It's not so much the Eagles versus the Jets tonight at Lincoln Financial Field, it's every man for himself tonight. This is the last try out tonight for guys trying to make the football team.
There are a numbers of close battle for roster spots going into tonight's last game. Although this game means nothing to most of the fans and most of the Eagles starters won't play, it means everything to the players fighting for jobs.
Free agent safety Marcus Parschal has an edge over fifth round draft pick C.J. Gaddis tonight as they enter their final battle for the Eagles fourth safety spot. Parschal seems to be more of a strong safety who is a very aggressive when coming up to support the run. The kid has got his hands on passes in practice quite a few times. He might wind up making the team because Sean Considine tackling has been so poor, they might want to hang onto a strong safety type who is a more physical player, than a guy who plays the pass better like Gaddis.
Speaking of Gaddis he's got tremendous speed for a safety and seems to do a great job covering ground in the deep areas. I love the way he closes on the ball in the air but I don't how sure he is about all the coverages. Gaddis was a corner in college so he has the ability to move up and play some corner if the Birds were to need some help at that position. Even though Parschal has an edge, Gaddis was drafted and may get the nod if it's very close.
It's an even closer situation in the battle for the fifth corner spot. Nick Graham is a free agent and Rashard Barksdale is a late round draft pick. Both have shined at times but neither has been consistent enough to be a surety of making the football team. Graham is the smaller of the two with tremendous quickness and ability to break on the football. Barksdale has a good combination of size and speed. He's only been playing football for a couple of years because he was a baseball player in college at tiny Albany. I think they're going to wind up throwing both of them on the practice squad.
Birds punt and kick returner Jeremy Bloom is also battling somebody who's not on the team for a roster spot. Bloom has been unimpressive as a returner and many times he has looked scared. The youngster has speed and quickness but he won't attack the punt coverage. On kickoffs, he also seems tentative.
Birds young offensive tackle Pat McCoy is competing with somebody not even on the team. If he has a good game tonight he might survive the cut on Saturday. If he plays poorly he will get cut. McCoy has struggled in practices and the preseason game so I wouldn't be surprised if they cut him and sign a veteran off another to team to backup the starters.
