The Philadelphia Eagles make their preseason debut on Thursday when they battle Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans in primetime. It’ll be the first game action for Carson Wentz since week 11 of last season and the return of DeSean Jackson in an Eagles uniform.
With two weeks of camp almost completed, here are the 5 players exceeding expectations.
1. Greg Ward
Ward plays a position that on other rosters would probably allow him to be the third or fourth receiver. In Philadelphia, the starting point is No. 5 and he may not have what it takes to overtake Mack Hollins. With all that being said, Ward is constantly making plays and will be a difficult roster cut.
2. Tim Jernigan
Jernigan is wreaking havoc along the defensive front and looking like the man that had an $11 million option at one time and not the man the Eagles released for salary cap purposes. If Jernigan can stay healthy and assume the third defensive tackle role, the Eagles could be tough to run and pass on.
3. Miles Sanders
The rookie second-round pick was starting to hear whispers of him being a possible bust, after a slow start to the offseason program. Sanders has since silenced the critics, hitting the ground running during training camp. Sanders is exceeding early expectations, he can cut on a dime and he’s just built differently. If Sanders can pick up the blitz and become a factor in the passing game, the sky is truly the limit.
4. Andre Dillard
.Joe Ostman was going to get this spot, but he’s likely looking at a serious knee injury. For Dillard, he’s looked the part except for a few losses at the hands of Brandon Graham. For Dillard’s part, Graham could be the best pass rusher he faces all season. Even before his struggles with Graham, Dillard has displayed a smooth feel for the game and even warranted playing time as a rookie.
5. Josh Sweat
The second-year defensive end is finally looking the part and making people forget about suggestions that the Eagles inquire about Jadeveon Clowney. Sweat has enormous potential, had played well thus far and just needs to put it all together instead of playing well in spurts.
