Post-NFL trade deadline roster analysis: How the Eagles shape up for the regular season’s second half

Already boasting one of the most talented rosters in the league, the Eagles stood pat when the NFL’s trade deadline passed at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The team’s biggest acquisition occurred last week with safety Kevin Byard arriving after a trade with the Tennessee Titans. On Monday, the Eagles sent defensive tackle Kentavius Street and a 2025 seventh-round draft pick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick.

With the trade deadline passed, general manager Howie Roseman can still add to the roster, if deemed necessary, via free agency. Looking ahead, the Eagles are expected to have nine picks in the 2024 draft, including two second-round selections.

Entering Week 9, the Eagles boast the best record in the NFL at 7-1. They own a two-game advantage over the Dallas Cowboys, who they host at 4:25 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, for first place in the NFC East. Over the final 2 1/2 months of the regular season, the defending NFC champions will attempt to maintain the conference’s top seed for the second consecutive year, which would secure home field throughout the playoffs.

Here’s a breakdown of theirroster after the deadline.

Active roster: Jalen Hurts, Marcus Mariota, Tanner McKee

Despite being hobbled by a lingering left knee injury, Hurts turned in one of the best performances of his career in Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders. Hurts tossed a career-high four touchdowns with 319 passing yards. He was a perfect 15-for-15 when targeting his top receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Hurts remains tight-lipped regarding exact details pertaining to his injury, but the issue clearly is affecting his mobility as he ran a season-low four times on Sunday. Hurts has missed three regular-season games over the past two seasons, so if history is an indicator, then Mariota could be under center at some point over the final two-plus months of the season.

» READ MORE: Is Jalen Hurts better when he’s hurting? Is his injury a blessing with the Eagles’ upcoming schedule?

Active roster: D’Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, Rashaad Penny

Practice squad: Lew Nichols

For the most part, Swift has been a smash hit after he arrived in the offseason via trade with the Detroit Lions. A Philadelphia native, Swift ranks fourth in the NFL with 571 rushing yards. Yet, there have been a couple of odd games in which the coaching staff seemingly abandoned Swift and the rush attack, see: Week 1 at New England, Week 6 at New York Jets, etc. Incorporating a healthy dose of Swift touches seems to be a sweet recipe for success. He has a unique blend of speed, agility, power, and shiftiness to make defenders miss in the open field and also to accelerate between the tackles. Gainwell is the team’s featured tailback within the hurry-up offense and also the best pass-blocking back, but he is coming off an outing that saw him lose a fumble inside the Washington 5-yard line. Penny has been active for just one of eight games, while Scott continues to serve as the kickoff returner.

» READ MORE: Nick Sirianni addresses Kenneth Gainwell’s social media spat: ‘He knows he made a mistake’

Active roster: Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, Grant Calcaterra, Albert Okwuegbunam

It has been a funky season for Goedert, who has just 360 receiving yards on 35 catches. Sirianni repeatedly praises him for his run-blocking ability, but over his past five seasons, Goedert has proved to be a dynamic option in the pass game. Perhaps his lack of consistent production is a byproduct of Brown’s dominance, but getting Goedert more involved should be a priority for the coaching staff when it meets for its annual self-scout session during the bye week after the Dallas game.

Active roster: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Olamide Zaccheaus, Julio Jones, Britain Covey

Injured reserve: Quez Watkins

Practice squad: Greg Ward, Devon Allen, Joseph Ngata

Brown has proved to be one of the best players in the NFL. He’s on pace to shatter numerous receiving records and needs just 61 yards to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark. If and when opposing defenses decide to allocate extra resources to Brown, expect Smith to take over in similar ways Brown has over the past six weeks. Smith, who has 39 catches for 482 yards and three touchdowns, is capable of exploding on any given week. Smith also is working toward a big payday this offseason, when he becomes eligible to sign a contract extension along with fellow 2021 first-round receivers Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati) and Jaylen Waddle (Miami). Jones, who hauled in the go-ahead touchdown against the Commanders, was added to the 53-man roster on Wednesday. Before his hamstring injury, Watkins had just four catches for 21 yards.

» READ MORE: Again and again, A.J. Brown did the seemingly impossible as he entered rarefied air in the Eagles’ win at Washington

Active roster: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Sua Opeta, Lane Johnson, Jack Driscoll, Tyler Steen, Fred Johnson

Injured reserve: Cam Jurgens, Roderick Johnson

Practice squad: Julian Good-Jones, Le’Raven Clark

Jurgens was playing at a high level prior to his foot injury. The second-year player is eligible to return from IR this week and his return will be welcomed as Opeta has struggled in recent games. Elsewhere, the O-line has been mostly healthy aside from an ankle sprain that forced Lane Johnson to exit the first half of the Week 6 game versus the New York Jets — the Eagles’ lone loss. Kelce is still playing at a high level in Year 13, but the five-time All-Pro has hinted that this season could be his last.

