The big story from the Eagles preseason opener on Friday night was Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ impressive TD drive to start the game. Reuben Frank discussed the drive by Hurts and the starters after the game.
The Eagles lost to the Jets 24-21 on Friday night at the Linc, but we learned plenty about the team.
The first-team offense and first-team defense certainly looked very good.
And now it’s time for another stock watch.
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In the first stock watch, the up players were: Marcus Epps, T.J. Edwards, Davion Taylor, Dallas Goedert, Andre Chachere, Mac McCain III, Miles Sanders. The down players were: K’Von Wallace, Devon Allen, Carson Strong, Zach Pascal, Milton Williams
In the second stock watch, the up players were: Jordan Davis, James Bradberry, Brandon Graham, A.J. Brown, Avonte Maddox, Cam Jurgens. The down players were: Gardner Minshew, Grant Calcaterra, Nakobe Dean, Tay Gowan, Le’Raven Clark
After a few more practices and the first preseason game, here’s the latest Eagles stock watch:
Stock up
NFL
LB Kyzir White: Even before White had a smooth INT in the preseason game, he’s been flashing more and more in practice. After a long line of disappointing free agent linebacker acquisitions, it looks like White is going to be the one to break the streak.
DE Tarron Jackson: The second-year edge rusher has been flashing during practices and kept that going during during the game. He had a big QB hit that forced an incompletion against the Jets and later broke up a pass. He’s been active and is close to a roster lock.
DT Jordan Davis: Back-to-back stock up selections for the big first-round pick. After watching him push around the Jets’ starting offensive line, I couldn’t leave him off. He’s been doing it all training camp and might just be a real problem in the NFL. He was already drawing double teams and busting up run plays on Friday night.
RB Jason Huntley: Huntley really flashed last summer and after a slower start to his 2022 training camp is doing it again. It seems like just about every day he breaks off a big run and has been running with an edge in camp. He is also a pretty good kick returner. He took one 43 yards out of the end zone on Friday night.
QB Jalen Hurts: Hurts had his best day of practice to finish off the week and then had a great series agains the Jets, going 6-for-6 for 80 yards and a touchdown before Nick Sirianni wisely yanked him and the rest of the starters out of the game.
LB Nakobe Dean: It’s been a very quiet training camp for the third-round pick from Georgia but he came alive some in the preseason game. That comes after he’s started to get mixed in more with the first-team defense on occasion. He had five combined tackles (four solo) against the Jets. He cleaned up on a play where Davis blew up a run; like old times.
TE Noah Togiai: The young tight end has stacked a few good practice days in a row and had a solid performance in the preseason game with four catches for 29 yards. After Grant Calcaterra has missed significant time, Togiai might actually have a shot to make the Eagles’ 53-man roster.
Stock down
WR Deon Cain: While Cain has been very steady in practice, often as Minshew’s favorite target, he couldn’t duplicate that in the preseason game. Cain had just 1 catch for 14 yards on 4 targets vs. the Jets.
S Jaquiski Tartt: The veteran safety has missed the last few practices and the game as he deals with a personnel matter. But even before he missed this time, he wasn’t making any plays. Obviously, he’s learning a new defense but there’s no guarantee he’s going to make this team and the Eagles might have some better options.
QB Reid Sinnett: The third-stringer has been performing well in training camp, even well enough to earn some second-team reps. But he didn’t have a very good performance in the preseason opener. He quarterbacked the Eagles to four three-and-outs to start the second half. Sure, Sinnett led the Eagles on a 75-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, but overall, he wasn’t great.
OT Jack Driscoll: The second-team right tackle has his hands full with Brandon Graham during the week and gave up a couple pressures in the game against the Jets. Probably nothing to worry about. Driscoll has been solid during his NFL action over the last couple years.
WR Greg Ward: The veteran receiver has missed six practices with a toe injury and hasn’t practiced since Aug. 1. He definitely doesn’t have a roster spot locked up and his missing this time won’t help.
S Anthony Harris: Still not feeling great about the safety group. Tartt and Harris have been really quiet all summer. Marcus Epps has been really consistent but the other safety spot is a concern. Harris obviously has a level of familiarity with Jonathan Gannon’s defense, but is that really enough?
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