The Eagles preseason began Saturday night as the team traveled to take on the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens came into that game with a 23-game preseason win streak dating back to 2016. It was clear when watching the game that Head Coach Nick Sirianni wanted to break that streak, but unfortunately, the Ravens snuck away with the win, 20-19. While a loss is never welcome in the NFL, some positives stood out from players buried at the bottom of the depth chart. If they can keep their performances up during the rest of the preseason, they might not only ensure a roster spot for them but could also become exciting prospects for the future of the Eagles.
5 Eagles Standouts from the First Preseason Game
Quarterback, Tanner McKee
Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising performance from Saturday night came from sixth-round rookie, Tanner McKee. McKee finished the day 10/20 with 148 yards passing and one rush for seven yards. McKee made a few great throws down the field and showcased great accuracy and touch throughout the day. He was going through his progressions well for a rookie, which is especially important for him as he doesn’t have special arm strength. When he had someone down the field, he let it loose, but he wasn’t too bothered working from up the field down to underneath the defense. While McKee is not mobile, he displayed a pretty good pocket presence, moving and shifting away from incoming defenders. If McKee can keep putting up performances like he did, do not be shocked if he starts challenging Mariota for the backup spot even with his limited athleticism.
Wide Receiver, Tyrie Cleveland
Tyrie Cleveland is entering his fourth year in the NFL and his first with the Eagles. Cleveland started his career with the Denver Broncos but did not have much production while there. However, Cleveland looked fast and explosive against the Ravens. He finished with five receptions on 10 targets for 68 receiving yards and it could’ve been close to a 100-yard day if some of the quarterback play was better in the second half. Cleveland’s size and speed combination is really good even by NFL standards and he could be a matchup problem for many corners in the league. The problem with Cleveland throughout his career has come from a lack of route-running ability, but if he can show improvement in that area and still make plays down the field, Cleveland can become a valuable deep threat in the NFL.
Big Play: Tanner McKee 27-yd pass to Tyrie Cleveland#Eagles 3 #Ravens 7 2nd pic.twitter.com/VCkE9HWTym
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) August 12, 2023
Cornerback, Eli Ricks
Eli Ricks was an undrafted free agent out of Alabama University this past off-season. Prior to that, Ricks was a former five-star recruit who was also an All-American while at LSU. Ricks made one of the biggest plays of the game versus the Ravens with a pick-six in the fourth quarter. Ricks was awesome in coverage when he was able to play off the receiver and read the quarterback’s eyes. Not only on his interception, but he had a few pass breakups doing the same thing. He showed instincts and some explosiveness to be able to break on the underneath routes and make plays. Although, Ricks did have some change of direction problems in the game that may limit him in man coverage. However, if he can continually show his promise in off and zone coverage, he can be a steal for the Eagles.
Why did the NFL let Eli Ricks go undrafted?
— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 13, 2023
Safety, Sydney Brown
One of the players many fans had their eyes on was third-round rookie, Sydney Brown. Brown ended up playing through the second half and especially late in the second half, showing he has a lot of work to do to become the starter for this team. He couldn’t make any significant splash plays in his time on the field, but he still looked impressive. Brown ended up leading the team in tackles that game with nine solo tackles. But more importantly, just watching the game you saw Brown everywhere on the field. His athleticism and instinct were apparent in that he was always around the ball making tackles and running across the field in coverage. While he was a little slow to diagnose plays at times, fans should be excited to watch him grow throughout the preseason and see how much he can improve before the regular season.
Defensive Tackle, Moro Ojomo
We all know the Eagles heavily prioritize their defensive line and want to make sure they are filled with talent and depth. Moro Ojomo, a seventh-round pick in this past draft, could be a keeper for the Eagles if he can build upon his game against the Ravens. Ojomo finished with three tackles and one tackle for loss but had other plays where he was able to get into the backfield and make life harder on the offense. In a highly competitive position group, Ojomo showed some explosiveness and power for someone who is undersized as a defensive tackle. If he can improve a little bit on disengaging from blockers quicker and more effectively, he can make a name for himself this preseason.
Moro Ojomo absolutely dominated this rep.
He showed great flashes throughout the game. Don’t be surprised if he makes a name for himself in the crowded DL room. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/YKX4BvYRrJ
— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) August 13, 2023
The Eagles will host the Cleveland Browns for joint practices this week ahead of their Thursday night game in Philadelphia. Keep an eye on how these players continue to perform through the Eagles preseason and where they may end up throughout the regular season.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
