Philadelphia Eagles: Way-Too-Early 53-Man Roster and Depth Chart Predictions

The 2016 NFL draft is behind the Philadelphia Eagles, and it was a transformative one in a couple of ways that gives us the first real chance at attempting the dubious task of assembling a 53-man Eagles roster for next season.

Quarterback Carson Wentz is now the future of the franchise, but it appears it could be later rather than sooner that Philly fans get to see what he can do in a regular-season game. That said, the quarterback depth chart is as impossible to predict as any in the league with the silly situation going on with one Sam Bradford, per Sal Paolantonio of ESPN (h/t Will Brinson of CBS Sports).

With the transition out of the short-lived Chip Kelly era and into a new age of the franchise under Doug Pederson, the roster is already looking considerably different. Now that the draft has come and gone, it gives us the best opportunity to truly assess how the Eagles might line up at every position.

Philadelphia drafted eight players over the weekend, but obviously not all will crack the 53-man roster and that's reflected here. That being said, let's dive right in and take a way-too-early look at a potential Philadelphia Eagles Week 1 roster.

Quarterback

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
1	Sam Bradford
2	Chase Daniel
3	Carson Wentz (rookie)

Let's not argue about this. Yes, Sam Bradford is "demanding" a trade, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t ESPN.com). But practically all of his ideal landing spots are no longer there now that the draft has run its course. Bradford simply isn't good enough to force his way out, and hopefully he'll realize his best shot down the road is to start in Philly in 2016 and prove to the league what he's capable of.

Not many folks think the Eagles drafted Wentz to make him a starter or even a backup in 2016, especially after forking out considerable cash for Bradford and Chase Daniel. Doug Pederson saw a very reliable backup in Daniel when he was signed in free agency, and this weekend shouldn't change that.

This is obviously the most fluid situation out of any position on the Eagles roster throughout the rest of the offseason. So much can change between now and training camp, but in a perfect world this is how the Eagles depth chart will look for Week 1.

Running Back

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
RB	Ryan Mathews
RB2	Kenjon Barner
RB3	Wendell Smallwood (rookie)
RB4	Darren Sproles

The acquisition of Ryan Mathews last offseason gave the Eagles some flexibility in working to deal DeMarco Murray this offseason, which is exactly what they did in a trade with the Titans back in March. Mathews looked pretty good when healthy in 2015, and he is the likely starter for Week 1.

That said, it's pretty obvious that this will be a by-committee approach in the backfield that is also reliant on two youngsters. Kenjon Barner came on strong last season, and his physical style will mirror the shiftiness of Mathews pretty well.

If the Eagles really wanted a back to jump Barner and compete for the top job, they would have addressed it before Round 5. However, Wendell Smallwood out of West Virginia—the team's first fifth-round pick—can complement the Mathews-Barner rotation well with his ability to catch out of the backfield.

Darren Sproles' work in the backfield may be done, but he's well worth keeping on the roster simply for his special teams proficiency.

Wide Receiver

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
WR	Nelson Agholor
WR	Rueben Randle
WR2	Jordan Matthews
WR2	Chris Givens
WR3	Josh Huff
WR3	Jonathan Krause

The Eagles haven't gotten enough from their young receivers that they invested high draft picks in, but after failing to go after a wideout in the draft, it's obvious that Pederson and crew are committed to the current stable.

That starts with Nelson Agholor, who showed glimpses of why he was a first-round pick as a rookie. Rueben Randle and Chris Givens were big free-agency pickups, particularly Randle—who they snagged from a divisional rival and will act as the big, strong threat they've been lacking.

Jordan Matthews will get more chances to prove what he's capable of after an up-and-down season, while Josh Huff will have to scrap for playing time and try to impact the game on kick returns. Either of these wideouts could play their way into being a featured part of the offense, or fall off a cliff.

The biggest winner of the draft may have been Jonathan Krause, who got on the field a bit late in 2015 and has a good shot at making the roster after no wideouts were taken this weekend.

Tight End

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
TE	Zach Ertz
TE	Brent Celek
TE2	Trey Burton

After pursuing a game-changing tight end back in the 2013 draft, the Eagles reaped the benefits last season as Zach Ertz had a breakout campaign and was re-signed to a new contract this offseason. Ertz may be more effective and proven than any wideout the Eagles field this season.

Keeping Brent Celek around fortifies the depth chart at tight end and gives you a dependable veteran to help lock down the edge and feature as a second tight end in the passing game. Celek's superiority in the blocking game makes him very valuable even after the emergence of Ertz.

