Philadelphia Eagles Week 1 Stock Report
The NFL regular season is upon us, and the Philadelphia Eagles are trending north.
Chip Kelly's squad has become a trendy Super Bowl pick in recent weeks, and it's easy to see why. The head coach assembled a team that dominated during the preseason and appears poised to carry that momentum into meaningful games.
With the Eagles as hot as they are, it should come as no surprise that all reviews are positive in our latest stock report.
There's almost nothing negative to speak of heading into Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, and in fact, with so many players proving their health or returning from injury, the roster is coalescing at exactly the right time.
That's the focus of this week's report, as the following players will be essential to a 1-0 start for the Eagles on Monday night—not to mention the club's continued success in 2015.
Stock Up: Sam Bradford
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Sam Bradford only played four series during the preseason, but it was enough to show the potential the former No. 1 overall draft pick has running Kelly's offense. All four drives resulted in touchdowns, as Bradford finished the summer completing 13 of 15 passes for 156 yards and three scores.
More importantly, Bradford looked healthy and as such is on track to play in his first NFL regular-season contest in nearly two calendar years.
The fact that the sixth-year veteran even made it this far after back-to-back ACL tears comes as a huge relief to many observers.
Not only is Bradford healthy and sharp, but he proved his confidence as well. He didn't back down in the pocket and even took some big hits, standing tall and delivering the football. Nothing could be more reassuring for Bradford's comeback than showing he's not afraid of another injury.
Stock Up: DeMarco Murray
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The curious case of DeMarco Murray appears to have been solved, at least for the time being. Early in training camp, the reigning NFL rushing champion was missing tons of practice time, with very little or no explanation as to why.
Speculation increased after he sat out the first preseason game as well.
Murray returned for the next two exhibition games, and any concern about a secret injury or last year's heavy workload affecting his ability was put to rest. The two-time Pro Bowler carried 11 times this summer for 45 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and a touchdown, in addition to three receptions for 26 yards.
Those aren't great numbers and don't come from a large sample size, but his performances were enough to feel good about Murray's readiness for the regular season.
The Eagles may still monitor his workload closely, but that's what Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles are here for as well.
Stock Up: Zach Ertz
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The bad news is Zach Ertz missed the entirety of the preseason after undergoing surgery for a core muscle injury. According to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, the good news is the third-year tight end is cleared to resume practicing this week.
Ertz's status for Monday night against the Falcons is still up in the air, but this is a good sign that he won't miss much time—if any at all.
Chances are as long as Ertz isn't limited this week, he'll be in uniform for Week 1.
Ertz is firmly behind Brent Celek on the depth chart at tight end, and the Eagles could get by for a week or two with Trey Burton as the primary backup if need be.
However, there's no denying Ertz is a dangerous receiving threat that can stretch defenses and create matchup problems, particularly on third downs and passing situations. His pending return is a huge deal for this offense.
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Stock Up: Kiko Alonso
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There were some concerns about Kiko Alonso this summer, first due to a concussion, then later because of some soreness in the same knee that required ACL surgery last year. He was expected to play in the third preseason contest but wound up being a late scratch.
Alonso alleviated much of that concern simply by appearing in the finale.
While it was clear the third-year interior linebacker was a little rusty, he was certainly active, racking up two tackles in a single series of action and generally wreaking havoc all over the field.
It was a glimpse into what Kelly saw when he traded All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills this offseason. Alonso has the potential to be a force in the middle of any defense, be it against the run, rushing the passer or in coverage.
It's all a matter of being healthy, and last week was an important test.
Stock Up: Walter Thurmond
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Walter Thurmond's stock has risen throughout the summer simply by virtue of nailing down a starting safety job.
Not only has the converted cornerback looked steady if not downright comfortable in his new role, he's actually excelled, coming up with a couple of interceptions during the preseason and generally making plays all summer long at training camp.
But the biggest thing—and the theme of the day—is Thurmond has been healthy all summer.
The concern was not so much whether the sixth-year veteran could learn a new position. It was whether he would be reliable. Thurmond has played in just 27 of a possible 72 regular-season and playoff games over the past four seasons.
When healthy, Thurmond is one of the better defensive backs in the league, helping the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2013 as the nickel corner. It simply remains to be seen if he can actually stay on the field.
So far, so good.
All training camp observations are the author's.
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