The Philadelphia Eagles’ 2024 preseason is now just a week away. Let’s preview the action.
Eagles’ Three Opponents
The Eagles have three opponents this preseason, one of which is at home and two of which are on the road. Let’s take a look.
At 7:30 PM EST on Friday, Aug. 9, the Eagles visit the Baltimore Ravens for their first contest. Baltimore had won 24 straight games in the preseason with their last win ironically being at home against Philadelphia, then they lost two straight to end the streak in 2023.
At 7:00 PM EST on Thursday, Aug. 15, the Eagles will visit the New England Patriots for their second preseason showdown. We’ll presumably see rookie quarterback Drake Maye take some snaps for them, so it could be a packed crowd.
The Eagles will finish their preseason slate during a 1:00 PM EST game against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 24 at Lincoln Financial Field. Minnesota hasn’t won a preseason contest since Aug. 24, 2019.
Eagles’ Preseason Struggles
Since winning the Super Bowl in 2017, the preseason has not been kind to the Eagles record-wise. Though a win-loss record doesn’t mean that much when you’re tracking individual results, it hasn’t been pretty.
Philadelphia has a 3-11-2 record in the preseason following their Super Bowl victory. With a minus-156-point differential in that span, they’re losing each game by just under 10 points—that’s especially surprising considering how low-scoring the games tend to be.
Below are their season-by-season results since 2018 (with the exception of 2020, which was canceled). Their point differential is in parenthesis:
- 2023: 0-2-1 (Minus-15)
- 2022: 1-2 (Minus-40)
- 2021: 0-2-1 (Minus-43)
- 2019: 1-2 (Minus-20)
- 2018: 1-3 (Minus-38)
Considering their struggles (and the dominance of the Ravens), don’t expect the Eagles to sweep the slate or anything. Based on their last five showings in the preseason, the opposite is probably more likely.
Four Eagles to Watch
This preseason, there are plenty of players to look out for—here, we’ll highlight four in particular. That list consists of offensive lineman Mekhi Becton, running back Will Shipley, wide receiver Johnny Wilson, and edge Jalyx Hunt.
Becton is an interesting one due to his potential. The New York Jets’ top draft pick from 2020, his athleticism is what makes him stand out. He could hold a decent role with the Eagles in 2024 depending on injuries. He’s probably not an instant starter, but he could certainly work his way up there.
Taken in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Shipley has reportedly impressed the Eagles’ coaches. While Saquon Barkley clearly has the starting running back spot taken, the former could take some reps from Kenneth Gainwell during the season as the second-string running back. Shipley could be a solid option for the Eagles, so he should get some usage in the preseason.
Wilson is a big receiver who was taken in the sixth round of the 2024 class. He should be allowed to take over during preseason—it’ll be interesting to watch. Parris Campbell seems to be the firm third-string wideout behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but Wilson could get some snaps in the regular season.
Hunt was drafted in the third round of this past draft by the Eagles as a highly athletic threat on the edge. He should get some reps in the regular season and perhaps get a sizable role pretty soon for a third-round pick.
With only a month left until the start of the 2024 regular season, Eagles football is very close. The preseason should serve as a small taste of what’s to come.
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