who knows but I don't think how he cuts a rookie unless he feels pretty confident nobody else is going to claim him so I think they view Bradberry as as a somewhat key piece as a backup safety for this team I mean Kaden Stern hadn't practiced so yeah who week one would you rather have it be the backup safety at this point I mean TR MC Callum I thought he had a really good summer and he had a good summer that's fair hasn't play game yeah like super proven in game action but neither is James rurry at safety like like Fair that's a big projection at that position and also again not to make this like super In The Weeds about everything mattering about special teams but like that's what trist MCCS plays on special teams like that's a really nice thing to have when again for a backup safety um like there's only what 46 spots on game day like some guys have to play special teams you need them to do that so uh yeah I I just think he brings more value there and look I think you brought up a really good point like one of the few things I would challenge Al Roseman or criticize him for is like having a general sense around the league of what a player's value is like he he a pretty good sense of that but he's not infallible you know he could misread it and you know look at someone like Britain cvy where last year clearly they made the right decision in terms of teams didn't claim him but like what if he was wrong and one team did like Britain cubby was awesome and as it turned out to like is the best partner returner in the NFL and I feel like if they could have done it over they would have kept him and not risked losing him like they could have so you know it kind of comes back to that like I think he's probably doing the right thing and and I'm not ready to crush him for this um but it's I think he's invited a little bit more risk than he needed to is the argument yeah and I mean to your point he has missed Christian Ellis got claimed Casey Toho like talked about got claimed Britain cubby did not that was a good call by him but you're right like you're risking the potential of losing him um a few times I just I think the Dylan McMahon I think he's more of an idea that like I understand what the concept of you don't cut a six round pick over like I clearly they don't think Dylan McMahon was that good like obviously they they released him and not that look me and you watch practice every day I think we have a good eye for scouting these things but I think there's any POS that's hard to judge for us specifically it is the interior offensive line we're watching practice so I can't I just can't get worked up about the Dy McMahon like philosophically I get it but I just I don't think we don't know if he's good at least I know Bradberry has played in a high level at the NFL before I will I'm gonna confidently say that when the Eagles 2024 season is over we're not going to be saying like Dylan McMahon was a big reason why yes or Bradberry like the reality is neither could end up playing a big role and if Brad and if bradberry's playing a big Ro then they're in trouble because that means they've suffered multiple injuries I think a good point you made is they must think he's going to play special teams I guess he didn't really do it in the preseason though which is weird he I think like three special team snaps I can't picture him active on game day as the backup safety and not play but maybe I me the other part of this it could honestly be they're they're calling teams Bluff thinking like the everyone believes that they're going to cut Bradberry now he's saying all right well look we're keeping them so if you want to make a trade like that could be it I mean it's a it's a risky move in the way of like you said risking Dylan McMahon but you know I think it's uh it could that could be their strategy yeah I think it's possible again just all right so any any of this initial 50 man 5503 man roster stuff is like it's initial for a reason like there's yes things that could change well that's the fun part of doing a podr immediately as you know being able to react instantly outdated yeah exactly well yeah trust me by the time people listen to this Bradberry might not be on the roster Okay so let's go position by position quickly and just or not quickly but look at who they kept and maybe if you felt they made the right decisions at each position a few of these are gonna be pretty easy um number one quarterback right yeah I mean you cut Will Greer I think the biggest part of this is Johan Dotson gets number 13 back now that Will Greer is off the roster I do think they should like Braden Mann maybe should switch to 13 or whatever because the punters can wear from like 0 to 49 or whatever now so maybe CH something in free up 10 I would like to see doson in 10 if we could get ra man out of 10 uh 10 there but yeah I agree I think Jad doson K I mean he can't wear 87 he's such a teen single digit guy you can't have him out there um so keeping all three quarterbacks again I think that is the right move I mean maybe I'm just playing devil's advocate here but like would you have tried to capitalize on trying to trade Kenny picket or Tanner mcke and like Desmond Ritter was cut I know everyone thinks he blows I'm kind of higher on him the most but like do you think they they did the right job keeping both backups or was there a backup there you might have had interest in yeah there's that slight extra incentive to the NFL like