Jeff Kerr· Aug 18, 2026
Assessing Eagles roster bubble battles after the preseason opener, Kerr says Dalton and McKee both deserve spots over Cole Payton, Darius Cooper will make the team, Kelee Ringo is essentially a lock, Joshua Weru likely won't make the 53, and Jose Ramirez has a better chance than Weru. He also puts Dalton as the QB2 and Shipley ahead in the RB3 race.
“Dalton and McKee deserve a roster spot over Payton.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
9 checkable claims — 6 roster spot calls and 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
2 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
9 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Roster Spot CallsKelee RingoPhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
Kelee Ringo to make the roster
“Ringo is a special teams standout, so he is basically a roster lock if he can provide competent cornerback play.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- PHI
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- 7d0aa37d-f88c-49b0-8b03-f18ce957df4e
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
Darius Cooper to make the roster
“He's a bubble player, but it would be shocking if he didn't make the team.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- PHI
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- 5816c8a5-d433-4f5d-81ee-78ae61fc28a9
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- Roster Spot CallsTanner McKeePhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
Tanner McKee to make the roster
“Dalton and McKee deserve a roster spot over Payton.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsAndy DaltonPhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
Andy Dalton to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Dalton is the QB2 based on when he entered the game and when he was taken out”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsWill ShipleyPhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
Will Shipley to be 3rd on the depth chart
“Advantage Shipley, who has gained ground in the RB3 battle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJohn OjukwuPhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
John Ojukwu to be a starter
“John Ojukwu has jumped Williams in the pecking order at tackle”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsTy RobinsonPhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
Ty Robinson to make the roster
“Ty Robinson essentially played his way into the roster Saturday night”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsAndy DaltonPhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
Andy Dalton to make the roster
“Dalton and McKee deserve a roster spot over Payton.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsUar BernardPhiladelphia EaglesAug 18, 2026
Uar Bernard to make the roster
“The Eagles are still likely to protect Bernard”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tyler SullivanGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Sullivan takes the Jaguars to beat the Browns, doubting Deshaun Watson, and takes the Eagles over the Commanders at home.
- Gregg RosenthalGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Rosenthal picked the Texans to reach the Super Bowl, the Eagles to win the NFC East and to beat Washington in Week 1, and the Dolphins to end up with the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft.
- Vani HanamirianScore Predictions · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 88The show's producer takes the optimistic side at 12-5 for the Eagles and predicts a low-scoring 17-10 week one win over Washington.
- Dave UramScore Predictions · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 98The station's Bulldog reporter leans to 10 wins rather than 12 for the Eagles, expects them to start 2-0 by beating Washington and Tennessee, and predicts a 21-20 Eagles win in the opener.
- Dan "Buzz" WilsonScore Predictions · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 88The host (called Dan by his guest) predicts the Eagles go 12-5, make the playoffs with a likely divisional-round exit, and beat Washington 24-17 in the week one opener; he also guesses Andy Dalton is the backup QB.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Wright picked Tampa Bay to beat Cincinnati outright, Philadelphia to beat Washington, Dallas to beat the Giants, and said he was one of the few nationally to pick the Chiefs to win it all.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jack KiserMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- Cody RourkeRoster Spot Calls · Mitchell FraboniMiss · 0Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle.
- Sayre BedingerRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeMiss · 0Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up.
- Bob MorrisRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut.
- Erick TrickelRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader).
- Nick ShookRoster Spot Calls · Aaron DonaldHit · 100Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last.