Philadelphia Eagles Preseason Week 2 Matchup Preview

Even if it's an exhibition, the Philadelphia Eagles' home debut in 2017 will bring a big crowd to Lincoln Financial Field. The team continues preparations for a promising season Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills.

The matchup between the Bills and Eagles brings a trade that isn't even a week old full circle, as the two sides exchanged playmakers Friday. Buffalo sent cornerback Ronald Darby to Philly in exchange for wide receiver Jordan Matthews and a 2018 third-round pick, addressing big needs for both teams.

Matthews' former teammates won't get the chance to play against the wideout, as a sternum injury has forced him off the field, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. But Eagles fans are much more interested in their newest corner, who will be the biggest name to watch as he makes his unofficial Philadelphia debut.

That's just the first aspect of Thursday's game to watch for. Let's break down the rest of them in an all-encompassing preview of the Eagles' second preseason fixture.

Ronald Darby Debuts in Gang Green

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Even after a draft that included two early-round picks at cornerback, the Eagles were in desperate need for a dependable starting corner before Week 1. They got one in Darby. 

The 23-year-old has made a huge impact for the Bills since he was a second-round pick in 2015, amassing 137 tackles over the course of two seasons and snagging two interceptions during his rookie season. He's already made some big plays in just a few days of practice, picking off quarterback Carson Wentz once, according to Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation.

The old head of the Eagles' receiving room, Torrey Smith, heaped high praise on Darby after playing against him in practice and in past games when speaking to Matt Lombardo of NJ Advance Media:

"I think his greatest strength is his natural ability; his quickness and his speed. Those are things that you can't teach. He does a good job, and can make up for some things even when he gets beat that a lot of other guys can't. I think he's going to have a big year for us." 

With Jalen Mills and Patrick Robinson previously likely to assume the starting roles, it proved paramount to infuse a player like Darby into the fold. The pressure is off of players like Rasul Douglas, and the added competition should elevate play from the unit as a whole.

Future preseason games in which he's not going up against former teammates with whom he has familiarity will prove more telling, but Eagles fans will be expecting a lot of him during his first outing as an Eagle.

Will We See Alshon Jeffery?

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The Eagles rightfully exercised caution with new star wideout Alshon Jeffery in the first preseason game after he picked up a shoulder sprain in training camp. Now he's been back on the practice field for the whole week, it may be time to unleash him.

While preseason action isn't typically a big priority for veteran players, Jeffery is on a new team and wants to build as much chemistry with Wentz as he can. He told Matt Lombardo of NJ Advance Media that he wants to play Thursday night but that the decision isn't up to him.

The Eagles' first-team offense obviously isn't going to see more than a series or two, and that may be all the more reason why Jeffery should trot out with them. He could get a few good reps in, perhaps catching a ball or two and knocking off some of the rust after missing the end of last season with the Chicago Bears and a portion of this year's training camp.

Exercising caution is the most important thing, but it's also critical for Jeffery to get out there with his new offense and get a feel for things in real action.

Rookies Look to Build off a (Mostly) Strong Opener

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For the most part, the preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers offered plenty of reason for optimism surrounding Philly's rookie class that the team will want to build on against Buffalo.

First-round pick Derek Barnett looked like a man among boys, sacking the quarterback twice and notching two more quarterback hurries as he tries to force his way into the first team. But rookie wideout Mack Hollins stole the show, capping off the squad's first drive with a beautiful 38-yard score in which he stiff-armed two Packers defenders en route to the end zone.

Hollins finished with four catches for 64 yards, and fans will have high hopes he can replicate that success against a Bills defensive-back unit that is lacking in terms of personnel. As for fellow rookie Shelton Gibson, he followed up a rough offseason with a drop. He will look to give Eagles coaches something to think about because he's firmly on the roster bubble.

Another rookie coaches need to see more out of is Donnel Pumphrey. The shifty running back struggled offensively in Green Bay, turning nine touches into just 17 yards and muffed a punt return. The idea is he'll eventually replace Darren Sproles, but he has a long way to go.

With 1 WR Spot Freed Up, Who Emerges?

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The Matthews trade hardly came as a shock to Eagles players and fans, as he didn't appear to be a part of the long-term plan after the moves made this offseason. However, his absence does open up an all-important spot on the roster for this season.

The competition among the reserve receivers is guaranteed to heat up. With Jeffery and Smith as presumed starters along with Nelson Agholor and Hollins as sure parts of the rotation, the battle for spot Nos. 5 and 6 will be one of the biggest things to watch until the 53-man roster is settled on September 3.

That battle seems to be between Gibson, Marcus Johnson and Bryce Treggs. The latter of the three has turned heads throughout camp, and Wentz has been especially impressed, per Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

“He looks like a much more polished receiver. Having an offseason in the offense and working with [wide receivers coach Mike] Groh was good for all the young guys. He looked really good out there tonight. We knew he could roll, he could run. But he's become a lot more polished. It was good for him to have a big night."

Treggs led all Philly receivers in the preseason opener, catching seven passes for 91 yards. It's hard to imagine the Eagles would have made the Matthews trade if they didn't feel good about Treggs and his fellow depth receivers. An opportunity has opened up for one of them to make the roster when they otherwise wouldn't have, and the Cal product may be in pole position if he notches another strong preseason performance.

Wentz Likely Gets 1 Series Again; Foles Unlikely

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Wentz only saw one series in Green Bay, but it was great. He went 4-for-4 through the air with 56 yards passing, stepped up through pressure and threw a touchdown strike to Hollins.

The same amount of action can be expected from Wentz on Thursday, as Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reported head coach Doug Pederson's comments that his signal-caller would play about the same number of snaps. That likely means that unless the first drive is a three-and-out, we'll see just one series from the second-year QB.

Beyond Wentz, the primary question at the position revolves around backup Nick Foles, who missed the preseason opener and returned to the practice field Monday, per Zach Berman of Philadelphia Daily News. Foles told Berman he doesn't expect to play in Thursday's preseason game.

Foles' absence in the opener meant 42 pass attempts for third-stringer Matt McGloin, which is probably not high up on the list of what Eagles fans want to see when they walk into Lincoln Financial Field Thursday night. But that's just the reality in light of Foles' absence and Wentz's action smartly being limited.

Will Eagles' Class Show Against an Inferior Opponent?

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It matters little what the final score of a preseason game turns out to be. What is significant is how the first-teamers look in their limited action and how certain individuals perform at key positions where the depth has yet to be sorted out.

With that said, no Eagles fan wants to see a 24-9 defeat like the one they saw last time out. But that came against the talented, deep Green Bay Packers, one of the favorites to come out of the NFC.

The contrast between those Packers and the Eagles' opposition Thursday, however, is striking. The Bills may be a leading candidate to put up the worst record in the league this coming season, amplified by the trading away of Sammy Watkins and Darby.

Philadelphia's first team is much better than Buffalo's. The second team should be as well. Overall, Philly has a considerably better roster from top to bottom, and fans hope that can produce results as we inch closer to the regular season.

While acknowledging there won't be too much reason for overreaction if the Eagles walk off the field Thursday night with another preseason loss, you would hope that such a disparity in talent will show itself on the scoreboard when all is said and done.