The Philadelphia Eagles lost their first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens 20-19. While preseason game results don’t really mean anything, preseason performances often can. That’s why some players on the Eagles roster who stepped up in this game could be in line to move up the depth chart, while other players, like running back Kenneth Gainwell, could be in danger of losing their starting jobs as the Eagles training camp and preseason roll on.

RB Kenneth Gainwell

The Eagles made it to the Super Bowl last season with a 1-2 punch at running back of Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell (with a little — pun intended — Boston Scott mixed in). So, with Sanders signing a free agent deal this offseason with the Carolina Panthers, it is understandable that Nick Sirianni has penciled in Gainwell as the starting back on the Eagles' depth chart.

However, Philadelphia has made some moves this offseason, signing Rashaad Penny away from the Seattle Seahawks and trading for D’Andre Swift after the Detroit Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round.

The Eagles backfield will be a running back by committee situation this season no matter what, and out of respect for his contributions, it makes sense that Gainwell is going into the season as the “starter.”

Eventually, though, be it during the Eagles preseason or in the regular season, Swift was the talent to overtake Gainwell — and Penny and Boston — to become the starter, without the quotation marks.

Swift was a second-round pick out of Georgia and has more talent than any other back on the Eagles roster right now. This was evident in the game against the Ravens, as Swift got two carries and busted one for 22 yards.

The issue with the former Lions back is that he hasn’t stayed healthy for a full season in his career. Last season, he played a career-high 14 games, up from 13 in each of the last two campaigns. Gainwell, on the other hand, has missed one game in two seasons. Some of that is definitely due to the difference in workload, and the Eagles should find the right balance to keep Swift healthy.

In the end, the overall talent difference is significant, though, and that should lead to Swift ultimately becoming RB1 in the Eagles’ depth chart.

DT Jordan Davis

Former Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Last season, he played in 13 games, started five, and played 224 defensive snaps (26% of the Eagles' plays on defense).

It wasn’t a great season for Davis, but he was playing behind two of the best defensive tackles in the league, Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave.

Hargrave is now on to the San Francisco 49ers, making Davis the new started next to Cox on the Eagles depth chart. However, there is now another defensive tackle on the Eagles roster who will challenge for that spot, and Davis knows him well.

Jalen Carter, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft played alongside Davis on the Bulldogs’ defensive line during Georgia’s 2022 championship season. Carter came out this year and was the highest-rated prospect on many teams’ boards. His involvement in a tragic accident in college and subsequent legal issues that came during the NFL combine led to him falling in the draft, though.

With approximately 37 former Georgia defenders on the Eagles roster (give or take), the team decided to take a chance on the uber-talented player, hoping that being surrounded by former teammates in a winning organization with a great culture would bring the best out in him.

Well, in his first play in an Eagles uniform, Carter tossed Ravens guard Ben Cleveland aside like a rag doll and crushed quarterback Josh Johnson. It was just one play, but “wow” was the response from everyone who watched it.

Jordan Davis is a good player and he has the potential to be an excellent defensive tackle, especially with his athleticism at 6-foot-6, 330-plus-pounds. And someday soon, when the 32-year-old Fletcher Cox leaves Philadelphia, he will be one of the team’s starting defensive tackles.

That said, Carter looks like he has Aaron Donald-like potential. He is a different breed of defensive tackle and could take the NFL by storm in his rookie season.

If Davis does, in fact, lose his starting job on the Eagles roster, it likely won’t be through any fault of his own. He could play well in the Eagles’ preseason games and in practices and even be a player who would start on 31 other NFL teams.

Davis’ biggest — and maybe even only — problem is he’s not Jalen Carter.