Kyle McCord, Eli Ricks among early Eagles cuts ahead of Tuesday’s roster deadline

Three days after he started and played every snap in the Eagles’ preseason finale against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, rookie quarterback Kyle McCord will be waived by the team, a source confirmed to The Inquirer on Monday afternoon.

Fox Sports was first to report McCord’s release.

The writing was on the wall for the sixth-round pick out of Syracuse to be cut before the Tuesday 4 p.m. roster deadline after the Eagles traded with Minnesota for quarterback Sam Howell on Sunday.

McCord, a Mount Laurel native who played at St. Joseph’s Prep and started his college career at Ohio State, struggled and did not look ready to play NFL snaps right away. He completed just 15 of 35 passes Friday and threw an interception on a deep ball into double coverage that he later admitted he was too aggressive in pursuing.

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The rookie split snaps with Dorian Thompson-Robinson with the third-team offense during most of training camp. He had limited opportunities in practice and attempted just five passes in the Eagles’ first preseason game. He played a little more in the second contest before being handed the keys for Friday’s game. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said after the game that the team wanted to get a longer look at McCord as part of its evaluation process.

The fact that McCord did not look NFL-ready became more pertinent because backup quarterback Tanner McKee is dealing with a finger injury on his right hand that may have him out of action for next week’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles obviously did not feel comfortable with McCord possibly being Jalen Hurts’ backup for the opener, which is in part why they moved for Howell.

It is not abnormal for the Eagles to cut a late-round pick, even a quarterback. Sixth-round pick Dylan McMahon, an offensive lineman, did not make the team last season. McKee was, like McCord, once a sixth-round pick, in 2023, but the Eagles also drafted and then cut a fifth-round quarterback in 2019, Clayton Thorson.

McCord is unlikely to be the only 2025 draft pick cut by the Eagles before Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadline. He will hit the waiver wire and could end up on the Eagles’ practice squad if he is not claimed.

The Eagles are waiving cornerback Eli Ricks and wide receivers Elijah Cooks and Terrace Marshall, sources told The Inquirer.

Ricks, who was undrafted in 2023 out of Alabama, played in 23 games for the Eagles during his first two seasons. He is the victim of a numbers game at corner, although a return to the practice squad is possible.

The Eagles signed Cooks to their practice squad in January and then to a futures deal. He flashed early in training camp before suffering a shoulder injury during the first preseason game. Marshall, meanwhile, suffered a knee injury early in camp and fell down the depth chart. The Eagles signed the four-year veteran in April hoping he could provide some depth at receiver, but other options emerged.

The Eagles are also reportedly waiving Kenyon Green, according to CBS Sports. Green was acquired via trade from the Houston Texans for C.J. Gardner-Johnson. A 2022 first-round pick, Green injured his shoulder in the first preseason game and had limited opportunities in camp.

When he did get on the field, he did not perform well enough to stick around.

The Eagles traded with Jacksonville for former swing tackle Fred Johnson on Sunday and sent Darian Kinnard to Green Bay. Matt Pryor figures to be the first backup at guard, and Johnson will reclaim his swing tackle duties.

Other reported Eagles cuts are as follows:

The Eagles kick-started their roster-cutting Sunday, waiving Thompson-Robinson and safety Lewis Cine.

The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane contributed to this article.