canceling the thing they were P possibly going to do where you could keep the third quarterback on the practice squad instead the roster and still Elevate him um they did not do that it's like last year where uh the third quarterback has to be on the roster and they can play so you know there's like that extra little bonus with that tweak um but yeah I mean I don't think they would have really gotten much for Picket who you know only ruined his stock I feel like over the course of the summer yeah and mcke uh kind of like I don't know what you really would have gotten for him it's such a small sample size for players never actually played in a real NFL game um I would say it's fine keeping it so at running back they keep Kenny gainwell saquan obviously and uh will Shipley um what running back do you think they'll sign to the practice squad I I don't think it's super clear which of the backup running backs had the best Camp Tyrion uh Davis Smith I thought looked the best running the ball but he dropped it he had like major drop issues uh in the pass in game I think Kendall Milton looks like the best athlete of the three I think I think it was actually standing next to you in practice in OTAs maybe where he took off on a run and it was like wow that guy can really move um and Lou Nichols like I thought he was just averaging everything I didn't think he stood out to me at all um where are you at do you think they'll bring one of them back or do you think that we're going to see a new running back on the practice squad I don't think they they'll add to the 53 I think it'll be these three all Camp yeah I was always I was saying all along like you don't need to keep a fourth running back back just that guy that guy can be under your practice squad you can you can and TDP showed the most juice to me as a runner but I like he dropped the ball couldn't catch and also he fumbled not only in the last preseason game but in practice he had some like he had at least one fumble I think even going back to like spring where they're not even like hitting each other so like that's clearly a thing I just think a big theme where it's like the coaching staff can't like trust that guy uh so I think it' be nice to get him back I don't know if that's the most realistic thing he might find like another opportunity elsewhere where there more of a path to playing time than there is here I don't know um but if that's the case I like Milton a lot too and I think that's someone who like is definitely going to clear through waivers and be willing to return here yeah so who's the running back oh Trey Surman like I felt strongly when they cut Trey Surman that he would turn into something and let's be honest he's not but I don't feel that way about any of these running backs I don't think they lost out on on anybody that clearly looked great um wide receiver so obviously they keep Devonte AJ Britain cvy Johan Dodson Johnny Wilson uh they cut Paris Campbell what do you think think about the decision to cut Paris I mean just wasn't healthy for enough at training camp and really didn't do much of too much he had a good catch or two in the preseason final preseason game it's nice to see alth think that's a little too little too late and also you're going up against you know really backups who aren't even going to make the Vikings roster so uh either him or John Ross I think would be like a nice guy to have on the practice squad who give you kind of like some more veteran depth have actually played in the NFL before if there's you know an injury and you have to use them God forbid but uh yeah so I I'm not so sure they're going to bring back John Ross I could see it but I thought his Camp went on he looked more and more average I and I also don't think he looked super fast like I think he had moments in Camp where he looked good but if you if I didn't know that he ran like the record for the 40 I didn't think he looked Ultra quick out there as Camp went on do you agree with that or I agree with that I also wonder like you know he retired before so does he really want to like come back can grind it out for a practice squad spot or like you know is this maybe like hey either I make the roster and like cool I'm actually going to get to play or whatever or I'm not and I'm just kind of done or I mean it's the difference between making you know $800,000 and making making like 250 or whatever it is which not gonna dismiss 250 that would uh that's not bad money um I'm okay with them cutting Paris uh obviously with them getting Jan doson my only thing with with that is I think it's a little harsh on Paris like I thought he had good OTAs I like the signing when made it he didn't do much in training camp but he got hurt and it just seems it seems harsh to completely move on from him because of that clearly they're in the building and their evaluation by the fact they traded a third for doson tells you they were not high on him so I'm not going to push too hard on it but he is someone I'd like to see on practice squad I think the first initial few weeks when when Jan dodson's learning the offense getting acclimated he could still bring some some benefit and as good as CV's looked I don't know like who would you rather have out there week one against Brazil Paris Campbell or cvy well I definitely think I I would take cvy actually but I think you know if you're talking about over the course of the season I think you know you could put Campbell on the