Kicker Cody Parkey, who made the Pro Bowl and broke the NFL rookie scoring record just two years ago, was among 21 players released by the Eagles at the 4 p.m. deadline Saturday.
Parkey was out-kicked during the preseason by Caleb Sturgis, who replaced him after he suffered a serious groin injury a month into last season.
In 2014, Parkey scored 150 points, breaking Kevin Butler's 29-year-old NFL rookie record and also breaking David Akers' Eagles franchise record.
Parkey made his only field goal attempt in the four preseason games — a 40-yarder vs. the Steelers — but also missed a PAT against the Steelers and was consistently outperformed by Sturgis at practice.
After the Eagles finished the preseason against the Jets Thursday night, he seemed resigned to his fate.
“I love Philly, man,” Parkey said. “It’s awesome. I went to the Pro Bowl as an Eagle, my cleats are in the Hall of Fame, I have almost every single-season record kicking, I got a little mural in the stadium.
“Philly’s been really good to me. … I did what I could."
Among the bubble players who made the final 53-man roster are undrafted rookie wide receiver Paul Turner, defensive ends Steven Means and Marcus Smith, young cornerbacks C.J. Smith and Eric Rowe and safety Jaylen Watkins.
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The Eagles kept Watkins over 2014 fifth-round pick Ed Reynolds, Smith and Rowe over 2015 sixth-round pick JaCorey Shepherd and Turner as a fifth receiver.
Other interesting names who survived at least the initial 53-man roster are undrafted rookie free agents Dillon Gordon, a guard, and Destiny Vaeao, a defensive tackle.
The only member of this year’s draft released Saturday was sixth-round pick Blake Countess, a safety from Auburn.
One notable player released was linebacker Najee Goode, who played in 29 games the last three years for the Eagles and was a core special teamer. Goode, 26, was originally a fifth-round pick of the Buccaneers in 2013.
Also released on offense: quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson; offensive linemen Barrett Jones and Darrell Greene; wide receivers Marcus Johnson, Cayleb Jones and David Watford; running backs Cedric O’Neal and Byron Marshall; and tight ends Chris Pantale and M.J. McFarland.
Other defensive players released include linebackers Don Cherry, Quentin Gause and Myke Tavarres; defensive tackles Bruce Gaston and Aziz Shittu; defensive end Jake Metz.