Eagles fans everywhere, welcome to the 2022 NFL season! Today I will breakdown 10 things we should look out for as training camp gets underway.This list will include certain position battles and players.
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1. Quez Watkins vs Jalen Reagor
Battle for WR3. Jalen Reagor had a disapointing season last year having 33 receptions for 299 yards, while Quez Watkins had a season where he put up 647 yards on 43 receptions. Quez Watkins seems to be the favorite for this battle as he continues to show his speed and ability to get open. According to Madden, he is the 2nd fastest WR in the NFL, only Tyreek Hill was rated higher. I can't rule out Jalen Reagor just yet though. Jalen Reagor with less pressure could thrive. Reagor also played a lot of the 2nd half of the season injured. Don't rule out Jalen Reagor, but I do believe Quez Watkins comes out on top by September.
Who will be the 3rd WR?
- Jalen Reagor
- Quez Watkins
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2. Isaac Seumalo vs Jack Driscoll
The Battle of the starting right guard. Isaac Seumalo is coming off of a season ending injury last year in week 3 at Dallas. Seumalo has been a great guard in his years for the Eagles, but coming off an injury, some uncertainty is created. Jack Driscoll started nine games last year allowing just one sack. In those nine games, he also had just one penalty. I think this is a good problem to have as these two players are great players and will probably get better with a little competition. I give the edge to Isaac Seumalo to win this battle.
Who will be the starting RG?
- Isaac Seumalo
- Jack Driscoll
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3. Outside Corner after Darius Slay and James Bradberry
This battle will be between Kary Vincent Jr, Tay Gowan, and Zech McPhearson. I could even see Mario Goodrich and Josiah Scott entering the battle. All these guys are extremely young, the oldest is Tay Gowan who is a 24-year-old. The Eagles acquired Kary Vincent Jr. from the Denver Broncos and Tay Gowan from the Arizona Cardinals before last years trade deadline. This was after drafting Zech McPhearson in the 2021 NFL draft in the 4th round. All of these guys we don't know much about. Kary Vincent Jr was a starter at LSU but opted out of the 2020 season and we haven't seen him much since. Zech McPhearson we have seen a bit of and he's struggled, but that's very common for Rookie CBs, so we will see how he adapts in camp. Tay Gowan has also barely seen the field. This could also be a position that Howie Roseman addresses with a trade before the season starts.
Who will be the 3rd outside CB?
- Zech McPhearson
- Kary Vincent Jr.
- Tay Gowan
- Josiah Scott
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4. Jalen Hurts to A.J. Brown Connection
This is going to be a fun one to follow. Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown consistently work out together, even before the trade. It will be interesting to see if they are on the same page from day 1. Jalen Hurts even with some experience under his belt is still a young QB. Adding a top ten WR could help increase his confidence even more and help him have a breakout season in 2022.
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5. Milton Williams and Jordan Davis
I may never stop talking about Milton Williams. He is easily one of my favorite Eagles to follow given his athleticism and strength. He will be fun to watch in training camp to see how much he's improved coming off his rookie season. We saw some flashes at end of season last year and now as a settled NFL player, I could see him breaking out and possibly being the Eagles best DT by January. Bold statement but he truly has all the talent in the world. We all know about Jordan Davis, he will always be noticed on the field. Look out for this future duo for the Philadelphia Eagles.
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6. Devon Allen and Britain Covey
Two newcoming Eagles in the WR room should be a fun duo to watch. Both guys hang near the end of the WR depth chart, but have the talent to climb and make the team. Devon Allen is a speedy WR who is someone I see being a low risk high reward situation. He has game changing speed and is likely the fastest WR in the NFL if he makes a roster. He last played at Oregon in 2016. Britain Covey is someone who also played in the PAC-12 conference who was an exceptional returner for Utah. Britain Covey has apparently "created buzz" this off-season among Eagles coaches.
Who will make the roster
- Both
- Only Britain Covey
- Only Devon Allen
- Neither
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7. Backup Tight End
Jack Stoll vs Grant Calcaterra and JJ Arcega-Whiteside is likely the options with Tyree Jackson looming around once he gets healthy. Jack Stoll was the backup tight end last year and did an exceptional job with run blocking. Is that good enough to stay as the backup to Dallas Goedert though? We will see as Grant Calcaterra is very familiar with starting QB Jalen Hurts from their days together at Oklahoma. He racked up 465 yards on 38 catches including 4 TDs in his senior season at SMU. He will be someone to keep an eye on throughout training camp and preseason. JJ Arcega-Whiteside is making the move to TE this season with his big size and frame. He was an amazing run blocker last year for the Eagles and could be exciting to watch in a new role this season.
Who will be the backup TE?
- Jack Stoll
- Grant Calcaterra
- JJ Arcega-Whiteside
- Tyree Jackson
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8. Kick Return Battle
The Eagles have had a stretch of switching kick returners every year, but they could find a long term one starting this year. Guys like Britain Covey and Kenneth Gainwell could earn those jobs and stay here for awhile, but Jalen Reagor is also still here and has the potential to be a great returner, even though there has been some rough moments. A guy like Devon Allen with his speed could also get a chance, same with Quez Watkins. The favorite for these jobs will clearly be Britain Covey. He has many kick returns in college, including one in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State.
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9. Deon Cain
Deon Cain a former WR at Clemson seemed to impress back at the practices in May. He connected with Jalen Hurts a couple times and impressed at the two practices the media were at. He has a solid chance to make the roster and is in the same bubble as Britain Covey and Devon Allen.
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10. Carson Strong
Last but not least, Carson Strong. Carson Strong was a great QB in college, but with injury concerns, there is some that are skeptical. He was in the conversations for top QB in the draft class throughout the year, but mainly due to injury concerns he went undrafted. He has the opportunity to put some of those concerns to bed and shock people given his talent. He could easily be a new backup QB from day 1.
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That'll wrap up my 10 things to watch out for as Eagles begin the season at training camp. Fun season ahead of us!