Adrian Fedkiw
The Philadelphia Eagles’ preseason finale against the New York Jets Thursday night was meaningless to many, but not to the ones playing in it and fighting for their dreams.
Someone fighting to play in Week 1 against Atlanta is Carson Wentz and videos of his vigorous workout surfaced a couple hours prior to Thursday’s kickoff.
He looks ready!
Carson Wentz working on footwork in the pocket. Going through another extensive pregame workout
It’s going to be close whether he gets cleared for contact to start the season opener#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/qE9WAEioHN
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 30, 2018
Head coach Doug Pederson will know privately Friday whether or not Wentz will be cleared for contact and play in the season opener against Atlanta. The public will know 90 minutes before kickoff.
Carson Wentz 2 and a half hours before gametime going through extensive work out like he did before last preseason game. It is testing his agility and strength moving on that knee and throwing
He is trying to get cleared for contact. Its going to be close pic.twitter.com/gxdSj7CMF7
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 30, 2018
The Eagles won the snoozefest 10-9 as Joe Callahan found Matt Jones for a go-ahead 11-yard touchdown reception with 18 seconds left. I had my eyes keenly focused on three Eagles Thursday, running back Josh Adams, tackle Jordan Mailata and wide receiver DeAndre Carter.
Carter is fighting for the No. 6 wide receiver spot. On his fifth team after going undrafted in 2014 out of Sacramento State, Carter has showed off his athleticism and explosion this preseason. He just keeps making plays.
There's DeAndre Carter for 19 yards on the quick slant. Nice route by Carter, who continues to make plays. pic.twitter.com/52oHxuGhDs
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) August 30, 2018
And he was doing it on special teams too.
Carter doing it on special teams too pic.twitter.com/4ZsnT8N5TV
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) August 30, 2018
The five locks to make the roster at wideout are Alshon Jeffery, Mike Wallace, Mack Hollins, Nelson Agholor and Shelton Gibson. The sixth wide receiver spot is completely up for grabs — if the Eagles decide to even keep six — due to ineptitude among the veterans and Carter could sneak onto the roster. Markus Wheaton essentially hasn’t played, Kamar Aiken has had a case of the drops, Bryce Treggs has a hamstring injury and Greg Ward hasn’t taken the step I expected him to take.
There are other factors to keep in mind because tight end Richard Rodgers is week-to-week with a knee injury. The Eagles could elect to keep an extra tight end. They could decide to keep an extra lineman, running back, it could be anybody at another position. Maybe the Eagles don’t like any of the candidates at wide receiver for the No. 6 spot and pluck someone off waivers once 53-man rosters around the NFL are revealed.
Whatever the case may be, Carter is going to make Pederson’s decision difficult. As of right now, he deserves to make the team.
Another player who should make the roster is Mailata as he continues to make a stunning transformation from rugby player to football player. He keeps showing his strength and heavy hands and is routinely pushing defenders down the line of scrimmage in both pass protection and run blocking.
Here’s Mailata washing Brandon Copeland down the line of scrimmage after he attempted an inside move.
Brandon Copeland tries an inside move on Mailata and gets washed down the line of scrimmage. Mailata is making this team, you put him on the PS and he gets plucked by another team. pic.twitter.com/JOmn0F5aQt
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) August 31, 2018
And another one where he pushes his defender down the line.
All Jordan Mailata does is wash defenders down the line of scrimmage pic.twitter.com/BiOe06rZXH
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) August 31, 2018
Finally, here’s one showing his strength and punch.
Another Mailata clip, this time we see the strength and punch. I can't wait to see just how high his potential ceiling could be. pic.twitter.com/qUt96psjC5
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) August 31, 2018
Josh Adams didn’t impress with a makeshift offensive line. Adams breaks tackles when he gets a head of steam churning forward, something the Eagles’ first team offensive line can provide him, but he’s not shifty and going to make people miss. He had 13 carries for a measly 27 yards.
We also saw our first Donnel Pumphrey sighting of the preseason. He caught a couple passes underneath near the end of the first half with the Jets in prevent. He totaled three receptions for 39 yards and picked up three yards on a carry.
The regular season finally begins next Thursday night against Atlanta.
It’s going to be a looooong week.