Week 1 of preseason begins Friday, August 12 for the Philadelphia Eagles. After two weeks of training camp, the team has seen its fair share of highs and lows, as fans gain a glimpse of what this year will be like. With just weeks before the regular season kicks off, these five Eagles players have the most to prove.
FIVE EAGLES PLAYERS WITH THE MOST TO PROVE
Jalen Hurts
Is Jalen Hurts going to be the face of the Philadelphia Eagles’ franchise, or will the team be searching for someone else come next year’s draft? The 2022 season will be Hurts’ make or break performance, and as of right now, fans don’t have much to base an opinion on this season.
During the last two weeks of training camp, Hurts has certainly shown improvement compared to last season. His new physic is undeniable, and his passes have been cleaner. The quarterback has also been establishing routes with his future targets.
It was revealed this week that head coach Nick Sirianni will play starters during Friday night’s game against the New York Jets. However, they won’t be playing much. Hurts will likely play a series or two, giving him very limited time to show Eagles’ fans if he’s improved. Realistically, by mid-season, the team should have an idea of what direction Hurts is headed in, and if it’s a positive one, the quarterback will be landing a whopping contract.
Jalen Reagor
Despite my intention to not be so brutal, Reagor has essentially crashed and burned since he joined the Eagles. As a first-round draft pick, Philadelphia hasn’t seen a good performance from him. Over the last two season, Reagor has completed only 695 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
There have been multiple rumors regarding a trade, with the most recent including the Denver Broncos.
Reagor should spend a good amount of time on the field Friday. He has a lot to prove to the Eagles, and if that time has already passed, then he has a lot to prove to his future team.
This week he spoke to the media for the first time since last season. Reagor stated, “I want to be here [Philly] for the rest of my career. But, it’s a business, a business of production. I’m going to handle my end, and Im going to let them handle theirs.”
Britain Covey
The wide receiver position is crowded and Britain Covey is essentially on the outside looking in.
Lately, he’s been gaining popularity in training camp due to his punt and kicker return skills. During his collegiate career at Utah, Covey had four punt return touchdowns and a kick return score. As an Eagles’ rookie, he is already showing potential that Philadelphia hasn’t seen from Jalen Reagor. Covey would give the Eagles another option to use on special teams — something they ranked in the bottom third in last season.
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) August 9, 2022
Nick Sirianni stated, “He’s [Covey] really quick and he catches the ball well. He’s got (a) great feel of what to do out there, and he’s smart. He knows all the positions. He’s had a good camp.”
Fans should get a glimpse of Covey play on Friday and if all goes well, he could land the last wide receiver roster spot.
Cam Jurgens
The Eagles drafted Cam Jurgens this offseason. He was the player that center Jason Kelce handpicked, as he would eventually take over the role when Kelce decides to retire.
Though fans initially thought they wouldn’t see much of Jurgens this season, Kelce underwent elbow surgery on Tuesday, placing Jurgens in the spotlight. He has been taking first-team reps and will be the guy Eagles’ fans see on the field come Friday night.
It’s possible Kelce returns in time for Week 1 of the regular season, but in the meantime, Jurgens will have the chance to prove his value.
Nakobe Dean
Dean was ranked No. 1 among Power Five linebackers and had the highest rating of any linebacker prospect since 2017, according to Pro Football Focus. Luckily, for the Eagles, Dean was still on the board later in the draft, and fans thought they acquired a “steal”. While that still may be the case, Dean has had a quiet training camp, leaving the team wondering how they can use him.
During his career in Georgia, Dean was known as one of the smartest players on the field. The dilemma now is, he doesn’t know the field. Dean is new and still adapting to his surroundings. He’s unfamiliar with his teammates, and specific plays. Friday’s preseason game will be a good opportunity for Dean to gain more practice with the hopes that he shows Philadelphia fans he can be an asset tot he Eagles.
