The work stoppage that eliminated offseason workouts and the new collective bargaining agreement that has softened practices have made it more difficult to evaluate players.
The return of the salary cap has put several veterans who would be assured spots on the bubble.
Plenty of decisions remain to be made, not all of them on whether to keep or cut a player. Several trades are likely to occur. Last year, the Eagles dealt offensive lineman Stacy Andrews to Seattle and linebacker Tracy White to New England, and acquired defensive end Antwan Barnes from Baltimore in the hours just before the 6 p.m. deadline.
So, here is one reporter's stab at who makes the team:
Offensive linemen (10). The toughest position to predict because of injuries to tackles Winston Justice and Ryan Harris, the line has undergone a mass transformation under new coach Howard Mudd. Jason Peters and Todd Herremans are the starting tackles, Evan Mathis and Danny Watkins the guards, and Jason Kelce the center. Justice says he'll be ready for the start of the season, so we'll take his word for it and pull him off the physically unable to perform list. Harris, who had back surgery, appears pegged for injured reserve. King Dunlap can back up both tackle spots. Center Jamaal Jackson could be cut, but the Eagles need the veteran in case the rookie ahead of him slips. Reggie Wells, who can play both tackle and guard, somehow finds his way on the roster. Rookie Julian Vandervelde provides some interior depth. Mike McGlynn, a 16-game starter at center year ago, has a relatively high cap figure ($1.1 million) and has looked out of sync all camp.
Running backs (3). The Eldra Buckley experience has come to an end after two seasons. Rookie Dion Lewis, who has dazzled in the preseason, made sure of that. LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown are the top two tailbacks.
