Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} A Man a Jersey and a Tight End by A.M. Riley Eagles 53-man roster prediction following the 2021 NFL Draft. We’ve spent the past few days projecting the ’ depth chart for the 2021 NFL season. We started with the offense , moved on to the defense , and then finished up with the special teams unit . Now it’s time for a prediction of who will actually make the final cut down to 53 players. A projected is also included at the bottom of this post. (For fun, you can click here to see what BGN’s projected 53 looked like at this time last year.) OFFENSE. QB: , , Jamie Newman (3) [3] 2021 marks an opportunity for Hurts to establish himself as the Eagles’ long-term starting quarterback. If he’s anything less than convincing, the team could quickly look to pviot. It’ll be interesting to see what he has in store for Year 2. It will not be fun to watch Flacco if he has to play at any point. Newman might be able to stick on the practice squad but the Eagles might not want to risk losing their new developmental project. RB: , , Kenny Gainwell, (4) [7] We know the Eagles can count on Sanders as a home-run threat. Can he improve upon last year’s struggles in the passing game? There’s reason to believe he can since he showed promise as a rookie. Need to see it, though. Scott might not be a lock, though he’s shown himself to be a capable rotational running back. Gainwell has the potential to be a valuable role player and might be used like the Colts used Nyheim Hines in Nick Sirianni’s offense. There’s a lot of competition for the backup running back spots but we’ll give the final nod to the recently acquired Johnson, whose pass protection skills have been lauded. is left on the outside looking in. WR: DeVonta Smith, , , , , Trevon Grimes (6) [13] The Eagles need an immediate impact from Smith. The Slim Reaper could very well terrorize defenses from Day 1. Smith’s addition might take some pressure off Reagor, who really needs to step up in his sophomore season. Ward might be the starter in the slot, which isn’t the end of the world, but it’s not ideal. He just lacks the juice as any kind of dynamic threat. Fulgham is a big X-factor at this position. Can he regain his form from when he led the NFL in receiving during a four-week stretch and be a legitimate starting X receiver? Or is he just a backup? Watkins, still only 22, showed some promise late last year and could progress under a new coaching staff. Grimes was a nice UDFA pickup. He has the chance to push for a roster spot if he can contribute on special teams in addition to showing some offensive potential. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and John Hightower are contenders to make the roster but it’s hard to feel overly optimistic about them. TE: , Richard Rodgers (2) [15] Still don’t think is going to be on this year’s team. Dallas Goedert will be the primary guy at tight end. He might flourish with more of a featured role, though we’ll see how he handles being a volume target. Dick Rod isn’t currently on the roster but the Eagles are notably keeping his No. 85 jersey number available. Rodgers was solid last year. The Eagles could look to have a third but no one on the roster currently jumps out as a “must keep.” They might be able to get away with keeping one or two on the practice squad. and are developmental projects. OL: , , , , , , , Jack Driscoll, , (10) [25] Mailata should be the starting left tackle after showing promise in 2020. Seumalo is the starting left guard . unless he unexpectedly loses out to Dickerson? Kelce might be playing his final NFL season. Can Brooks stay healthy and effective at right guard after suffering three major injuries since January 2019? Johnson is also coming off a major ankle injury. Dillard’s value as a backup is limited since he can only play left tackle; the Eagles can feasibly trade him after June 1. Dickerson could be the top backup at both guard spots and center. Driscoll figures to be Johnson’s top backup at right tackle. Herbig showed some promise last year and now has extensive playing experience under his belt; he’s a good interior backup to have around. The Eagles made an effort to reacquire Toth and stash him on the bottom of the roster last year. It seems like they like his potential. Keeping 10 linemen might seem overboard but is it really when we just saw the Eagles use a billion combinations in 2020? Could be smart to hedge against multiple blockers coming off significant injuries. DEFENSE. DE: , , , (4) [29] We all know what to expect from Graham by now. Barnett is FINALLY entering a season healthy for the first time since his rookie year. The pressure is on the 2017 first-round pick to really produce as he enters a contract year. Can he be a difference-maker or is he just an unspectacular starter? Sweat was a bit hot and cold in 2020; it’d be nice to see