Eagles questions about running backs, punters and a repeat in mailbag

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We’ve made it through the draft and spring workouts aren’t far away. 

The Eagles’ draft class and other rookies will have their rookie camp next weekend, starting May 11. After that, OTAs kick off May 22 and lead into the mandatory minicamp from June 12-14. 

Then the long break, then training camp and then the 2018 season will kick off at home against the Falcons on Sept. 6. It’ll be here before you know it. 

But in the meantime, let’s hop into your questions: 

To answer your second question, yes, I absolutely think Josh Adams has a shot to make the roster if they keep four running backs. Remember, the Eagles actually kept five on their initial 53-man roster last year. 

We know Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement and Darren Sproles are on the roster. Go ahead and write their names in ink. 

That leaves one or two (likely one) spots for either Adams, Wendell Smallwood or Donnel Pumphrey. So all Adams has to do is beat out Smallwood and Pump to earn that last spot. Certainly doable. The team was very high on Smallwood, a fifth-rounder in 2016, but he just can’t seem to stay healthy and isn’t a very good blocker. Pumphrey was a fourth-rounder last year and basically had a redshirt year. He’ll need to improve greatly to have a shot at making the 53. Not impossible, but definitely a steep climb. 

The battle for this final RB roster spot is going to be a fun one to watch during training camp. 

It’s really tough to repeat as Super Bowl champions. It hasn’t been done since the Patriots beat the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX after beating the Panthers in the previous season. It’s hard. 

But you’re right. The Eagles are bringing back most of their starters and key players, minus Vinny Curry, LeGarrette Blount, Torrey Smith, Patrick Robinson, Trey Burton and Beau Allen. But they’ve also added Michael Bennett, Haloti Ngata, Mike Wallace, Dallas Goedert. And they’ll also get some injured guys like Carson Wentz, Darren Sproles, Jason Peters, Jordan Hicks and Chris Maragos back. 

On paper, they’re looking pretty good. But it’ll all depend on how well this team fits and if they’re able to stay motivated. It’s also considerably harder in the NFC these days. But if anyone has a good shot, it should be these Birds. 

The Eagles will keep three tight ends, so Zach Ertz and recent draft pick Dallas Goedert will fill two spots.  That would leave one open for Rodgers, unless Billy Brown can overtake him. 

Brown is a converted wide receiver from Shepherd University. He was undrafted a year ago, but the Eagles seem to like him. The problem with keeping him over Rodgers would be that after Ertz, the Eagles would be relying on a rookie and a second-year guy from a Division II school. 

The possibility of Rodgers’ not making the team isn’t crazy, especially because there’s very little guaranteed money in his one-year contract, but without much experience depth elsewhere, his odds improve. 

Well, there’s still a possibility the Eagles could bring in a veteran to challenge him during training camp. But the way Donnie Jones retired and then unretired makes me wonder if the Eagles weren’t ready to move on to Johnston anyway. Remember, they did the same thing with Rick Lovato and Jon Dorenbos last season. 

Johnston might end up being a pretty good punter. The Australian was really good at Ohio State, where he had a 46.7-yard average. He might not be as good as Jones, who is the best punter in franchise history, but it seems like he ought to have the first go at it. 

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