Projecting Philadelphia Eagles' Most Heated Roster Battles This Offseason

Temperatures are rising, and before you know it, the Philadelphia Eagles will be opening training camp this July.

Every summer, starting jobs are won and lost once the pads go on, but 2015 seems like it could be an epic year for roster battles on a very unsettled depth chart.

With the dog days fast approaching, we'll take a look at some of the most important competitions that will be going down at camp, and we're predicting the winners, too.

We’re not talking about players fighting for one of the final 53 roster spots, either—this is the difference between being an every-down player and sitting on the bench.

Sam Bradford vs. Mark Sanchez

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One would think Sam Bradford would be the Eagles’ starting quarterback by default after the club traded Nick Foles and draft picks to the St. Louis Rams to acquire him.

However, Bradford is not a given under center for Philadelphia on opening day.

If Bradford shows any rust during training camp coming off his second ACL surgery in as many years or is slow to pick up the offense or both, Mark Sanchez could find himself at the helm to begin the season. Sanchez likely isn’t the answer over the long haul but is healthy and in his second year in the system, which may prove advantageous this summer.

That being said, it will be roughly 13 months from the injury to Week 1 for Bradford, so health shouldn’t be an issue; nor should learning the offense. He’s the superior quarterback if both are on a level playing field, so expect Bradford to be in the huddle for the Birds.

Winner: Bradford

Earl Wolff vs. Jaylen Watkins vs. the Field

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This is perhaps the toughest position battle to call—and also one of the scariest, as none of the options to start at safety alongside Malcolm Jenkins are particularly established.

Earl Wolff started six games as a rookie in 2013 and seemed competent but was limited by a knee injury last season and eventually required surgery. Jaylen Watkins only saw action in one game, at cornerback last year, although Tim McManus of Philadelphia Magazine reports that the 2014 fourth-round pick is gearing up for a shot at safety.

While Wolff or Watkins are the apparent front-runners, there’s a whole host of players vying for the job. Ed Reynolds, Jerome Couplin, E.J. Biggers and Chris Maragos are just a handful of the safeties on the roster who might get a shot if the guys at the top of the depth chart struggle.

Ultimately, the safest choice might be Wolff, assuming he’s recovered from that knee injury, although it’s probably only a coin flip he beats out Watkins, who played some safety in college and may be better in coverage. Either way, it’s hard to feel comfortable with the Eagles’ choices here.

Winner: Wolff

Josh Huff vs. Riley Cooper vs. Miles Austin

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The key to the entire receiving corps might be Josh Huff, believe it or not.

Yes, Jordan Matthews is the leading receiver left on the team from 2014, and the Eagles spent a first-round pick on Nelson Agholor out of USC. However, if the unit is going to be strong in three-wide personnel, Huff must prove to be a weapon in the passing attack.

That means fending off competition from veterans Riley Cooper and Miles Austin. On the surface, that shouldn’t be particularly difficult. Neither player managed even 600 yards receiving or more than three touchdowns last season.

Of course, Huff only produced eight receptions himself as a rookie, almost as many miscues as he was responsible for on the field. Then again, he had so few opportunities that the mistakes tend to be magnified. He showed some explosiveness in limited touches, so if he’s further along in his development, it’s reasonable to think he could beat out a couple of minimally productive vets.

More likely, it will be a platoon of sorts with either Cooper or Austin, but Huff could see the majority of the action. There's no doubt that the Eagles are hoping that will happen anyway.

Winner: Huff

Allen Barbre vs. Matt Tobin

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So far, the assumption has been that Allen Barbre will step into Todd Herremans’ old spot at right guard. While that could certainly wind up being the case, he may face some form of competition before he slides into the role.

Philadelphia has a whole host of guards on the roster, but the one guy who appears to have the potential to take his game to the next level is Matt Tobin. Last preseason, Tobin received the highest cumulative grade for his performance of any offensive lineman in the NFL from Pro Football Focus.

Unfortunately, Tobin suffered an ankle injury toward the end of the summer, which might have been partially responsible for the 24-year-old’s struggles in seven starts in 2014. Of course, Barbre is only a journeyman with eight career starts in eight years bouncing around the league, so it’s not unfathomable that a healthy Tobin wouldn’t be a better option.

No doubt, the plan is for Barbre to begin the offseason at the top of the depth chart. However, by the time camp ends, Tobin may have overtaken him.

Winner: Tobin

Eric Rowe vs. Walter Thurmond

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If second-round pick Eric Rowe out of Utah is ready to play right out of the gate, he will start at cornerback opposite Byron Maxwell. With that being said, throwing a rookie out there in such a critical role isn’t always something that works out in the end.

Rowe is going to have to earn that spot, and his stiffest competition seems to be in the form of Walter Thurmond. The biggest knock against Thurmond is that he’s only played in 27 of the last 71 possible regular-season and playoff games for the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks, yet when he’s on the field, he can be effective.

Rowe does have some advantages. He’s got two inches on Thurmond, while the five-year veteran has mostly lined up in the slot during his five-year career. Plus, even if Thurmond won the job in camp, history suggests it’s only a matter of time before he’s back out of the lineup.

Ultimately, Rowe is probably the best option for the Eagles on the outside, but the club must account for the possibility that he’s not necessarily ready. They’ll put him to the test this summer just to be sure.

Winner: Rowe