outside more than you could Brit and cvy yeah no I agree so I would I would bring him back um tight end Grant calcatera Dallas Gard I was a little surprised they cut EJ Jenkins granted I didn't have him on my 53 so I'm not I wasn't like Blown Away by it but the Alberto thing on IR is interesting I think EJ's probably back on practice squad if he clears uh waivers um and I think they'll just do a bit of like a schoras forward third tight end but I could also definitely see them picking somebody else up off wer this feels like a prime add a player from outside the building position yeah I mean EJ Jenkins like I thought he had a nice summer I like him I'm I'm intrigued by his potential he made some really nice catches but this is a guy who was like pretty available for the most of last season he wasn't like oh so like I just don't think he's a guy who has a lot of uh High stock around the league and also like you mentioned there's this other Alternatives out there I've been saying for a while Jack stole is a name to keep an eye on because obiously he was with the Eagles and the Giants cut him uh Donald param is out there someone who you know had success with Kell Moore last year so you know that they're going to have a third tight end on this roster I imagine either you know on the roster proper or you know elevating through the practice squad and there's plenty of options out there where if you lose EJ Jenkins like that's a bummer but I think you're really okay yeah I agree I think EJ Jenkins kind of got overhyped because of the lack of someone that truly stood out like we all wanted to see that Paul Turner Rasheed Bailey Trey Surman like everyone wants that player in Camp and I think EJ kind of got put in that role but he was only like he was he was good in Camp I'm not dismissing him I think he had high potential but I definitely don't think he was oh my God you can't cut this guy good I think he he it is it would suck to lose them but it's not the end of the world um all right offensive line they obviously keep cam Tyler Steen Lane Johnson Jordan Milada Landon Dickerson and then the backups Fred Johnson maai beckon obviously is a starter Trevor Keegan and then this was was surprising to me what did you think of them keeping Darien Canard I thought he looked like really bad or he did not look good in Camp so like I I have a hard time believing he's one of the best 53 players not quite like that but even like close to that and it was also weird to me how they handled him in the preseason because they played him a ton I guess part of that was because they like wanted to give him an honest evaluation and truly like see what he had but typically I mean when you look when you look at how this team handles important players to them they don't like playing them at all so like it's just kind of weird to me that he's on the roster I think part of it was like by like contrast with like Nick Gates Matt Hennessy and even Brett to all those guys are vested veterans and I think Canard is not yet so maybe there was like a little bit concern that he wouldn't pass through the waiver wire I would not be really understanding why they were so afraid of losing him again this is a player who was on Chiefs practice squad all last year he was available to sign no one really wanted him until the Eagles came after the year uh for him so uh the Canard one is weird to me so I agree I don't think Canard was good I think Canard got a spot because pretty much every single backup offensive lineman was a disappointment in Camp Hennessee so they actually real quick they just straight cut henness he didn't even go on IR right I think so I believe that's right that didn't process at the time was on the radio a bit surprised by that I mean considering the money they gave him but um so Canard I just think was probably the best in the way that he he's like a good backup tackle it probably also helped him I should say he can play backup tackle I don't think he's a good backup tackle I don't think Fred Johnson had a good camp so maybe they just thought of the two they didn't want to risk losing one because you know to your point like maybe one of them gets claimed or Fred Johnson decides to go elsewhere but I I didn't think any of the backup offensive linemen had good camp so I think week one you'll like Nick Gates could be a a practice squad guy that they elevate and uh is the top backup who do you think will be the top backup center week one that's the thing that stands out especially you know again it's not like McMahon I don't even if McMahon was on this roster yeah I don't think he would be like the true top backup center even if he was literally the only Center behind Jurgens because I think they would either uh they would configure things differently uh I mean as of right now on the roster I mean it's Dickerson like who's just on the team right now but you know ideally you're not going to switch two different positions especially in a game like that with Dickerson doesn't like to do that too seen that and I just also just don't think that's your best offensive line configuration at that point so I'm guessing it'll either be like to or Gates who come back on the practice squad maybe you elevate them use the temporary elevation on them week one and then you know avoid having them on the week one roster so you don't have to guarantee their salary for the year um but I think one of those two guys probably ends up with that spot