The Eagles just made some serious moves, and the biggest one has Jake Majors, an undrafted rookie from last year, about to make his NFL regular season debut at center on Sunday. This guy, who was just on the practice squad, is stepping into a pivotal role, literally, as the team’s third-string option at the position. Cam Jurgens got traded away, Drew Kendall is out with a knee injury, and now it’s Majors’ turn. His preseason play was apparently better than his training camp, which, let’s be real, isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for a Week 5 starter. Talk about high stakes, right?
The Rookie at the Pivot and a Hurdling Hybrid
Majors’ unexpected rise to starter is the kind of curveball no team wants to catch, especially at center. He’s been grinding since last year as an undrafted rookie free agent, and now he’s thrust into the spotlight for his very first regular season game. You gotta hope that preseason boost carries over, because the offensive line isn’t a place for on-the-job training in October. This is big for the Eagles’ season, no doubt about it.
But Majors wasn’t the only practice squad guy getting a call-up. Carson Steele, the running back/fullback hybrid, also got signed to the active roster, and honestly, this guy was a blast to watch in the preseason. He led the team in receiving during the summer with 14 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns, and he was out there hurdling defenders like it was nothing. There was legit concern another team might swipe Steele after the Eagles cut him initially, but he thankfully landed on the practice squad. Now, with Saquon Barkley ruled out and Tank Bigsby on injured reserve, Steele’s set to be RB3 in Week 5, behind Will Shipley and Dameon Pierce. He’ll likely be a special teams warrior, but that burst he showed in preseason could be a real spark.
Finally, a Change at QB2 and a Practice Injury
And can we talk about Andy Dalton? The Eagles finally, *finally*, cut him. Kudos to them for waking up! It never made sense to keep him as QB2, especially when he’s turning 39 this month and, let’s be blunt, just isn’t good anymore. They wasted valuable reps splitting them between Dalton and Tanner McKee this summer, when they should have been focusing on getting one guy ready to back up the starter. I heard NFL insider Mike Garafolo say the Eagles might still want him back on the practice squad, but seriously, let’s hope not. At least for now, he’s gone.
Elsewhere on the roster, defensive tackle Uar Bernard got hurt in practice and is headed to the practice squad injured list. He’ll miss some time, but his international exemption means putting him on that list doesn’t open up another spot.
So, here we are, heading into Sunday with a rookie making his debut at center, a versatile hybrid back looking to make an impact, and a long-overdue move at quarterback. It’s going to be interesting to see how these changes shake out on the field and what it means for the Eagles as they keep pushing through the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
Leave a Reply