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Today’s really big Philadelphia Eagles news? Definitely nothing to do with a starting quarterback change. Instead has to be the team signing free agent cornerback Lavert Hill to the practice squad.
LAVERT HILL
The 22-year-old Hill played college football for Michigan. He finished his career there with 56 total tackle and six interceptions. After failing to get picked in the 2020 NFL Draft, Hill signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He began this season on the practice squad before getting cut by KC a couple weeks ago.
Lavert is on the smaller side at 5’10”, 190 pounds but he has a reputation for playing bigger than his size. Also a fairly strong dude considering he finished in the 93rd percentile for bench press reps.
Our friends over at Arrowhead Pride did a nice job of profiling Hill’s NFL potential earlier this year. A sampling:
If you’re not going to be the most athletic or physically imposing player on the field, you’re going to have to play with high football character — and everything about Hill’s game screams that. He’s quick to process what he sees — and that comes from instincts and film study. Whatever the size or speed of the receiver lined up across him, you’re going to get Hill’s best. He’s a highly competitive player — and still very young. With the Chiefs, Hill has a chance to be a contributor on special teams and compete for a role as the slot cornerback in Steve Spagnuolo’s sub-packages. There are questions about whether he will be able to turn and run with receivers at this level, but if he can answer those questions — and allow his instincts to take over — it will lead him to an NFL career.
Hill seems like a sensible practice squad addition. The Eagles needed more cornerback depth anyhow since Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox got banged up in last week’s game. Nickell Robey-Coleman and Michael Jacquet are the only other full-time corners on the 53-man roster.
In other practice squad news, the Eagles placed protections on the following four players to ensure that they can’t be poached away this week: running back Jordan Howard, linebacker Rashad Smith, cornerback Kevon Seymour, and safety Elijah Riley.
JORDAN HOWARD
The Eagles elevated Howard to the roster for last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Will they do that again here? They can only elevate him to the roster one more time this season. Otherwise they’ll have to sign him to the 53 to play him.
RASHAD SMITH
With Davion Taylor expected to miss multiple games (and therefore possibly go on injured reserve?), the Eagles are down to five linebackers on the 53: Alex Singleton, T.J. Edwards, Duke Riley, Shaun Bradley, and the newly added Joe Bachie. The Eagles could be protecting Smith to prevent their depth from being further depleted. They might like his developmental potential.
KEVON SEYMOUR
The 27-year-old Seymour is less of a developmental player. He actually has some starting experience in the NFL. The Eagles could be planning to elevate him to give them more depth at corner on game day.
ELIJAH RILEY
Interesting to see the Eagles protect Riley. He’s already been elevated to the roster twice, which means he can’t be elevated a third time (unless it’s a COVID-related elevation). They must have decided they didn’t want anyone stealing their rookie defensive back .
See below for a current look at the Eagles’ 2020 practice squad.
Format: Position, player, (times protected this season), [times elevated this season]*
*Not counting COVID-19 elevations.
RB Jordan Howard (3) [1] — Protected this week
LB Rashad Smith (2) [0] — Protected this week
CB Kevon Seymour (1) [0] — Protected this week
S Elijah Riley (3) [2] — Protected this week
RB Elijah Holyfield (0) [1]
WR Deontay Burnett (4) [2]
TE Caleb Wilson (3) [2]
TE Jason Croom (2) [2]
TE Hakeem Butler (0) [0]
OT Prince Tega Wanogho (1) [0]
DE Joe Ostman (3) [0]
DT T.Y. McGill (7) [2]
DT Raequan Williams (3) [2]
DT Treyvon Hester (0) [0]
CB Jameson Houston (0) [0]
CB Lavert Hill (0) [0]
{DE Matt Leo — international spot - doesn’t count towards limit}