eventually so I do wonder if they would put Dickerson at Center and put Keegan in there I know Keegan has been dealing with a bit of an injury but the fact they're keeping him and not putting him my R tells me they think he's gonna play relatively soon um I think Keegan has looked good from you know again it's tough for me to evaluate looking but they've given him first team reps I think the fact they've kept him at that one spot like they haven't put him at all next to to Lane in practice maybe they do think that they want to get him tons of work there because Dickerson would go to Center and Keegan would move up to that spot that's a good theory yeah I had really thought about that I think like because typically you would think that it's not good that he's only at one spot yeah because like you coaches say all the time you need to have that versatility to be a backup on game day and he doesn't have that right now and I do think he's going to be a healthy scratch at least to start the year although it'll be interesting to see like Ty Stein's really interesting I think in all of this because like where is he even gonna play because he's been a back up he's been a tackle in the past like do they like him there is he the swing tackle they must not if they have two backup tackles on the roster right and and also he's been banged up we don't exactly know when he'll be back but I guess he's a top backup at guard uh I think he's kind of a interesting player to think about in the offensive line puzzle there I mean the last offensive line thought would just be I think we both agreed the line was thin if you look at it now so they have the five starters and then they have Steen Canard Fred Johnson and keegans they have four backups currently two of which only play tackle one of which is a rookie and the other one's a I mean they have like this is a super thin offensive line I do think they'll probably bring back like sharping Gates or Hennessy on the practice squad who all have game experience but Nei none of them played well so the offensive line I mean they are really banking on guys staying healthy because it it could get ugly if not yeah and they're not all healthy like like you said Ste and Keegan did not finish Camp healthy so right and and honestly Dickerson's in and out of the lineup all the time uh Lan plays but he's kind of at his age it almost feels like always limping around a little bit just because of the wear and tear so yeah for me you know quick big pitcher thought the biggest concern I have about this team coming out of Camp is definitely the offensive line I'm more worried about that than I have the defensive line which I'll get into right now on the line they keep Huff Brandon Graham Jordan Davis Jaylen Carter Milton Williams Marlon Tu aelu and then the two I don't know if I would call them surprises but the two guys that were maybe not a lock Morrow o jamoo and Thomas Booker who is the one that kills me I left off my 53 I was so close to putting him on I was debating it and I didn't but yeah he makes the roster I think he earned a roster spot I think he he looked good um you know quick side note like it sounds dumb but I don't know if you ever realized like it can't players family is there all the time like all the like the family tent and I saw every day so many play so many people in Thomas Booker jerseys who I can only assume as his family so really cool moment for him and his family he did not go into camp with a roster spot he earned that roster spot and it is like a feel-good story of camp that that he did make it because I think he definitely earned it I like uh probably more much more than the average person like following along with every single Eagles roster move like where last year they signed Thomas Booker early in the season to add to their practice squad and like I just think it's it's because it's such a whatever now in the moment like no one cared about that that didn't factor into the 2023 Eagles but sometimes you know they get here for a year they spend a a season on the practice squad and then next year they're actually a more of a much more of a relevant player um and in a year where the Eagles did not have a undrafted rookie fre agent make the team which is the first time in at least since I think 2012 or so like it's a long time since they usually have at least one other than the co year which obviously like that is just not a situation where a udfa could make the team um so uh you know it's nice you know when you have a player like this kind of come out of relatively nowhere to to show up and yeah I thought he had a really good summer um both him and Patrick Johnson like I think were bubble players who genuinely like earned their way they played their way onto the team they took advantage of the preseason games they made plays and and to me it makes sense too I mean like uh if the Eagles are going to run a lot of fiveman fronts they do under Vic fangio and have three defensive tackles on the field commonly like it doesn't seem insane to me that You' want to keep six defensive tackles there so this is a small thing but tell me if this is weird to you so when the Eagles announced the roster they announced Bryce huff and Brandon Graham as defensive linemen but they announced Nolan Smith and Josh sweat and Patrick Johnson as linebackers am I missing something is this like a number thing uh yeah I don't I to me it's not as relevant not no interesting thing there it just