Trey Burton made some waves going from undrafted to the 53-man roster as a rookie, and showed why when he blocked a punt for a touchdown as a rookie. Burton has a unique skill set for a tight end that makes him an option not just on offense, but in special teams packages.

Offensive Line

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Position	Player
1	OT	Jason Peters
1	OT	Lane Johnson
1	OG	Allen Barbre
1	OG	Brandon Brooks
1	C	Jason Kelce
2	OT	Andrew Gardner
2	OT	Halapoulivaati Vaitai (rookie)
2	OG	Isaac Seumalo (rookie)
2	C	Stefan Wisniewski

Jason Peters' days are numbered in Philadelphia, but at 34 years of age and with a few years left on his fat contract, he's obviously still the anchor left tackle to protect whoever the Eagles end up going with under center in Week 1.

On the right, Lane Johnson has developed incredibly well, and, after the Eagles failed to address the tackle spot until late in the fifth round, he still looks the likeliest replacement for Peters on the left once he's gone.

Jason Kelce will still be making the snaps in Philadelphia, and it appears it will remain that way for a number of years.

In the interior, Allen Barbre bounced back from a season-ending injury in 2014 to put together a solid season in 2015. The Eagles signed Brandon Brooks from Houston in free agency, who should help fortify the interior at right guard.

Beyond that, the Eagles addressed their need for depth in the draft by selecting interior lineman Isaac Seumalo in the third round and tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai in the fifth. There were better options on the board, but Philly obviously sees long-term potential in both to vie for starting spots in the future.

The free-agency acquisition of Stefan Wisniewski and retaining Andrew Gardner rounds out the Eagles depth chart up front on offense.

Defensive End

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
DE	Connor Barwin
DE	Brandon Graham
DE2	Vinny Curry
DE2	Steven Means
DE3	Alex McCalister (rookie)

With the shift from a 3-4 to the 4-3 in a Jim Schwartz defense, the defensive end spot is arguably the most important. To that tune, expect the Eagles to clear out more than four roster spots to give some guys a chance.

Undoubtedly at the top, of course, is Connor Barwin. After a few years miscast as an outside linebacker, Barwin told 97.5 The Fanatic that he'll be lining up at the left end spot, and Eagles fans should expect him to return to his treacherous ways of attacking the pocket.

Also moving to his preferred position is Brandon Graham, who stepped up and proved himself as a starter in 2015. Vinny Curry was re-signed to a big contract in the offseason despite not starting a game, but his 16.5 sacks over three seasons proves he'll be a regular part of the rotation.

Beyond that, expect Steven Means to get a shot at working his way into the rotation while giving seventh-round pick Alex McCalister a chance to show what he can do. 

Defensive Tackle

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
1	Fletcher Cox
2	Bennie Logan
3	Beau Allen
4	Travis Raciti
5	Taylor Hart

Yes, Fletcher Cox is in the midst of a contract stalemate with the Eagles. But he's easily the most valuable part of the defense, and as such Philly will do all they can to keep him in the fold for 2016 and long beyond.

Bennie Logan is the interior lineman who will clear up space for Cox to do his job up front. Logan is a dominant run-stopper who will find a way to transform into the 4-3 defense and continue barreling through blockers.

Beau Allen has impressed with the Eagles in the two seasons since being selected in the seventh round of the 2014 draft, and he is the ideal replacement for Logan when he needs a break. Travis Raciti was an undrafted practice squad player last year but has shown more ability than Taylor Hart, who could make the roster just based on the need for depth.

Outside Linebacker

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
WLB	Mychal Kendricks
SLB	Nigel Bradham
OLB2	Marcus Smith II
OLB2	Deontae Skinner

After the switch back to 4-3, less emphasis is placed on the Eagles' linebacker corps, and as such they shouldn't go deep into the depth chart on their 53-man roster.

But that's probably a good thing for the team's current core of outside linebackers. Mychal Kendricks was arguably the only OLB who really fit into the position last year, but now the Eagles have added an impact edge 'backer in Nigel Bradham to fortify the position.

Marcus Smith II has a real chance to put behind him the first few unsavory years of his career and work his way into the rotation after underwhelming as a former first-round pick. Deontae Skinner rounds out the depth chart at outside linebacker.

Inside Linebacker

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
MLB	Jordan Hicks
MLB2	Najee Goode
MLB3	Joe Walker

Kiko Alonso was the victim of a poor fit in Philadelphia last season, and the shift back to a 4-3 made the decision to trade him in the offseason an easy one. Jordan Hicks claims the lone starting middle linebacker spot in the new scheme, and his all-around skills will allow him to assume the position well.

Part of Najee Goode's Eagles career has been marred by a torn pectoral muscle, but the before and after portions were exciting enough to give him the backup spot behind Hicks.

