Philadelphia Eagles: Which Veterans Won't Last Through Training Camp?

The Philadelphia Eagles team makeup is changing very quickly. New defensive coordinator, new assistant coaches and a lot of new players. Very few players jobs are safe, if any at all. We all know that Andy Reid doesn't like to keep players over the age of 30, depending on the player, contract and their position.

With the Eagles signing six former Pro Bowlers, 11 draft picks and numerous quality undrafted free agents, several veterans are going to be cut or traded to make room for all the new players.

We have already seen 2010 starters Dimitri Patterson, Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims and Max Jean-Gilles not re-signed. We have also seen underachieving Brodrick Bunkley traded to the Broncos while Ricky Sapp and Victor Abiamiri left the team due to injury concerns.

Several vets will be on the chopping block. With the Eagles going all in for a Superbowl run and a slew of talent at every position, anyone underperforming in camp will be in serious jeopardy of being cut.

Juqua Parker

Juqua Parker is a solid defensive end who adds quality depth to an already very deep defensive line. The thing that will most likely get Parker either traded or cut eventually is his cap figure. Parker is due to make $3.5 million in 2011.

Parker had six sacks in 2010 and just six multiple tackle games. Parker wore down as the 2010 season went on and struggled to make an impact in the pass rush in the final seven weeks (one total sack).

Parker has looked very good in training camp but with the Eagles very deep at defensive end and needing more cap space to re-sign DeSean Jackson, Parker looks like a cap casualty.

Joselio Hanson

Joselio Hanson's future as an Eagle depends solely on what the team plans on doing with Asante Samuel. If they keep Asante for at least 2011, Dominique Rodgers would play Hanson's nickel back position and Hanson would be traded or cut. If Samuel is gone then they Eagles would have a need for Hanson and would remain an Eagle for at least one more season.

Hanson was one of the league's best slot corners in 2010. He had an success rate (success rate is the percentage of passes that don't make 45 percent of the yardage needed on first down, 60 percent on second and 100 percent on third) of 63 percent and only allowed 4.4 yards per pass according to Football Outsiders.

Hanson has developed into an outstanding slot corner but has yet to prove himself worthy of starting on the outside. Hanson is set to make over $2 million in 2011 and would be the odd man out at cornerback should the Eagles decide to keep Asante along with Nnamdi Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie.

Marlin Jackson

To say that Marlin Jackson has been a bit injury prone would be a major under statement. Jackson has not played a full season since 2007. Since that time he has had two torn ACL injuries, one on each knee, and tore his Achilles tendon in 2010.

Jackson is finally healthy, but has certainly lost a step or two.  

Jackson is competing for a spot on the team in a very crowed secondary with the likes of Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nate Allen. It appears that Jackson's career may be over unless he is more rusty than slow.

It would be a tough break if this was the end of his football career for the former first round pick from Michigan. Regardless of whether he can find a spot with another team, there is now way he can find one in Philadelphia.

Winston Justice

Winston Justice has had his ups and downs as an Eagle. His first start was a pretty memorable one, but not in the way Eagles fans would want. Justice gave up six sacks in his first career start when he went up against Osi Umenyiora in 2007.

Justice rebounded in 2009, when he took over for Shawn Andrews at right tackle and made all 16 starts. Justice struggled in 2010, and was pulled from the Wild Card Playoff game against the Packers. Justice struggled with a knee injury late in the season and is currently behind on his rehab from offseason arthroscopic knee surgery.

The Eagles have brought in Ryan Harris, who is a better fit for offensive line coach Howard Mudd, for both insurance and competition purposes. If Harris can prove to be both healthy and capable of protecting Michael Vick's blindside, Justice would be expendable and his $2.7 million cap hit for 2011 would be moved.

Owen Schmitt

Owen Schmitt did an decent job filling in for Leonard Weaver after his ACL injury in Week 1. Schmitt was released by the Seahawks prior to the 2010 season and was signed by the Eagles following Weaver's injury in Week 1.

Owen Scmitt put up a mediocre 136 total yards at fullback in 2010. The Eagle's don't have much of a power running game and could elect to keep more of a running back fullback combo player like rookie Stanley Havili instead of a true fullback like Owen Schmitt.

Havili was an seventh round draft pick out of USC, where he was the starting fullback. Havili finished his career at USC with 116 career receptions, 1,290 receiving yards, 509 rushing yards and 15 career touchdowns.

Havili never established himself as a good run blocking fullback at USC. If Havili can show he can be an effective run blocker he could earn a spot on the Eagles and force Schmitt out of a job once again.