The Philadelphia Eagles open the 2020 NFL regular season at Washington on Sept. 13 at FedEx Field. The defending NFC East champions finished the 2019 regular season with a 9-7 overall record but lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
The Eagles are exuding confidence as well as continuity, being the only team in the NFC East to enter the season with a returning coach (Doug Pederson). Quarterback Carson Wentz, 27, is in the early stages of his prime, health allowing, and he looks to lead a young group of skill-position players who need him to guide them back to the postseason.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday. Here is a projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Wentz, Nate Sudfeld, Jalen Hurts
Sudfeld remains the No. 2 QB entering the season, though Hurts could end up seeing more playing time. It's easy to picture the Eagles using their 2020 second-round pick by the goal line in spots. Hurts has shown during camp how the threat he poses as a runner can freeze a defense and open up running lanes for the running backs.
RUNNING BACK (3): Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Corey Clement
The Eagles like their young backs such as Elijah Holyfield, Adrian Killins Jr. and Mike Warren, but the smart move might be to put them on the practice squad to start the season and then call one up as needed. The Eagles also will continue to monitor the veteran market for depth options.
WIDE RECEIVER (7): DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Greg Ward Jr., John Hightower, Quez Watkins, Alshon Jeffery
All three rookie receivers (Reagor, Hightower, Watkins) have impressed this offseason and deserve a spot on the 53-man roster. Pederson said Jeffery (foot injury) has increased his running of late and hopes to have the receiver back soon, which seems to indicate he might not start the season on physically unable to perform list. It's hard to picture exactly where Jeffery fits with the youth and speed movement at receiver in full effect. Could the Eagles find a willing trade partner if they agreed to eat some of Jeffery's salary?
TIGHT END (3): Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Noah Togiai
Josh Perkins was competing for a spot before being placed on the reserve/injured list with an upper-body injury. Togiai, the undrafted rookie out of Oregon State, should get the nod over Caleb Wilson and Tyrone Swoopes.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Peters, Matt Pryor, Prince Tega Wanogho, Nate Herbig, Jordan Mailata, Jack Driscoll
The Eagles lost their second O-line starter to injury this offseason when left tackle Andre Dillard went down with a torn biceps in training camp. He joins standout guard Brandon Brooks (Achilles) on the sidelines. Pryor will be in charge of Wentz's blind side. Peters, 38, is staying at right guard unless a pay raise happens. There's not much proven depth to this group, though the coaches are high on Driscoll, the versatile rookie lineman out of Auburn.
DEFENSIVE LINE (10): Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Derek Barnett, Malik Jackson, Casey Toohill, Joe Ostman, Josh Sweat, Hassan Ridgeway, Vinny Curry
Toohill, the seventh-round pick out of Stanford, has made some noise this summer and is pushing for a roster spot. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has some tough decisions to make on players the team has put resources into, including 2019 fourth-round pick Shareef Miller and Genard Avery, who was acquired from the Cleveland Browns last October for a fourth-round pick.
LINEBACKER (5): T.J. Edwards, Shaun Bradley, Nate Gerry, Duke Riley, Davion Taylor
Taylor still has some developing to do but will likely be kept on the team as a longer-term project. Edwards, Riley and Gerry are the main three 'backers, while Bradley's physicality has stood out in practice. A thin group got thinner when Jatavis Brown unexpectedly retired in August.
CORNERBACK (6): Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Cre'Von LeBlanc, Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas
Jones has been limited this summer because of injury, which has come to be a common theme, unfortunately, through his first three-plus years in the league. The Eagles will have to weigh his value as a backup outside corner versus the special teams contributions of someone such as Craig James.
SAFETY (4): Rodney McLeod, Jalen Mills, Will Parks, K'Von Wallace
Safety looks to be a natural fit for Mills, who is making the transition from cornerback, though judgment should be reserved until actual games are played. Rudy Ford could find a spot on the roster for special-teams purposes.
SPECIALIST (3): Jake Elliott (PK), Cameron Johnston (P), Rick Lovato (LS)
Elliott has a field goal percentage of 84.1 since taking over in 2017, which ranks 19th over that span, but he has proved to be a clutch performer with an 11-for-11 mark in the postseason.