September 02, 2017

Eagles 53-man cut-down tracker

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

The Philadelphia Eagles, and the rest of the NFL for that matter, will have to trim their rosters to 53 players by 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, and the cuts have already begun. We'll keep track of each of the cuts as they trickle in here.

• Eagles waive/injured Paul Turner (via Dave Zangaro, CSN): Turner was last year's camp darling, but he could not stay healthy during camp, so he was a very easy release this season.

• Eagles release Matt McGloin (via Matt Lombardo, NJ.com): At one point thought to be a strong candidate to win a No. 3 QB job, McGloin struggled mightily throughout training camp and the preseason. He leaves Philadelphia atop a dragon, breathing fire on the townspeople.

Jimmy Kempski/for PhillyVoice

• Eagles release QB Dane Evans (via Adam Caplan): Evans was never a threat to make the final roster, but was the third best quarterback on the team throughout camp and the preseason. He has a shot at the practice squad.

• Eagles release C Tyler Orlosky (via Aaron Wilson): Orlosky was a priority free agent, but he was demoted from third-team center to third-team guard, and became something of an afterthought as training camp wore on. He is unlikely to land on the practice squad.

• The Eagles announced a wave of cuts: In addition to the players noted above the Eagles released the following players (in alphabetical order):

LB Don Cherry: Cherry had his moments during camp and the preseason, with his highlight coming on an interception that he almost returned for a touchdown. He is a practice squad candidate.
DT Winston Craig: Craig never really stood out at a position that had depleted depth for most of camp.
WR Rashard Davis: Davis was only on the roster for about a week. His release was obvious.
TE Anthony Denham: Denham looked like a decent enough blocker, but he couldn't catch.
LB Carlos Fields: The Eagles signed him just to get through the fourth preseason game.
CB Aaron Grymes: Grymes played well at times during camp, but got caught in a numbers crunch. Look for him to join the practice squad.
DE Jake Metz: I didn't even know the Eagles signed him.
T Victor Salako: Big-body guy had some traits, but was overwhelmed by the Eagles' DEs at times during camp.
LB Christian Tago: Like Carlos Fields above, the Eagles signed him just to get through the fourth preseason game.
DT Gabe Wright: Veteran who looked OK in the spring, but did very little throughout camp. Easy decision.
TE Adam Zaruba: Zaruba was a the rugby player the Eagles signed from Canada. He showed some athleticism and blocking ability, but he had no real shot of making the team.

• The Eagles release C/G Josh Andrews (via Andrews' agent): Andrews made the team in each of the last two seasons, but he was unable to stay healthy throughout camp, making his release something of a no-brainer with the Eagles having quality OL depth.

• The Eagles release P Cameron Johnston (via Eliot Shorr-Parks): Donnie Jones very clearly, in my view, is still the better punter. I might have seen a scenario in which the team traded Donnie and kept the kid, but there was no way the Eagles were cutting Donnie outright.

Jimmy Kempski/for PhillyVoice

• Eagles release OT Taylor Hart (via Matt Lombardo): Eff. There goes my 53-man roster projection. Hart transitioned from defensive tackle to offensive tackle, and most believed that he had no shot of making the team. However, Hart actually had a pretty good camp, and at least put himself in the conversation.

• Eagles sign OG Chance Warmack to one-year contract extension: So he made the team, clearly.

• Eagles release C Aaron Neary and G/T Dallas Thomas (via Matt Lombardo): In my view, Thomas out-played Warmack, and he offers more versatility. This would be my first official nitpick with the Eagles' cutdowns. As for Neary, he made the practice squad a season ago, and could be in line for another spot there again this year.

• Eagles release RB Byron Marshall (via Eliot Shorr-Parks): Marshall had a decent camp, and there was certainly an argument to be made that he outplayed both Donnel Pumphrey and Corey Clement. However, with the difference in their play being marginal, the obvious decision is to go with the younger guys.

• Eagles release CB C.J. Smith (via Eliot Shorr-Parks): Smith was a looking like a lock at one point to make the roster, but he was shaky in the preseason games, and the additions of Ronald Darby and Dexter McDougle pushed him down the depth chart.

• Eagles release CB Jomal Wiltz (via Eliot Shorr-Parks): Wiltz had a few moments early in camp, but failed to stand out as it progressed. You have to stand out in camp to make it as a UDFA.

• RB Corey Clement is expected to make the roster (via Eliot Shorr-Parks): Clement isn't fast, doesn't catch the ball well, struggles in pass pro, and is the kind of player you can find anywhere. I don't get it.

• Eagles announced that they have finalized their roster: They released the following players: