The Eagles have opened up a practice slot for veteran safety Justin Evans, who has started four of the first five games of the year.
Evans, 2n.d.– A round pick of the Buccaneers in 2017, signed with the Eagles in March and was the surprise winner of the training camp battle for the second safety spot opposite Reed Blankenship.
He started the first three games, but suffered a neck injury in Week 3 against the Bucks in Tampa and missed Week 4’s game against Washington. He returned to the Rams in Week 5, but suffered a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve on October 13.
He is currently eligible to be activated as he has missed four games. By opening up his practice period, the Eagles could keep him on IR but bring him to the practice field when he returns to work on Thursday. They have 21 days to activate him or suspend him for the year (or release him).
Evans has played in four games this year, recording 15 tackles, two pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 197 defensive snaps.
Injuries have been a constant throughout Evans’ career. He appeared in just 43 games after being drafted in 2017 and did not play at all from 2019 to 2021.
While Evans was on IR, the Eagles acquired two-time All-Pro Kevin Byard in a trade with the Titans, but he started the last two games with mixed results.
Terrell Edmunds started three games at safety while Evans was out, but was traded to the Titans as part of the trade with Byard. Rookie Sidney Brown and Edmunds started against Miami when Blankenship and Evans were injured.
Where would Evans fit in if the Eagles re-signed him? Defensive coordinator Sean Desai likes to rotate in positions that don’t normally get rotated, so he could fill Evans’ role while Blankenship and Byard are healthy. there is a possibility that you can find it. But on the downside, it gives the Eagles more depth at a thin position where Sidney Brown was the only healthy backup on the 53-man roster.
If the Eagles activate Evans, they would have to make corresponding moves to free up space on the 53-man roster. Slot corner Josiah Scott could be that possibility. The Eagles took him off the Steelers’ practice squad on Oct. 18, so he will play in 53 games during the three-week minimum the team must keep from removing players from other teams’ practice squads.
The Eagles also added tight end Noah Togiai and offensive lineman Lecitus Smith to the practice squad on Tuesday.
This will be Watarai’s third stint with the Eagles. He stayed here during training camp in 2020, played with the Colts in 2020 before returning to the Eagles, and was on and off the practice squad for most of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He appeared in three games and recorded 36 offensive snaps and 27 special teams snaps.
Togiai attended the Cards’ training camp and was on the Raiders’ practice squad until his release three weeks ago. He hasn’t played in a regular season game since Week 2 of last year, when the Eagles defeated the Vikings.
Ai Watarai did not catch a ball in seven games during parts of three seasons.
Smith, 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, 6thA former Cards round pick last year out of Virginia Tech, he played in 10 games last year at right guard for Arizona State, starting two games midway through the season and scoring 209 times on offense.
The Eagles also released practice squad tight end EJ Jenkins, who was signed on Nov. 1.
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