They did it! They really did it! For the first time in over three years, the Philadelphia Eagles have won a preseason game! Jokes (and parade planning) aside, preseason has the chance to give us more insight into some of the young exciting players on the Eagles roster, and this game was no different. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the biggest takeaways from the Eagles’ backups (and starters) on both sides of the ball.
Quez and Pascal are clearly WR3/4
One thing that stood out to me while I was watching this game is just how next-level Quez Watkins and Zach Pascal are compared to the rest of the wideout group. Obviously, Brown and Smith were sidelined, but Watkins and Pascal consistently dominated the Browns backup secondary in their absence. It’s great that both of these guys’ skillsets compliment each other so well, because they’re both legitimate studs who deserve lots of playing time this season.
Deon Cain… What a stud!
While I just noted how Quez and Pascal looked “next-level” compared to the fringe wideouts, it was impossible to ignore just how good Deon Cain looked during his time on the field. The former 6th round pick has bounced around the league after a crushing ACL injury he sustained during a strong camp in Indy, and injuries have continued to halt his progress since. However, Deon seems to have finally found his groove in this Eagles offense, as he’s looked electric as an all around receiver for the birds. He showed a combination of impressive speed, body control, and ferocity when attacking the football, a skillset that could possibly boost his chances to secure a spot on the Eagles 53-man roster later this pre-season.
Cam freaking Jurgens.
I vividly remember just how peeved some Eagles fans when Howie Roseman pulled the trigger on Cam Jurgens during the 2022 NFL draft. Oh, how times change. It’s well documented just how similar Jurgens is to Jason Kelce physically, but my gosh does he play like him too. Jurgens has been all over the field these last two pre-season games. He’s constantly deleting defenders in the run game, getting to the second level, or sealing his gap – and doing it in violent fashion. Not only is he a mauler against the run, but his development in pass protection even from college has been very positive. It’s early, but things are looking good for Jurgens as the “heir-apparent” to Jason Kelce, and that’s a scary thought for opposing defenses.
Andre Dillard is a very valuable asset
Offensive tackle is one of the most important positions in football, and last season and this preseason has taught us anything, it’s that Andre Dillard is a pretty darn good one. He gets a lot of flack for his first round draft pedigree, but the reality is he would be a starter on more NFL offensive lines then he wouldn’t be. Dillard’s name is thrown around alot in trade talks, which is fair, but it’s important to not understate his value as an asset to both other teams and the Eagles themselves. If (knock on wood) we lose a tackle to injury, Dillard should be able to step in with relative ease, which is a luxury very few teams can afford.
Young DBs are showing flashes
We’re all very excited to see the Birds’ starting DB core, and for good reason. Veterans Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox combine for a corner trio with experience, but sans Maddox, they lack youth. On the bright side, it seems the Eagles have loaded up on young CB talent, and while wholly unproven, they’ve shown some nice things in pre-season. Both Josh Jobe and Tay Gowan showed really nice things when on the field, giving hope that should either a starter go down or we simply need long-term options, there are young guys ready to fill in and play at a starting caliber level.
Pre-season is pre-season, and we can’t overreact to the positive or negative. However, as Eagles fans, we have a duty to do just that. All I can truly say for sure is that as each day passes, I itch for meaningful NFL football even more.
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