The Philadelphia Eagles are gearing up to defend their title as Super Bowl champs and aim to repeat. Many teams will circle their chance to play the Eagles on the schedule, and they will have a target on their backs. But they are returning a plethora of starters from their championship team and are one of, if not the most complete, teams in the NFL.
The Eagles have a talent advantage over almost every team in the NFL, and ensuring their players stay healthy is paramount to maintaining this. Health matters, and often, the healthiest teams set themselves up to make postseason runs.
Will the Eagles Choose To Keep Their Starters Fresh for the Long Run?
The status of the Eagles’ starters is up in the air. While head coach Nick Sirianni hasn’t ruled out the possibility of the starters playing, they have not appeared yet in the preseason and likely won’t play. Some teams are rooted in their beliefs that starters need to get in-game reps before the season, but for the Eagles, coming off a Super Bowl victory, risking their starters’ health isn’t worth it.
With starting OL Landon Dickerson dealing with a knee injury, the Eagles cannot afford another injury to their offensive line. Dickerson’s injury isn’t too serious, and the Eagles are hoping to have him back for Week 1. Their line has been their biggest advantage in recent years, dominating the trenches, and keeping that upper hand is important.
Even if the Eagles don’t play their starters, there will be roster spots on the line for the players on the cut line.
Which Eagles Players To Watch Out For?
The backup quarterbacks are a battle that is particularly worth monitoring. Tanner McKee has shown that he likely deserves the backup spot behind Jalen Hurts, but the QB3 role is an interesting battle between Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Syracuse rookie Kyle McCord.
Another story is the Eagles’ newest acquisition, former Texans WR John Metchie III, in an Eagles uniform. The Eagles traded for Metchie on Monday, adding depth to their WR room. Adding another weapon to an offense that has A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Saquon Barkley is a luxury that the Eagles love to have.
Already practicing with the Eagles and getting acclimated with the system, Metchie could debut with the team in the preseason finale against the Jets on Friday.
Sirianni spoke very highly of Metchie and the potential impact he could have on this Eagles roster. As an Alabama player, he is right at home with multiple others on this Philadelphia team.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni spoke today about what he likes about new receiver John Metchie
“I really liked him coming out. We have a bunch of Alabama guys on the roster, so I was talking to those guys. As you’d see in Alabama game when he came out of college, obviously he made… pic.twitter.com/P8Y1R5xfjo
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 20, 2025
“I really liked him coming out. We have a bunch of Alabama guys on the roster, so I was talking to those guys,” said Sirianni on Metchie.
As preseason comes to a close, some Eagles will have one last chance to show their skills and why they deserve to stick around on the 53-man roster. Many starters will likely sit, allowing players to take advantage of their opportunities on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET against the New York Jets.