seems odd to me but it is I agree but I think it's just I don't know I I don't think it's as meaningful yeah okay I just noticed it could just be the way the graphics person did it but it's just it seems odd to me to do that um so I do think the offense the defensive line I feel better about the depth on the defensive line than I do the offensive line like I feel good about Milton Williams I feel good about Marlin Tu aoto I think ojamo Mor ojamo did Flash especially like in the games and in the open practice I thought he was really good um and Thomas Booker as well so it's kind of the reverse of the offensive line where I feel really good about the backups and I feel bad about the starters with the offensive line I feel good about most of the starters lay Milada landed but the backups they have like nothing there so it's definitely been a few years I think since you know you do a preview pod or a roster cut pod and you don't feel good about either side of the line I mean I feel better about the defensive line I guess by comparison like I think Huff you Know started to come on a little bit um intrigued by him uh BR grah looks like he can still play a lot which I yeah he was really good in Camp for sure um obviously he's only going to be playing so many snaps at this point in his career although you know no reason to save him this like go all out um Nolan Smith's you know summer is pretty concerning fair to say when he's playing late or he's playing with like under a minute left two minutes left in the first half of that third preseason game there like don't love that um overall I think I mean I feel amazing about Jaylen Carter and what he can do for I think he can be like I don't think it's like a hot take to be like he can be an pro this year like that's High Praise I know but he be the best defensive tackle in the League this year like him and the best defensive player in the league this year I think that's a realistic ceiling for him it's not the most likely outcome but like that is like within the realm of realistic possibility so I I feel maybe not as maybe bullish in other years but I still I still feel good about it yeah no I I I I I agree with you overall um I do think they could add a edge rusher the only issue is if they were going to I don't know where the snaps come from because like Brandon's going to play they could just be super down on Nolan but I don't think he's going to be a healthy scratch week one like I'd be very surprised if he was so I think they have interest in adding somebody and it's probably a position they're closely monitoring if they get two three weeks in the season where you got to make a trade for somebody It's just tough to find the snaps right now so all right linebacker they have Nolan jayx hunt and uh Patrick Johnson listed it's Josh swep but I'll just talk about the interior linebackers or whatever um noobe Dean Devin white Zack Bond Jeremiah trer Jr and Ben van summeran um I think those are the right five like I I do like in terms of you want to do competition like Ben van suon earned a roster spot uh I think noobi was gonna have one but I think noobe earned a roster spot I don't think he came into a camp as a lock I think they could have traded him or potentially cut him if he really got hurt but I thought he straight up earned a roster spot and then trod I think trod is probably truly who knocked or Burks off the roster because trer was going to make the team but I think trod proved he is ready to play and that made Burks not as important yeah to me I guess it was it doesn't really matter who you say it was but like I I I always thought of like more of the our guy bvs here benman Sumer uh who like you know I didn't have him on the roster as a lock early in Camp but you know he went out and played well on special teams I feel like in practice every day did some things defensively obviously lit it up in the preseason games and you know like Burks had that good preseason game against the Vikings but like he should be because like he's a real NFL player playing against guys who aren't gonna make the NFL and also he missed a ton of time in Camp like that I think that matters you can't just miss like almost most of all the camp while a guy who's like competing directly for your spot is crushing it and oh by the way is younger and doesn't uh require you guaranteeing his whole salary for the year like oron Burks was if he makes the team week one I still think it's possible they bring Burks back if he doesn't really get any interest elsewhere uh just kind of exactly like they did with Nicholas Morrow last year um but yeah I feel good about who they kept yeah I'll be curious to see if Orin Burks does get signed um they gave him a DEC ENT amount of money I think it was like $800,000 they gave him they signed him relatively early in free agency he was not a key player but he was on a Super Bowl defense last year that got snapped so it wouldn't completely shock me if when they signed him he had offers elsewhere and the other tough thing if you're Orin Burks is last year Nicholas Moro signed back because they were like you're gonna play week one if you're Orin Burks how are you getting up on out on the field I mean because those five guys are going to be active on game days I don't think any of them will be healthy scratches to you like trod Dean obviously not uh Ben Ben Summer and I think they'll all be active so if you're Orin Burks if there's no other opportunity