While pretty much everyone in this final preseason game is fighting for a job in some way, there are some guys with a little more to gain than others.
1. Michael Vick – Vick isn’t in danger of being cut, but he has looked pretty terrible this preseason. For a guy hoping to find a job as a starting QB next offseason, tonight may very well be his last shot to get himself on film running an offense and playing a significant amount of time.
2 and 3. Quintin Demps & Macho Harris – Two guys who were fighting it out for a starting job going into this game last year are fighting for a backup job this time around. What’s worse, both have so far been outplayed by two rookies (Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman). Actually, if you count that Macho Harris was moved back to safety after he was outplayed by rookie corner Trevard Lindley, then that makes three rookies. At this point it would seem likely that only one of these two will make the 53-man roster.
4. Hank Baskett – Another guy who has been outplayed by a rookie. While Baskett might be ahead of Riley Cooper on the unofficial depth chart, Cooper has clearly been playing a larger role. What’s more concerning for Baskett, though, is that it seems Kelley Washington, who was picked up mid-camp, appears to be getting as much if not more opportunities so far this preseason. That’s bad news for Hank because Washington is a noted special teams player, which has always been an area where Baskett excels.
5. Joselio Hanson - The Eagles gave Hanson a nice chunk of money last year after he’d come off a strong 2008. Since then he’s been suspended for taking an banned diuretic, struggled when he came back, and struggled so far this preseason. Hanson seemed penciled in as the nickel corner before this preseason, but that may not be the case any more. Dimitri Patterson and rookie Trevard Lindley have both arguably outplayed him.