The Eagles’ All-Decade Preseason Team

It’s Thursday.

Which means it’s game da -- rubs eyes. It’s game day?!

It’s game day.

And what better way to welcome another slate of Philadelphia Eagles preseason bouts than by crowning those who have dominated this very time of year in the past?

You know, the preseason pioneers. The Na Browns of the exhibition schedule, if you will. The depth-chart destroyers. The cut-down conquerors.

Not all of them went on to distinguish themselves in games that counted, but all of them left their mark in the Eagles’ preseason history books — relics that, presumably, only the highest-clearance NovaCare security can even attempt to access. They are ...

The Eagles’ All-Decade Preseason Team (2007-2016)

QB: Sam Bradford (2015)

“Sleeves” had Birds fans chanting “M-V-P” after lighting up the Green Bay Packers with a 10-for-10, three-touchdown outing in the Eagles’ “dress rehearsal.” His 156.7 rating helped Philly move to 3-0 in the preseason, the first big symbol of fool’s gold in 2015.

Honorable mentions: Trent Edwards (forgot he was an Eagle, didn’t you?), G.J. Kinne.

RB: Henry Josey (2014*)

Guaranteed there was at least one fan going around suggesting LeSean McCoy should be outright replaced by this guy.

RB: Matthew Tucker (2013-2014*)

Six touchdowns in two preseasons give him a slight edge over a bevy of other exhibition studs, including Bryce Brown, Kenjon Barner and Eldra Buckley.

WR: Chad Hall (2010-2012)

Andy Reid’s American hero/Swiss Army knife.

WR: Damaris Johnson (2012-2013)

Close runners-up: Hank Baskett, Michael Gasperson, Riley Cooper, Paul Turner.

(*Update: Rasheed Bailey, as many of you have noted, deserves a nod here as well.)

TE: Trey Burton (2014-present)

Part of the Carson Wentz-Jordan Matthews BFF brigade.

OT: Austin Howard (2010)

OG: Nick Cole (2006-2010)

C: Mike McGlynn (2008-2010)

OG: Max Jean-Gilles (2006-2010)

OT: Matt Tobin (2013-present)

DE: Phillip Hunt (2011-2013)

The Canadian sack master. Victor Abiamiri got consideration, too.

DT: Derek Landri (2011-2012)

At one time, he was the Paul Turner of interior defenders.

DT: Antonio Dixon (2009-2012)

DE: Jason Babin (2009, 2011-2012)

He gets a mention for his first stint, not his Jim Washburn-fueled rage tour on the “Dream Team.” It was 2009 when he sacked his NFL career back to life.

OLB: Akeem Jordan (2007-2012)

Maybe the most solid, steady, if unspectacular, starter of the whole bunch.

MLB/ILB: Joe Mays (2008-2009)

The Jamar Chaney before Jamar Chaney.

OLB: Brian Rolle (2011-2012)

CB: Dimitri Patterson (2009-2010)

CB: C.J. Smith (2016-present)

Without picking a big name like Lito Sheppard, it’s kind of difficult to identify preseason studs at CB, believe it or not (let me guess — you believe it.) Unless you go Curtis Marsh purely because of his one-time potential or, say, Roc Carmichael because he made a 53-man roster, it’s between Smith and the likes of ... Nolan Carroll?

FS: Kurt Coleman (2010-2013)

Two touchdowns on fumble returns as a rookie helped him crack the roster.

SS: Walter Thurmond (2015)

Unlike lots of unproven vets who shine in the preseason, Thurmond’s showcase was actually a preview of a decent regular season. Then, inevitably, he retired.

K: Cody Parkey (2015)

His field goals elicited big roars after the Alex Henery collapse.

P: Mat McBriar (2012)

Anything to erase memories of Chas Henry’s fake punt pass, right?

Notes:

- Included players were limited to those who did not go on to become regularly recognized regular-season Eagles starters a la Pro-Bowlers Donovan McNabb, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson

- An asterisk (*) denotes a season in which the player did not remain with the team beyond the preseason