Ravens vs. Eagles: Q&A with Inside the Iggles expert
1. How much should we expect to see from Carson Wentz on Thursday night?
GK: Doug Pederson’s made the decision to take a stance that I and so many other people agree with. It doesn’t appear that we’ll see Carson Wentz for the duration of the preseason. He sat in Week 1, and Nate Sudfeld got hurt. He sat again in Week 2, and Cody Kessler got hurt. Philly seems content to give Clayton Thorson the reps, and that’s fine by any Eagles fan. This, obviously, should be the dress rehearsal, but it seems pointless to trot Wentz out for three quarters then sit him in the fourth game.
Wentz is ready, and he will be fine, for the regular season, but the thought of losing him, especially in a game that doesn’t count, makes everyone feel like sending him out in a Week 3 preseason game is all risk and no reward.
2. Who has been the biggest surprise for the Eagles this preseason?
GK: There are several, but it would seem as though many of the guys who have been surprising are guys we won’t see in 2019. Marken Michel has had an amazing camp and a heart-stopping catch and run in the first game, but Philly’s gridlocked at wide receiver. Joe Ostman looked like a world-beater at defensive end, but he got hurt. Of the guys who will probably make the team, there’s Daeshon Hall, who stepped in and filled in nicely for Ostman. There’s Sidney Jones, who finally looks healthy and appears to be the guy that Philly spent that second-round pick on. I also like T.J. Edwards. I liked him when he was at Wisconsin.
His stock fell because of a slow 40 time, and he went undrafted. He’s shown some promise, but like Michel, he may fall victim to the numbers game. The Eagles have a lot of good players, and unfortunately, a lot of gifted guys aren’t going to make this roster.