March 16, 2024
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Tyler Steen will probably get the first crack at the starting RG job, but the Eagles are also likely to give him more competition.
Coming off their epic collapse at the end of the 2023 season, the Philadelphia Eagles have been busy through the first five days of free agency, and they have spent a lot of money to improve their roster. In my view, there are four starting spots on the roster that aren't settled.
• Right guard: Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen competed for the starting RG job last training camp, and Jurgens quickly won that battle. With Jurgens moving to center in the wake of Jason Kelce's retirement, Steen will likely get another crack at it, and he'll have competition from newcomer Matt Hennessy. I would also look for the Eagles to draft an offensive lineman with either center/guard or tackle/guard versatility.
• Wide receiver No. 3: The Eagles signed DeVante Parker in free agency. Parker is 31, and over the last four years he has woeful separation stats. Parker is 6'3, 215, with 4.45 speed, so he's worth a look in training camp as a lottery ticket, but he is hardly a player who can be penciled in as the No. 3 receiver. The Eagles also have Britain Covey, the team's primary punt returner, who has little experience in the Eagles' regular offense. They need to add another receiver.
• Slot corner: The Eagles cut Avonte Maddox, who has not yet found another team. But currently, the Eagles' top slot corner would probably be Zech McPhearson, who missed all of last season with an Achilles tear. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson can play the slot, but he indicated during his press conference on Friday that he will be playing safety. Maddox could still return Philly. We'll see.
• Outside corner: Darius Slay will start at one outside corner spot. The other side is up for grabs. There's James Bradberry, who the team could still release (likely after June 1, if so). There's also second-year corner Kelee Ringo, who basically didn't play at all in the first 12 games of the season as a rookie last season (he got 1 snap), but was called on to start after the Eagles suffered some injuries. And then there's Isaiah Rodgers, who was suspended for the entirety of the 2023 season after getting pinched for gambling. Rodgers remains on the commissioner's suspension list, but he played well for the Colts in 2022 and is something of a wildcard in the equation.
It's worth noting that there are a lot of good corner prospects in the 2024 draft who have inside-outside versatility.
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