Getty Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate.
Training camp hasn’t even started and the Eagles are already down a man. This one was by choice.
Philadelphia waived undrafted rookie free agent Khalil Tate to get their roster down to 89 players. Tate was viewed as a project as the team sought to transition him from quarterback to wide receiver but the experiment is over before it started. The move came on the same day the Eagles agreed to terms with all 10 of their draft picks.
Roster Move: #Eagles have waived WR Khalil Tate.
The University of Arizona product had been training with Donovan McNabb and entered the 2018 season as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Tate threw for 6,318 yards and 57 touchdowns for the Wildcats while running for 2,285 yards and 18 scores. His 75 total touchdowns are a school record.
Why did the Eagles cut him? Maybe they felt there wasn’t enough time to turn him loose as a receiver. Tate had previously been on record saying his preference was to play quarterback in the NFL anyway. It will be interesting to see if another team takes a flier on Tate … paging Andy Reid and Kansas City? Tate is perfect to take on the Taysom Hill role, the same one possibly planned for Jalen Hurts in Philly.
As my Senior season and my career at U Of A has come to an end. This is my last college highlightape. Hope you guys enjoyed @kellyflicks making these motion pictures over the years… it’s a marathon not a sprint 🎯
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Eagles Camp Roster Stands at 89 Players
With Tate gone, the Eagles’ roster heading into training camp stands at 89 players. Philadelphia signed all 10 of their draft picks on Monday, including first-rounder Jalen Reagor who inked a four-year deal worth $13.3 million. Other rookies include Jalen Hurts (quarterback), Davion Taylor (linebacker), Jack Driscoll (guard), K’Von Wallace (safety), John Hightower (receiver), Shaun Bradley (linebacker), Quez Watkins (receiver), Prince Tega Wanogho (tackle) and Casey Toohill (defensive end).
Heavy hitters only.
The Eagles also will bring 12 undrafted rookie free agents into camp, including Grayland Arnold (safety), Raequan Williams (defensive tackle), Michael Warren (running back), Dante Olson (linebacker), Elijah Riley (safety), Noah Togiai (tight end), Adrian Killins (running back), Michael Jacquet (cornerback), Luke Juriga (center), Julian Good-Jones (guard), Manasseh Bailey (receiver) and Prince Smith (cornerback).
Undrafted rookies always face a tough challenge of making the 53-man roster but there are a few intriguing names on this list. Arnold fits the hybrid player the Eagles have been infatuated with lately, a safety who can play cornerback. It’s a position of need and Arnold has been working hard this offseason.
Warren and Killins have legitimate shots to earn a spot as the fourth running back on the depth chart. Warren — at 5-foot-11, 222 pounds — makes the most sense to take on the power back role while Killins is a multi-dimensional speed threat who could latch on as a return man. Meanwhile, Juriga is a perfect candidate to mentor under Jason Kelce and potentially serve as a long-term answer at center after he retires.
Olson was a tackling machine at Montana as evidenced by his school-record 397 career stops. Linebacker is a position of need in Philly and Olson can do it all. Keep an eye on Williams, too. The Eagles are crowded at defensive tackle but Williams started 42 consecutive games at Michigan State and helped anchor one of the best run-stuffing defenses in college football.
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