and you've already moved here and you just like Philly maybe you stay but I don't think there's like a path to playing for him yeah barring injury I agree yeah um all right so defensive backs first they just put SLE which is funny they're just you know continuing his doesn't want to say Darius um so slay Chanty Gardner Johnson uh obviously makes it quinon key Ringo Eli Rick James Bradberry avonte Maddox Cooper uh I don't remember if I said re blankin ship Isaiah Rogers and Tristan McCullum um I think this for me is a good example of how I think they did the right thing in most positions they kept a veteran who can help them now and bradbear I know we're debating if he can help them but I think he can and I thought they did a good job keeping youth like Eli Ricks is someone I could have seen them potentially cutting and then we go you can't cut him and keep Bradberry Tristan McCullum is somebody I think if they cut I would have said you know what like I could see that but they kept them both so I don't think there's anyone in the secondary they cut that I think think they made a mistake with I think they kept the right guys at safety and uh at corner yeah I agree I mean the only thing I was a little I think I'm a little more down on Ricks than consensus I I don't really think he had a great summer and also unlike Josh job who also had a bad summer and maybe worse than Ricks but like at least Joe plays on special teams and plays really well on that unit and Ricks has really not proven to be that kind of player yet which is important for a sixth quarterback here which basically is what I think he will be unless maybe maybe he's Ive over Cooper de Jean especially early in the season I don't know for sure that Cooper will be uh up because I think there is clearly some like learning curve there still to go I think the preseason game showed that a little bit not that I'm saying like I'm down on him the whole year I just think early on there's still like you know some catching up to do um I'm glad they kept McCullum liked him a lot I don't think like trist McCullum I don't realistically speaking I I don't think he could have done anything more to convince the Eagles to keep him if they got him like he would have no reason to hang his head he literally did almost everything possibly could so I'm glad to see he made it um Maddox I'm glad to see kind of uh has like been able to kind of reinvent himself uh at a different position I think for the most part and adjust the safety um but yeah 11 defensive backs total I know you were talking about like how with how hard they got hit by injuries at that position last year specifically as a backup the backup Nel spot yeah um I think it's reasonable to kind of go heavy there although I will say on the whole um they definitely they went like heavy on on defense uh where they had I I have the number here2 and then last year on the initial roster they had 24 on offense and 27 on defense so yeah definitely skewed uh with more defensive depth than offensive depth well I think part of that is just when you look at the offense like saquan Dallas Goddard AJ and Devonte are going to be out on the field so much that while you need backups it's not like defense where you're rotating the line you're rotating linebackers and you need depth at safety in corner because you just don't know if the guys you have are good are good enough so I think it does make sense um you know with Tristan McCullum I will say like the Josh job thing I agree with I think job probably helps them more week one than McCullum or uh Eli Ricks but I think this is where the information of how he has to play in I think Eli Ricks first of all he has a powerful agent around the league so I think he would have ended up elsewhere he's somebody that if they cut him I I don't know if he agrees to come back like where's his path to playing right quinon Cooper Key Isaiah Rogers are all ahead of him um and if I'm him I would kind of look and be like would they put Bradberry in it Corner above me since they kept him so I agree he didn't have a great summer I think if they cut him he's probably gone so this is their way of holding on to him I was veryy into the idea of holding all the corners because I think you want to hold them all for the Year let them all play and see what what shakes loose I don't think you want to go well quinon Cooper and Isaiah are the best ones so we'll keep them because one can get hurt one cannot play well so I think they're throwing a lot of darts at the dart board which I like and I think McCullum probably would have been claimed too because to your point he had a really good preseason in game so a lot of a lot of people saw that I don't think job will get claimed I don't think it's end of the world if he does right but I think they believe he'll make it through and I wouldn't surprise me if he's up and active week one yeah I agree with that again one of those candidates to be uh ele temporary elevated to the roster especially early in the season there I'm interested to see how the quarterback situation uh plays out because like right now I think like we've we saw Darius Slay and Isaiah Rogers be the top two guys most days especially to end Camp after key Ringo had a little run there with the first team more so earlier in Camp but like I think it might be like slay and Mitchell and base and then when they do go to Nickel I think it would be Rogers coming in not as the slot guy but on