Eagles Claim Three; Waive Paul Turner
Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles made waves yesterday, with the news that they had traded starting quarterback Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2017 1st Round Pick, and a 2018 4th Round Pick. That news came before the final league-wide cutdown, that required teams to trim their rosters down to 53 players. The Birds also made some news with their final cuts, axing former pro-bowl kicker Cody Parkey, in addition to 2015 sixth-round pick JaCorey Sheppard, and linebacker Najee Goode.
During yesterday's press conference, General Manager Howie Roseman said that the final 53-man roster was "fluid." That much was proven today, as the Eagles were awarded three players off of waivers. The Birds claimed wide receiver Bryce Treggs from the San Francisco 49ers, linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill from the New England Patriots, and defensive back Terrence Brooks from the Baltimore Ravens.
Brooks, 25, was a 2014 third-round selection by the Baltimore Ravens. The former Florida State Seminole will provide depth at the safety position for a team that just cut Ed Reynolds. In 23 career games, Brooks has compiled 22 tackles, three pass deflections, and a fumble recovery. It's interesting to note, that Brooks was drafted by the Ravens, during top Eagles executive Joe Douglas' tenure in Baltimore.
Grugier-Hill, 22, comes to us from Brother Bill Belichick. The 22-year-old was taken in the sixth-round of this past April's draft out of Eastern Illinois University. He was pretty effective as a freshman, playing in all 12 games.Over his final three seasons, Grugier-Hill compiled 210 total tackles (31 for loss), four interceptions, six fumble recoveries, 13 pass deflections, and (at least..) eight sacks. Eastern Illinois game highlights are hard to come by, but these are the most accurate stats to date. He's been described as having the looks of a safety, the athleticism of a slot cornerback, and the overall play of a linebacker. At 6'2, 215 lbs, he reminds me a little of current Arizona Cardinals utility-man Deone Bucannon (6'1, 216 lbs). Oh, and did I mention that he earned the honor of taking reps with the Patriots' first-team special teams squad? That's pretty impressive, right there.
Finally, we come to Bryce Treggs. Treggs was waived yesterday by the San Francisco 49ers, but didn't stay without a team for long. He joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent out of the University of California. He was on pace for a spot on the practice squad in San Fran, but a knee injury in the preseason slowed that pace, and essentially was the catalyst for his release. According to reports though, he had a strong training camp. Treggs was a burner at Cal, running a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in February. For his career, Treggs left Cal with 195 receptions for 2,506 yards (12.9 yards per catch), and 15 touchdowns.
Unfortunately, it appears that fan favorite is one of the casualties for these claims. Fans were elated when it was revealed that Turner had made the 53-man roster. However, as soon as Dave Zangaro reported the news that Turner was going to be waived, the elation turned into frustration. Turner had a very strong training camp, and put on quite a show in the preseason -- thus, making it difficult for him to be cut. Reports have stated that he's destined for the practice squad, although that's provided he doesn't get a better offer. For now, fans will remember Turner for this incredible one-handed catch during the second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With rosters cuts coming fast and furious, it's difficult to imagine that this is the final product that we'll see come one week from today against the Cleveland Browns. There are still a number of interesting players -- both youthful and veterans -- that could help the team, in a number of ways. Whether the Birds make any more moves, well, that's anyone's guess. As Roseman said though, the 53-man roster is "fluid."
