Getty Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was extremely emotional after beating Indianapolis in Week 11.
The Philadelphia Eagles enjoyed a well-deserved day off on Friday, but Howie Roseman and the front office were in the building tweaking the roster. The team elevated former starting safety Anthony Harris to the active roster ahead of Saturday’s divisional playoff showdown.
Harris was re-signed to the Eagles practice squad on December 13 following a failed two-month stint with the Denver Broncos. The 31-year-old veteran could be in line for meaningful snaps against the Giants, particularly on special teams. Harris has logged 1,078 snaps on special teams over his eight-year career, including 43 this season in Denver.
More importantly, Harris could provide the ultimate insurance policy at the safety position with C.J. Gardner-Johnson moving over to nickel cornerback. Reed Blankenship and Marcus Epps are expected to start. The 6-foot-1, 202-pounder started 14 games at safety for Philly during the 2021 campaign. He finished with 72 tackles and 1 interception (off Tom Brady). Remember, Harris was tied for the league lead in picks as a member of the Minnesota Vikings in 2019.
Anthony Harris’ first interception as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. Harris intercepts an errant Tom Brady throw.
Head coach Nick Sirianni addressed the decision to release Harris on September 5, then bring him back to the practice squad three months later. The head coach valued their relationship then and now.
“It makes that conversation with the connection that you actually build throughout with them, it makes that conversation harder, but it also keeps you connected to the guy,” Sirianni told reporters on December 14. “In this case, I’m really happy that we have Anthony back here. I missed him. It’s good to see his face again. It’s going to be good to see him out at walk-through today, it’s going to be good to see him at practice tomorrow, and I’m just happy that we have him back.”
To be continued✍🏽
Eagles Sign Ex-Patriots TE Dalton Keene
Roseman made a minor roster move on Friday when he signed tight end Dalton Keene to a reserve/future contract. He won’t be eligible to play in the postseason, but he’ll be guaranteed a spot at training camp. Keene, a third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2020, returns to the Eagles for his second tour of duty. He was initially added to the Eagles practice squad on September 6 and then released on October 4.
Virginia Tech TE Dalton Keene
6’4” 250 lb
4.71 40, 34 in. vertical, 21 bench reps.
One of my favorite hidden gems in the #NFLDraft. An Athletic TE, who’s great at gaining yards after the catch.
Reminds me a lot of Dawson Knox from last year.
The 6-foot-4, 251-pounder was supposed to be an explosive weapon in Bill Belichick’s offense, particularly in two tight end sets. He just never panned out, quickly earning the dreaded bust label before getting waived coming out of training camp in 2022. Keene has 3 receptions for 16 yards in six career games.
Eagles Announce Midnight Green Uniforms
Philadelphia will be donning their midnight green jerseys and pants on Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles hold a 6-2 record this season when wearing that uniform combination, according to Deniz Selman. They wore all-black uniforms for their 22-16 win over New York in Week 18.
#Eagles 2022 record by uniform combination:
Green on white: 6-2
White on green: 4-0
Black on black: 2-1
White on black: 1-0
White on white: 1-0
The Eagles also announced that a trio of Super Bowl champions will serve as honorary captains in the NFC Divisional Round. Torrey Smith, Brent Celek, and Malcolm Jenkins will take the field to get the crowd pumped up prior to kickoff.
To add even more juice, the team released a video of former greats Brian Dawkins, Brian Westbrook, Ron Jaworski, and Malcolm Jenkins explaining what the motto “It’s a Philly thing” means. Dawkins looks like he’s ready to put the pads back on and rock someone. Sign him up!
A trio of Super Bowl LII champions (Torrey Smith, Malcolm Jenkins and Brent Celek) will be Eagles honorary captains on Saturday night vs. the Giants.