Bird Market: Which Eagles Players Impacted Their Stock During Preseason Opener?

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in their preseason opener by a final score of 34-27. While the Eagles elected to rest a majority of their starters on Thursday night, there were a few that played against the Bengals.

Here is a look at which Eagles players impacted their stock the most in Philadelphia’s first preseason game.

Stock Up: Tanner McKee

After a scorching hot end to last season, Tanner McKee looked phenomenal against the Bengals. McKee lit up Cincinnati’s defense all night long with an incredibly efficient performance. McKee completed 20-of-25 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns.

Jahan Dotson and Tyler Steen were the only two offensive starters that played for the Eagles but that didn’t stop McKee. He showcased an impressive connection with Johnny Wilson and Darius Cooper, as he gave Philadelphia’s skill position players chances to make plays all night.

Stock Down: Kelee Ringo

Entering year three, Kelee Ringo was supposed to runaway with the starting job in a competition against veteran CB Adoree’ Jackson. Yet Ringo has failed to do so during training camp practices and struggled mightily against the Bengals.

While there is an argument to be made that Ringo drew a tough matchup against Ja’Marr Chase, especially playing so far off the line of scrimmage, it was still a concerning performance. Ringo took a terrible angle that led to a missed tackle against Chase. Then he allowed a reception to Charlie Jones later on.

Stock Up: Darius Cooper

Darius Cooper entered the preseason opener with a lot of momentum after a strong performance to start training camp. Cooper showcased a strong connection with McKee throughout the night, as he hauled in six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown on seven targets.

Cooper won on a variety of routes, while also showcasing his burst after the catch. If he can continue this pace, he’s going to push for one of the final spots on Philadelphia’s 53-man roster.

Stock Down: Adoree’ Jackson

Similar to Ringo, Adoree’ Jackson hasn’t been able to separate himself in the CB competition. While Jackson didn’t have the embarrassing moment that Ringo did, he certainly didn’t help his case for the starting job on Thursday night.

Jackson allowed several receptions and should have looked better given his wealth of experience in the NFL. Although Jackson might have a slight lead in the competition right now, he shouldn’t feel too comfortable at all.

Stock Up: Johnny Wilson

There wasn’t much hype surrounding Johnny Wilson entering the preseason opener. Wilson has struggled to consistently make plays during training camp, which was concerning following a rather quiet rookie season in Philadelphia.

Yet Wilson showcased what the Eagles have been looking for against the Bengals. Wilson hauled in several contested catches as McKee gave him several opportunities to make a play. Wilson recorded three receptions for 73 yards.

Stock Down: Elijah Cooks

Similar to Cooper, Elijah Cooks entered Thursday night with a ton of momentum. Cooks was turning heads with his impressive play during training camp, yet he unfortunately suffered an injury against the Bengals.

Cooks appeared to injure himself after making a tackle on kickoff coverage. It’s a tough break for Cooks, who appeared to be making a serious push for a final roster spot in the City of Brotherly Love. He was carted to the locker room following the injury.

Stock Up: Gabe Hall

After the Eagles traded Thomas Booker to the Raiders, it was clear that Philadelphia believed in the development of Gabe Hall. The second-year IDL proved Howie Roseman right with an impressive performance against the Bengals on Thursday night.

Hall played nearly the entire game and consistently made plays. While he won’t receive credit on the stat sheet, Hall helped free up rookie Ty Robinson for a sack by taking out two OL. Philadelphia’s future along the defensive line appears bright after the preseason opener.

Stock Down: Avery Williams

Avery Williams clearly had the most NFL experience as a returner entering the preseason opener. Yet despite receiving four total return opportunities against the Bengals, he wasn’t able to do much with them at all.

Williams averaged just 5.0 yards per punt return,  while second-year WR Ainias Smith gained 46 yards on his only punt return of the game. It’s also notable that Williams didn’t record a single reception, despite being listed as a WR. He’s going to need to show more as a returner to have a chance at making the final roster.

Stock Up: Andre’ Sam

On a night where most of Philadelphia’s secondary left a lot to be desired, Andre’ Sam stood out in a good way. Sam made two impressive tackles on special teams. Including a high-effort play where he chased down Bengals RB Gary Brightwell on a 71-yard kickoff return.

While the play was called back due to a holding penalty against Cincinnati, Sam’s effort will certainly be brought up in the next team meeting. Sam also made several impressive tackles when he entered the game at safety as well. Sam should push for one of the final spots on Philadelphia’s 53-man roster.

Stock Down: The QB3 Competition

While McKee lit up Cincinnati’s defense, there was a clear drop-off once he left the game. After scoring 27 points on McKee’s six drives, Philadelphia’s offense scored just seven points over their next seven possessions.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson technically outplayed rookie QB Kyle McCord, yet it still wasn’t pretty. “DTR” missed a few easy throws and didn’t make any plays with his legs. McKee really struggled in his NFL debut, as he completed just 1-of-5 passes for eight yards and an interception.