Active roster: Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo

Practice squad: Thomas Booker, Noah Elliss

Despite dealing with ankle and back injuries, Carter is off to a hot start in his young career. The No. 9 pick from April’s draft has consistently dominated the line of scrimmage with his assortment of pass-rush moves led by his bullrush and inside swim. Over seven games, Carter has 14 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Cox, who turns 33 in December, has dominated the share of playing time, appearing in 73% of defensive snaps compared to Williams (49%), Carter (46%), Davis (42%), Tuipulotu (13%), and Ojomo (7%).

» READ MORE: Inside Jalen Carter’s circle: How the rookie is learning to be a pro after a turbulent path to the Eagles helped provide a fresh start

Active roster: Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Nolan Smith, Patrick Johnson

Practice squad: Tarron Jackson

Reddick and Sweat lead the team with a combined 12 sacks. The top pass-rush duo also have been dominant contributors in defending the run with their ability to seal the edges and quickly dissect option calls. The Eagles rank first in run defense (65.5 yards allowed per game) and their 125 pressures are second in the league. After a career-high 11 sacks in 2022, Graham, 35, has five tackles and a half-sack this season. It has been a slow start for Smith, a first-round pick who logged just 47 defensive snaps (9%) with six tackles, two quarterback hits, and one sack.

Active roster: Nakobe Dean, Zach Cunningham, Nicholas Morrow, Christian Elliss

Injured reserve: Shaun Bradley

Practice squad: Ben VanSumeren, Brandon Smith

The Eagles surrendered 104 yards to Commanders quarterback Sam Howell when he targeted the middle of the field with 11 completions on 14 pass attempts. Defensive coordinator Sean Desai’s disguises tend to change on a weekly basis, but the middle parts of the field have often been picked on by opposing offenses. It didn’t help the group that Dean missed four weeks on IR with a foot injury. Despite the lapses in the pass game, which also has been affected by a lack of continuity across the secondary, the linebackers have been stout in halting running backs when they’ve reached the second level of the defense.

Active roster: Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Bradley Roby, Eli Ricks, Josh Jobe, Josiah Scott, Kelee Ringo

Injured reserve: Avonte Maddox, Zech McPhearson

Practice squad: Mario Goodrich, Mekhi Garner, Tristin McCollum, Kindle Vildor

Reserve/Suspended: Isaiah Rodgers

Whew — it has been a revolving door at nickel cornerback and safety. The Eagles have rolled out eight starting combinations in the secondary in as many games. The lack of continuity is evident as the Eagles are 26th in the NFL (247.5 yards allowed per game) in pass defense. Desai appears to be homing in on a favorite at slot cornerback. Ricks’ snap count has increased over the past couple of weeks, while Roby avoided IR with his pec injury. That Josiah Scott was signed to the 53-man roster off the Steelers’ practice squad a couple of weeks ago shows the level of depletion the secondaryhas dealt with, specifically at the nickel.

Active roster: Reed Blankenship, Kevin Byard, Sydney Brown

Injured reserve: Justin Evans

Game No. 1 featuring the Blankenship-Byard pairing didn’t go as some might have expected, but that chemistry should improve with more reps. Byard hasn’t missed a single game over his eight seasons, and his durability is certainly welcomed in a group longing for some continuity. Blankenship is tied with Slay for most interceptions with two. Sydney Brown, who was described by teammates as a “heat-seeking missile” earlier in the summer, has cross-trained at safety and also nickel. His violent and sudden play-style is apparent whenever he lines up near the box.

» READ MORE: Middle Tennessee-made: How the improbable Eagles safety duo of Kevin Byard and Reed Blankenship was built

Active roster: Kicker Jake Elliott, punter/holder Braden Mann, long snapper Rick Lovato

Elliott already has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice. He has made 18 of 20 field-goal attempts, including a 61-yarder in the Week 2 victory over the Vikings, which tied his career long. Mann has been a slight upgrade over Arryn Siposs, but the Eagles worked out another punter as recently as last week, an indication that the coaching staff still sees room for growth at the position. Since Week 6 of last season, Covey leads the NFL with 418 punt-return yards. During that span, he also leads the league in 15-plus-yard punt returns (12), 20-plus-yard punt returns (seven), and 25-plus-yard punt returns (four).