The Philadelphia Eagles host the New York Jets Thursday night (7 p.m. ET) to close out the regular season. Here's what you need to know:
Who's in, who's out
Rookie running back Wendell Smallwood returned from a quad injury that sidelined him for the first two preseason games only to suffer a concussion against the Indianapolis Colts Saturday. Assuming he can't go, he'll finish the preseason with just two carries for 11 yards. Guard Isaac Seumalo (pec) will be held out. Same with defensive tackle Taylor Hart (knee, ankle). Vinny Curry (knee sprain) and Leodis McKelvin (hamstring) wouldn't play anyway, but Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said they'd be able to go this week if it were a regular-season game.
The preseason finale is mainly for reserves, though Pederson indicated that Mychal Kendricks, Josh Huff and Dorial Green-Beckham could all see a little playing time.
Reading the Kendricks decision
Kendricks, the projected weakside linebacker in Jim Schwartz's scheme, played into the fourth quarter against the Colts last week after the first-team defense had been pulled. Pederson said he'd also "love" to get Kendricks a little action Thursday against the Jets.
"He hasn't played and we just want to see him get game and live reps. That's the bottom line," said Pederson.
Kendricks is a bit behind after missing the first two preseason games with a hamstring injury, so it makes sense that they would want to give him some more work in the new system before the games begin to count. They need to get him up to speed and they need to get him into game shape.
Risking a starter's health at this stage does come off as a little curious, though, and the fact that the 25-year-old has declined to comment of late has only heightened those curiosities about whether there's a bit more to the story.
The Eagles are not blessed with a ton of depth at linebacker -- even with the addition of Stephen Tulloch -- so there's not much room for error when it comes to the projected starters. Schwartz needs Kendricks clicked in, which may be the very point of this exercise.
What we'll be watching
It has been a struggle for Eagles defensive end Marcus Smith since he was selected with the 26th pick in the 2014 draft. With just 1.5 sacks in two NFL seasons, his grip on a roster spot has gotten weaker with each passing season. Smith has shown some signs of promise this summer while drawing a little praise from Schwartz, however. A strong performance in the preseason finale against the Jets will help ensure his place on the roster and allow him more time to prove his worth.
He's been going up against Steven Means for the fourth defensive end role, though it's certainly possible both make the team.
Thursday is a good day to focus on some of the young offensive linemen. Dillon Gordon, the undrafted rookie out of LSU, has created some buzz inside the NovaCare Complex. Don't be surprised if he ends up on the team. The same might be said for fellow rookie Darrell Greene.
At cornerback, North Dakota State rookie C.J. Smith has performed well but seems to be right on the bubble. He could use a big night. Chris Pantale's play seems to have fallen off. Can he convince the Eagles to keep a fourth tight end?
Wide receiver Paul Turner has been one of the best stories of Eagles camp. The rookie out of Louisiana Tech lasted longer than Rueben Randle and Chris Givens and looks to be the No. 5 receiver at the moment. The only issue is, there's no guarantee that the Eagles will keep five on their roster, and it's very possible that they'll be actively searching the open market for upgrades once cuts are made across the league. Turner could use a big showing to avoid the practice squad and secure a spot on a 53-man roster, whether that's in Philadelphia or elsewhere.