Joe Walker may have been the team's last draft pick, but teams slept on him in the draft process due to his undersized nature and lack of strength. However, he comes in at a position where depth is needed and will be able to prove his worth early on in special teams.

Cornerback

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
CB	Nolan Carroll
CB	Eric Rowe
CB2	Leodis McKelvin
CB2	Ron Brooks
CB3	Denzel Rice

This is probably the most nerve-wracking slide for Eagles fans after the cornerback position's play in the last few years and the one-year Byron Maxwell experiment. But there are certainly guys there who can turn the tide and improve one of the league's most struggling secondaries.

Nolan Carroll is the lone mainstay at starter and one that the Eagles should feel good about after he out-played the big-money Maxwell last season. Eric Rowe is an easy pick to be a breakout player in his sophomore campaign, and the Eagles probably envisioned him sliding up into a starter's role after picking him in the second round of last year's draft. 

Should Rowe fail to make that jump, Leodis McKelvin was brought in to give the Eagles insurance at the position. The 30-year-old was one of the league's best corners in 2012 and will see the field a ton this season.

Ron Brooks and Denzel Rice need to take some steps forward in 2016, but it's hard to see either of the late-round picks—Blake Countess and Jalen Mills—cracking the opening roster due to their limited skill sets.

Safety

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
SS	Rodney McLeod
FS	Malcolm Jenkins
SS2	Chris Maragos
FS2	Ed Reynolds

The Eagles desperately needed a dependable strong safety to pair alongside Malcolm Jenkins, and they got that over the offseason by signing Rodney McLeod to a big contract. 

Both Jenkins and McLeod were signed to multi-year contracts entering the new season, with McLeod locked up for five years and Jenkins for four. In doing so, they answered huge questions about the back end of their defense and that could make all the difference in a unit that already has a strong front seven.

Ed Reynolds is a playmaker who will force his way onto the field just based off the ability to impact games. Chris Maragos will see most of his work on special teams.

Special Teams

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Depth Chart	Player
Kicker	Caleb Sturgis
Punter	Donnie Jones
Kick Returner	Darren Sproles
Punt Returner	Josh Huff

Caleb Sturgis got plenty of criticism from the Eagles fanbase after a horrid start to his Philadelphia career last season, but he turned it around really well late on. If he can improve his consistency issues like he showed late in the season, Eagles fans shouldn't have to worry about that spot.

Donnie Jones had the Eagles ranking seventh in the league last year in net punting yards, so no issues there.

As addressed in the RB slide, special teams are likely going to be Sproles' biggest area of impact in 2016—as if it wasn't last season. Even so, look for Huff to get more opportunities especially returning punts, where he's shown some flashes of breakaway ability.

53-Man Roster Projection

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Here's the full 53 in order by position.

53-Man Roster Projection

	Player	Position
1	Sam Bradford	QB
2	Chase Daniel	QB
3	Carson Wentz	QB
4	Ryan Mathews	RB
5	Kenjon Barner	RB
6	Wendell Smallwood	RB
7	Darren Sproles	RB/PR
8	Nelson Agholor	WR
9	Rueben Randle	WR
10	Jordan Matthews	WR
11	Chris Givens	WR
12	Josh Huff	WR/KR
13	Jonathan Krause	WR
14	Zach Ertz	TE
15	Brent Celek	TE
16	Trey Burton	TE
17	Jason Peters	LT
18	Lane Johnson	RT
19	Allen Barbre	LG
20	Brandon Brooks	RG
21	Jason Kelce	C
22	Andrew Gardner	OT
23	Stefan Wisniewski	C
24	Isaac Seumalo	G
25	Halapoulivaati Vaitai	OT
26	Connor Barwin	DE
27	Brandon Graham	DE
28	Vinny Curry	DE
29	Steven Means	DE
30	Alex McCalister	DE
31	Fletcher Cox	DT
32	Bennie Logan	DT
33	Beau Allen	DT
34	Tracis Raciti	DT
35	Taylor Hart	DT
36	Mychal Kendricks	OLB
37	Nigel Bradham	OLB
38	Marcus Smith II	OLB
39	Deontae Skinner	OLB
40	Jordan Hicks	ILB
41	Najee Goode	ILB
42	Joe Walker	ILB
43	Nolan Carroll	CB
44	Eric Rowe	CB
45	Leodis McKelvin	CB
46	Ron Brooks	CB
47	Denzel Rice	CB
48	Rodney McLeod	S
49	Malcolm Jenkins	S
50	Chris Maragos	S
51	Ed Reynolds	S
52	Caleb Sturgis	K
53	Donnie Jones	P