the outside and then Quon shifting in to the nickel at least early in the season again especially when I'm not really considering Cooper deene to be a factor right away yeah I agree I think Cooper will be I mean the only thing that keep him from being a healthy scratch is just the I don't think it would be listed as embarrassing because he missed so much but as a second round pick you probably don't want him to be a healthy scratch um in an Ideal World so before we wrap this up I was just sent a tweet that kind of it looks like it has the standings for the beat writer competition have you seen this no so here's what I'll say find out turn that frown upside down because you did well so um this is according to Anthony deona this was sent to me from one of my friends I believe he's from the pro football network if I'm not mistaken um now I will say he has a mistake because he doesn't have the winner up there so he he didn't see everybody's but from the beat writers he saw EJ Smith first place with 52 pretty good you got to give it to him much like with McCullum I don't think we can hang our heads at not having 52 that's a that's a good performance by EJ yeah um all right tied so then tied for second would be me with 51 out of 53 I missed on Smith and McMahon it is what it is I kind of feel like Smith we should almost get points for that because we clearly were correct that they valued him but he just didn't make the roster and also the injury is like BS like no one knew about this injury I like and so you had as well I would guess based off that reaction yeah yeah we were clearly correct that they were not going to release him like our evaluation was correct they just did it in a different way I think he clearly did enough for the I don't think he did enough to like prove he Des to play this year I don't think he's ready to play but I think he did enough for the Eagles to not want to give up on him I agree and I don't think we'll see him in a uniform this year I think he will be spending all year like putting on muscle being in the classroom I don't think he'll play um and then I was tied with and I apologize I can't pronounce his name Andrew deissy is that what it is I think Theo yeah Theo last year winner yes doesn't last year's winner does an excellent job Breaking All the news Cong he does a really good job getting all the cuts he had 51 to 53 as well I was tied with him your boy our boy everybody's boy Jimmy kmky 50 out of 53 and you were tied with him for I guess it would be third place interesting yeah so the the difference we had is he had job on I did not even though I'm probably one of Josh job's bigger fans but I just didn't think they were going to keep him and then you know my mistake was keeping to I didn't feel good about that one just because um uh like he is a vested vet and I think that's what Eagles are doing here I think they're going to bring him back in some capacity but at the same time like they're he was taking so many first team reps that I'm like I think Stalin just likes him and what if Stalin's just like hey I want this guy here and I don't think he can actually play all five positions well or maybe any of them for that matter but in theory like I think they like that so uh I guess like I don't feel terrible about it give give give yourself a grade here an evaluation I mean um I I didn't feel good when I submitted on on uh Sunday morning I didn't feel as confident as I wanted to uh so uh I think I did better than I I thought I would do because I thought I kind of botched it more than I did but uh the smith thing again yeah anyone who that's just total fugazi to me that's unless if that news comes out first of all 9:00 amm on Saturday or Sunday morning was I thought early to have it in for what it's worth but that news comes out like 2 hours later um so EJ I was actually texting with EJ about like what we're going to do so in retrospect that was a mistake since he ended up beating me but my strategy for this year was I put not a ton of thought into it past years I I think I sit there and I go like well this guy what about this guy and like I wish I would have put a little more with Booker I think if I would have sat down I really would have kept Booker but I was just like honestly I'm just gonna throw it out there so I would give myself a B+ overall okay you I think that's fair not n CU I didn't win but I'm I'm proud with my performance we'll go back we'll watch the tape you know we'll make you know try to you self well the the disappointing thing is this is the second year in a row I've come in second place so I'm right there but just I don't know it's like remember that Durant cover where it was like will he always be number two or whatever this is this is how I feel right now so but you know you're number one in the go Birds yes you know you're number one in the go Bird's heart so we are happy that you here for another pod thank you for coming on throughout training camp it was awesome to have you back we definitely want to keep having you on throughout the regular season as much as possible uh I know all the listeners are very happy to hear your voice again in the feed so thanks for coming on man and uh thank you to everybody for listening um now here we are regular season going to Brazil in a week so it's uh it's going to be a wild next 10 days or whatever it is until the game but until then as they say and as we always say he's otam James I'll talk to you guys later