more consistency in 2021. There’s a dropoff after the Eagles’ top three defensive ends. Jackson gets the nod here but there’s no guarantee the sixth-round rookie makes the roster. Maybe it’s (who was said to be moving to linebacker but is still listed at defensive end) or instead? Does Patrick Johnson enter the conversation at edge rusher despite being listed at linebacker? More questions than answers when it comes to the depth at this spot. DT: , , , , (5) [34] Cox and Hargrave are the sure-fire starters. Who is the top backup? Ridgeway’s experience could give him the edge but he just hasn't been able to stay healthy (32 missed games over the last four seasons). Tuipulotu might be more game-ready than fellow rookie Williams despite being drafted later. LB: Alex Singleton, Eric Wilson, , T.J. Edwards, , Patrick Johnson (6) [40] Singleton seems like the favorite to start in the middle and wear the green dot. Wilson’s coverage abilities should help him see playing time. Bradley could be an under-the-radar player to watch in terms of taking a step forward. Edwards contributes on special teams and gives the Eagles depth behind Singleton. Taylor’s athleticism is intriguing but will he ever materialize into an actual football player? Patrick Johnson and JaCoby Stevens are listed as linebackers but could need time to transition to the position. I’ll keep one of the two for now. CB: , Gareon Conley, , Zech McPhearson, Craig James, (6) [46] We know Slay is CB1. We do not know who CB2 is. It feels like the Eagles could still sign or trade for someone at that spot. I’m projecting they’ll sign Gareon Conley, who is still inexplicably available. Conley missed 2020 due to injury but he’s still only 25 years old and was once reportedly in play for the Eagles’ No. 14 pick in 2017. Maddox could be the starter in the slot. If the Eagles don’t acquire another veteran, McPhearson might be the man across from Slay by default. No pressure, rook! James makes the team as a good special teams contributor who can provide depth on the outside. Jacquet struggled last year, yeah, but he did show some flashes of promise. S: , Marcus Epps, K’Von Wallace, Andrew Adams (4) [50] Harris is going to start. It’s not clear who else will. Maybe it’s Wallace who gets the nod. Epps played more than him last year, though, and looked better. Ideally, Adams won’t make the team because he’ll get beat out by the younger and/or . SPECIAL TEAMS. K: (1) [51] Would be nice to see Elliott have a strong summer. P: (1) [52] Still possible that the Eagles bring in competition at this spot. Even if they do, there’s reason to believe Siposs can win the job. LS: (1) [53] Lovato? He’s the Eagles long snapper. INJURY. PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM (PUP): Rodney McLeod. McLeod suffered his second career ACL tear in mid-December. He might not be ready for Week 1. The Eagles could look to play it safe by having him miss the first six weeks of the season. PRACTICE SQUAD. The Eagles will be allowed to keep at least 12 players on their practice squad. They can keep up to 16 if COVID-19 protocols remain in place for the 2021 season. We’re going to assume the NFL goes with the latter limit for this exercise. RB Jordan Howard, RB , WR John Hightower, WR Khalil Tate, TE Tyree Jackson, TE , OG , C , DE JaQuan Bailey, LB Joe Bachie, LB JaCoby Stevens, LB Rashad Smith, CB Jameson Houston, CB , S Grayland Arnold, S Elijah Riley. Cardinals Elevate Curtis Riley, Evan Baylis From Practice Squad. JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Curtis Riley is back on the game day roster, after the Cardinals elevated the veteran safety from the practice squad Saturday. The Cards also elevated tight end Evan Baylis from the practice squad as they try to bolster a pair of positions hit with injury. Riley was on the active roster and started last week In Carolina when the Cardinals were down their top three safeties, all of whom were hurt. Riley struggled and was released when the Cardinals decided to permanently keep running back Jonathan Ward on the 53-man roster. He was then re-signed to the practice squad. Teams are allowed to elevate up to two practice squad players per game this season, player who will revert to the practice squad the day following the game. The Cardinals do get starter Budda Baker back at safety this week, but Jalen Thompson (ankle) remains on injured reserve and Chris Banjo (hamstring) remains questionable after being limited in practice. At tight end, Darrell Daniels (thigh) is officially questionable, but Baylis could also give the Cardinals another blocking option aside from Daniels, Dan Arnold and Jordan Thomas. Mikey Henderson looks, plays and switches positions like one of Bob Stoops' old Sooners. You’re not the only one who experienced football flashbacks when Mikey Henderson got onto the field for Oklahoma in 2020. From his frame to his full-speed style of play to his Texas roots, right down to his jersey number, Henderson as a true freshman looked and played a lot like former Sooner Josh Norman . “I’ve heard the name before,” Henderson said, “but I’m not completely sure who that is.” So what if it’s been 20 years? Even Josh Norman thinks he sees a little of himself in the way Henderson plays — although, he admits, at first he didn’t. “The funny thing is, I did not,” Norman told SI Sooners in a phone interview Thursday. “And then I had numerous people hit me up on Twitter, or via text, and they were like, ‘Man, that dude is like a reincarnation of you.’ And I was like, ‘What?’ So at first, I jokingly said, ‘Nah, he ain’t like me.’ But then, the more I watched him, I was like, ‘Dang, he really is, man.’ So no, that’s really cool.” When Norman was a versatile, talented thumper on Bob Stoops ’ 2000 national championship team, he was listed at 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds. Henderson is currently listed at 6-2, 223. They both lined up all over the field, Norman first as a running back and then a tight end, Henderson first a tight end (or H-back) and now as a running back. They both excelled at initiating contact and breaking tackles by standing on the gas, and pity the opponent. And they both are proud wearers of No. 3. It’s a comparison so precise, so similar, it’s almost eerie. Henderson said when he was being recruited by Lincoln Riley , he knew he’d be adding to the offense with his versatility. “Linc already told me from the jump, ‘You’re not limited to one position. We’re moving you around everywhere. You’ve got a skill set that not a lot of people have,’ ” Henderson said Thursday during a video press conference. “So he told me from the jump they were gonna do a lot of different things. I didn’t know they were going to move me to running back permanently, but I knew I was going to be getting carries. He told me he was going to do a lot of different things with me. I kinda had this envisioned what I’m doing now, doing a whole lot of different stuff. I knew this was going to happen.” Part of the H-back room last season, Henderson ran the football nine times for 81 yards and a touchdown, and caught 12 passes for 168 yards and a TD. He also threw a handful of key blocks to spring teammates — all at full speed. Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports. Riley liked what he saw when Henderson had the football in his hands, so he told him at his exit meeting after the Cotton Bowl what he had in mind. “Right after the Florida game,” Henderson said, “he was thinking about moving me to running back full time, just to do a lot of different things with me to create a lot of different matchups in the slot, do a lot of stuff.” “He's a natural runner,” said running backs coach DeMarco Murray . “… I want a guy who can run the rock as a runner, that's your job. But I want a guy that you can put out in slot, put outside to create matchups with linebackers and safeties that creates a lot of mismatches so Mikey's done a great job thus far.” “He's picked up on everything really well,” said quarterback Spencer Rattler . “He's a big dude. He can run. Take him out the backfield, get the ball in his hands in space. That's how we've been utilizing him. He could do it all. He's another guy I'm really excited to see grow during the season. He's one of the guys I wanna see really pop off here during this next season.” Like Josh Norman 20 years before, Henderson was agreeable to doing whatever the coaches wanted. “I was recruited by John Blake and they recruited me as a running back,” Norman said. “I was a tailback. That’s what they recruited me as, and that’s what I played since I first played peewee football. I was a running back through peewee, junior high and high school, and that’s what I was recruited at. And that’s what I expected to play and I always wanted to go to the NFL and play. “And then when coach Stoops came in, they moved me to a lot of different areas.” Norman, who turns 41 in July, came to OU from Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, TX, having rushed for 3,872 yards and 51 touchdowns during his prep career. At 6-3, 220, he was accorded postseason honors from First Down Recruiting News — as a fullback. Prepstar ranked him as the eighth-best running back in the Big 12 region. Norman thought he’d be a running back at OU, but after he redshirted in 1998, Stoops and his staff saw something else in him. In 1999, he ran seven times for 18 yards and caught 16 passes for 180 yards. In 2000, he ran six times for 30 yards and caught 34 passes for 518 yards. And in 2001, he ran four times for six yards and caught 45 passes for 405 yards. His transition from running back to tight end was complete. Norman finished his three-year career with 95 catches for 1,103 yards and 17 rushes for 54 yards while scoring nine total touchdowns — and throwing countless blocks to spring his teammates in both the run game and the passing game. Norman said he was recently reminiscing with an old teammate about his constant movement. “It was literally, one week I’d be in the meeting room with coach (Cale) Gundy as a running back or fullback, the next week I’d be in the room with coach (Jonathan) Hayes as a tight end, the next week I’d be in the room with coach (Steve) Spurrier as a receiver,” Norman said. “And literally every week, it was like flipping a coin. ‘Which room am I gonna be in this weekend?’ “It was never a discussion, like, ‘We’re gonna be intentional about moving you to different places.’ It was just a matter of putting me in a position where I was needed.” Norman said injuries to other players necessitated much of his traveling between meeting rooms. It really got going in Week 3 of the 1999 season. “I remember the first game I started at tight end, it was against Louisville because we were thin on tight ends,” Norman said. “ Trent Smith had gotten hurt and Matt Anderson had gotten hurt. So I was a tight end.” It worked out pretty well. Norman left for the NFL after the 2001 season but went undrafted. He eventually landed a free agent deal with the San Diego Chargers, where he played the 2002 and 2003 seasons and finished his NFL career with 22 catches for 273 yards and two touchdowns. He was in training camp with the Chargers in 2004 and the Raiders in 2005, but then decided to start his coaching career. Today, Norman is head coach at Southmoore High School — all of 10 miles from his old patch of grass at OU. And that’s where learning all those positions as a player has really helped him the most, Norman said. “I’ve been an offensive coordinator my entire career, I’m a head football coach now, and I feel like that experienced has helped me more,” he said. “Because as an offensive coordinator, I can coach any position. Because I literally played every position on the field, with the exception of quarterback. Even, you look at tight end, I had to learn a lot of the techniques that offensive linemen have to learn. So it’s definitely helped me as a coach to be able to play all those different positions.” Henderson said he’s all about playing any position he’s asked to. He played some quarterback at Ranchview High School near the ' old training headquarters at Valley Ranch, but his recruiting profile labeled him an “athlete.” “It definitely helped me a little bit playing quarterback at the high school level,” he said. “Just because I kinda know defenses and what they’re trying to do. It definitely helped me see the field and give me a different feel for the game, for sure.” Maybe someday Riley will even devise some kind of wildcat-type package for Henderson to show his quarterback skills. That’d be OK with Henderson, too. “I’m one of those guys that, I want to do whatever,” Henderson said. “I want to show coaches that I can do the whole thing. I can line up here, I can line up there. I don’t want to ever limit myself to just one position. I like to do a whole lot of different things.” Rob Gronkowski mocks Asian fan. New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was videotaped mocking a man of Asian heritage at a Foxborough, Mass., bar last week, the latest NFL player whose racially insensitive comments have made their way into the public eye. The Patriots were on their bye week at the time. Gronkowski was heard on a tape posted by TMZ Sports mocking a man wearing Gronkowski's No. 87 jersey. "They told me he could only cook fried rice," Gronkowski said into a microphone at the club. He then called the man "Leslie Chow," the Asian character played by Ken Jeong in the "Hangover" movies. Then on the video, a person involved with the event reminds those in attendance that cell phone video is to be left with organizers. Rob Gronkowski's off-field conduct has made headlines in the past. Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports. The video comes less than four months after Philadelphia Eagles receiver Riley Cooper was caught using the N-word at a concert. Last week, it was leaked to the media that Miami Dolphins lineman Richie Incognito sent text messages and voice mails including racial slurs to teammate Jonathan Martin. Cooper was fined, but not suspended by the league, for his actions. Incognito was suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins, and Martin has left the team. ESPN reported Monday that Martin is not expected to return this season. Gronkowski has made his way into tabloid media on a few other occasions. He was shown dancing shirtless in a Las Vegas nightclub earlier this year while wearing a cast on his left forearm, which had been broken twice -- causing him to miss, among other things, the Patriots' loss to the in the AFC title game. 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