PHILADELPHIA -- Training camp was expected to be intriguing for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. They had question marks on defense at linebacker and safety, and a few interesting battles on one of the best offenses in football.
Through seven training camp practices, there's a much clearer picture of where some players stand in these position battles. The Eagles have some starters entrenched in their spots after opening camp as question marks, while others are still up in the air.
Here's a look at each of the Eagles' position battles entering camp, and how they are coming to fruition:
Starting safety
Competitors: Reed Blankenship, Terrell Edmunds, Sydney Brown, K'Von Wallace
Blankenship has taken every snap on the first team in training camp, so he's locked in at one of the starting jobs. Wallace has emerged as a starting candidate next to Blankenship thanks to a strong camp, while Edmunds has gotten starting looks in box nickel packages (three safeties).
Brown has moved up to the second team, but has some work to do. His closing speed is clearly impressive and he's not out of the mix.
Keep an eye out for Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to look outside the organization for a safety.
Starting off-ball LB
Competitors: Nicholas Morrow, Christian Elliss, Shaun Bradley. Zach Cunningham, Myles Jack
This is the biggest wild card on the roster, as Roseman clearly didn't like the options that developed after seven practices. This is nothing against Elliss, who has played well throughout the offseason (but he has zero starts to his name).
Morrow has been a disappointment thus far and may be seeing the writing on the wall for his roster chances after the Eagles signed Cunningham and Jack to compete for a starting off-ball linebacker spot. The Eagles needed depth at off-ball linebacker anyway, so signing the veterans were necessary.
Elliss is the leader in the clubhouse, yet will receive serious competition from Cunningham and Jack. The Eagles are hoping one of those two take the spot.
Starting RG
Competitors: Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen
Jurgens was deemed the first team right guard on Day 1 of camp and never relinquished the job. He is the starting right guard.
As for Steen, the Eagles have moved him to second team at left tackle. He's still cross training at right guard.
RB (all of them)
Competitors: Rashaad Penny, D'Andre Swift, Boston Scott, Kenneth Gainwell, Trey Sermon
The best part about this competition? All the backs have been good.
Swift has been significantly featured as a pass catcher out of the backfield while Gainwell has a roster spot locked up as he's been rotating with the first team. Penny has looked good in camp as well, even though the Eagles don't run much unless in live drills.
Scott and Sermon are battling for the final spot, but the Eagles know what they have in the former (which works in his favor). The Eagles have hyped up Sermon this offseason, yet it hasn't stood out in camp because he's a runner.
Swift and Gainwell are definites on this roster -- and Penny essentially is as well. How the Eagles use them is still up in the air.
Third WR
Competitors: Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus
Watkins is running away with the job after having an impressive start to camp. The gap is large because Watkins has performed well while Zaccheaus has been fine. Zaccheaus isn't in danger of a roster spot, but he's not beating out Watkins right now.
Punter
Competitors: Arryn Siposs, Ty Zentner
Sipposs has looked good in camp, yet that was the case the last two years. The Eagles have seen what he can do in game situations with plenty of tape as evidence. Zentner has been better, but hasn't done enough to unseat Siposs.
The punter in Week 1 may hail from someone currently not in the organization.
No. 2 TE
Competitors: Dan Arnold, Grant Calcaterra, Tyree Jackson, Jack Stoll
Stoll is an excellent blocker and Calcaterra can catch, but are their skill sets good enough to make the roster? Are they good enough to unseat Arnold? The Eagles have been rotating the three players, but Arnold has been getting the bulk of the second team reps to date.
Jackson has been impressive thus far, but where he fits in the picture is unclear. If Jackson can stay healthy, this competition gets significantly more interesting.
Arnold is the clubhouse leader, but this battle is far from over. The two backup tight ends behind Dallas Goedert are far from settled.
No. 3 QB
Competitors: Ian Book, Tanner McKee
Neither Book nor McKee have stood out, but they are both stuck with the third team offense. McKee is a sixth-round pick and flashes some potential, while Book has a year in the system to his advantage.
The preseason will be telling for both, but conventional wisdom shows McKee has the edge since he was a sixth-round pick.
