PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles open the 2024 NFL regular season against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 6 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. There have been some significant roster changes since the Eagles last suited up for their wild card playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January. Stalwarts Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retired, while perennial double-digit sack-maker Haason Reddick was traded to the New York Jets amid a contract stalemate.
Star power has been added, too, namely in former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who inked a three-year, $37.75 million contract in free agency. Philadelphia also selected Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean with its first two picks in April's draft.
There are plenty of big names at the top of the roster led by Barkley, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. But depth is a question mark at several spots including wide receiver, running back, tight end, and along the front seven defensively.
Here is the 53-man roster projection:
QUARTERBACKS (3): Jalen Hurts, Kenny Pickett, Tanner McKee
Pickett, acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers via trade in March, replaces Marcus Mariota as QB2 behind Hurts. The organization remains high on McKee, the second-year player out of Stanford, increasing the likelihood they will carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
RUNNING BACKS (3): Saquon Barkley, Kenneth Gainwell, Will Shipley
The Eagles are expecting Barkley to be rejuvenated in an offense featuring the best skill position group and offensive line he's ever worked with. Injuries have been a factor over his career -- he's missed multiple games in four of six NFL seasons -- suggesting the backups will play an elevated role at some point. Gainwell (84 rushes for 364 yards and 2 TDs in 2023) figures to be next in line, and the hope is that Shipley's patience as a runner and versatility out of the backfield will carry over from Clemson to the pros.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6): A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Parris Campbell, Ainias Smith, Britain Covey, Johnny Wilson
While Brown, Smith, Dallas Goedert and Barkley will command the bulk of the targets, the Eagles still need a WR3 to emerge. Campbell, whose time with the Colts overlapped with coach Nick Sirianni, filled that post for much of the spring. Betting on upside, Philadelphia signed Campbell and fellow vet John Ross to one-year deals this offseason. They'll be vying for roster spots/playing time along with Covey and rookies Smith and Wilson.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Dallas Goedert, C.J. Uzomah, Grant Calcaterra
Goedert is productive when healthy but has missed eight games over the last two seasons due to injury. The position group has struggled in his absence. They added a veteran presence in Uzomah this offseason and also have Albert Okwuegbunam Jr., second-year player E.J. Jenkins and rookie McCallan Castles on the roster. Jenkins' strong spring makes him a sleeper candidate heading into training camp.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (10): Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Mekhi Becton, Fred Johnson, Trevor Keegan, Matt Hennessy, Dylan McMahon
Becton, the former first-round pick of the New York Jets, had "probably had one of the best offseasons here," according to Johnson. He's been training at both tackle and guard and could be the first man in when injury hits. Whether it's Becton, Hennessy or one of the rookie draft picks in McMahon and Keegan, the Eagles need players to step up after losing key reserves Sua Opeta and Jack Driscoll in free agency. Jurgens has the most daunting task of all in replacing the future Hall of Famer in Kelce at center.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (7): Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Bryce Huff
The Eagles spent first-round picks in back-to-back years on Georgia standouts Carter and Davis. They need that investment to pay off to make up for the absence of Cox. Both showed promise last season (Carter was in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year) before falling off down the stretch. Huff will be counted on to replace much of Reddick's production. He was mainly a situational pass-rusher with the Jets but will be asked to take on a much larger role in Philly.
LINEBACKERS (7): Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Devin White, Nakobe Dean, Zack Baun, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Ben VanSumeren
Off-ball linebacker is usually an adventure for this team, as the front office tends not to allocate many resources to the position relative to the rest of the league. White, Baun and Dean received the most first-team looks there during the offseason training program. Smith, the second-year edge player out of Georgia, is a key piece to the pass-rush equation. If he can find his footing after a down rookie season, the state of Vic Fangio's unit will look considerably brighter.
CORNERBACKS (8): Darius Slay, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Avonte Maddox, Isaiah Rodgers, Kelee Ringo, Tyler Hall, Josh Jobe
Former All-Pro veteran James Bradberry had a rough 2023 campaign. It's in question whether the Eagles will keep him on the roster. The competition for the starting spot opposite Slay should be fierce, with Ringo, Rodgers and rookie first-round pick Mitchell all capable of making compelling cases. DeJean, the second-round pick out of Iowa, could push for playing time in the slot to start.
SAFETIES (3): C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, Sydney Brown
The Eagles missed Gardner-Johnson's swagger and playmaking ability during his one season in Detroit. He'll likely be paired with Blankenship initially. Brown is working his way back from an ACL tear. While this position group feels light, Maddox has been cross-training at safety and Bradberry is also slated to get work there if he stays on the team.
SPECIALISTS (3): Jake Elliott, Braden Mann, Rick Lovato
Entering his eighth season, Elliott has been clutch and consistent for the Eagles. He was 30-of-32 in field goal attempts in 2023, including 7-of-8 from 50 yards-plus.