Biggest Winners And Losers From Eagles OTAs: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Making Push To Start

This is a crucial week for the Philadelphia Eagles as the summer break approaches.

The two-day mandatory minicamp begins this week (June 9-10), where we'll get a glimpse of how the Eagles will stack up heading into the summer.

This is a talented roster, one good enough to win a Super Bowl.

There are some holes on this roster, but not significant flaws (more like leaky faucets on a strong pipe).

Mandatory minicamp doesn't tell much, similar to voluntary OTA practices.

Players can still stand out in the sessions and sztruggle, even if this can all change when the pads come on.

So who are the winners and losers through the OTA sessions? Think of this as a guide for players to watch in mandatory minicamp.

Winner: Andy Dalton Dalton has been splitting the QB2 reps with Tanner McKee, an interesting development through the two open OTA practices to the media.

Dalton was scheduled to get the bulk on the reps in the first open OTA practice, and the reps were expected to switch between practices, meaning McKee was supposed to be getting the majority in the secodn OTA practice open to the media.

Instead, it was Dalton.

Are the Eagles preparing Dalton to be the QB2 in case they trade McKee this summer? This appears to be a possibility, as it seems unfathomable Philadelphia will keep four quarterbacks on the roster.

Loser: Tanner McKee This isn't an indictment of McKee's play at all.

Just how the QB2 reps have been split up over the two open OTA practices.

Dalton has been taking the majority of snaps in the OTA practices, and performed well in the second practice.

McKee's future with the Eagles is unclear, because of how well he's played for the franchise under his rookie contract.

The Eagles could fetch a high Day 3 pick for McKee then have Dalton as the QB2.

Should McKee be in the "loser" category.

Probably not, but Dalton is taking snaps from someone.

McKee would get another opportunity elsewhere if he's traded, one where he can start.

The Eagles have their starting off-ball linebackers in Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell.

Trotter Jr.

is putting that up for debate.

Trotter Jr.

showcased his instinctiveness in the last OTA practice open to the media, intercepting Jalen Hurts on the first pass of the practice.

These are plays Trotter Jr.

has been making for the last year in practice that have sood out, enough where he would be a starter on other nFL rosters.

Trotter Jr.

is a very good LB3 on the Eagles and can start games -- and perform well -- if Baun and Campbell go down with an injury.

As Campbell recovers from shoulder surgery, Trotter Jr.

will get his shot.

Loser: Fred Johnson The Eagles brought back Johnson to be the swing tackle this offseason.

With Lane Johnson not present at the voluntary OTA practice, Johnson was expected to get the first-team reps at right tackle right? That ended up going to Markel Bell, who was viewed as the long-term successor to Lane Johnson.

First OTA practice open to the media and Bell was ahead over Johnson on the depth chart.

Johnson was the second team left tackle.

If Johnson loses his swing tackle job (Bell played left tackle at Miami and is learning right tackle), does he have a place on the roster? The battle for the No.

4 tackle could be interesting if Cameron Williams develops or if Myles Hinton moves back to tackle.

Johnson will have to challenge Bell this summer to keep his role on the Eagles.

Winner: Dae'Quan Wright Wright was an intriguing undrafted free agent signing because of his ability to catch the football at Ole Miss.

He's doing that in the OTA sessions of Eagles minicamp, catching csome contested passes with the second and third team offense.

The Eagles have three tight ends with Dallas Goedert, Eli Stowers, and Johnny Mundt.

Wright can make a case for the Eagles to keep four with a good summer.

Perhaps Wright battles for a spot on the practice squad if he can't make the 53-man roster.

Loser: Makai Lemon A hamstring injury has kept Lemon out for the remainder of minicamp.

While Lemon is supposed to be back by the start of training camp, this injury hinders his development and chemistry with Jalen Hurts.

Lemon is battling Dontayvion Wicks for the WR2 job, yet Wicks is the front runner because he's getting the reps on the field and Lemon is not.

Lemon is still going to contribute as a rookie, but there's a reason to preach patience here.

Perhaps Lemon may not immediately contribute in Week 1, but September is a few months away.

Jeff Kerr covers the Philadelphia Eagles for On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated network and has covered the NFL for 10 years for CBS Sports.

He's covered two Super Bowls, three conference championship games, and multiple playoff games in his career.

Jeff also covers the Phillies for 97.3 ESPN FM in South Jersey and has been on the Phillies beat for multiple years.

He also hosts multiple podcasts including an Eagles one for On SI.

Follow JeffKerrPHL.

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