Philadelphia Eagles: 3 Things to watch for in Preseason Week 2

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 09: Chris Long #56, Fletcher Cox #91, and Michael Bennett #77 of the Philadelphia Eagles react in the first quarter of the preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field on August 9, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the Eagles 31-14. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

2 of 4

FOXBORO, MA – DECEMBER 31: Christian Hackenberg #5 of the New York Jets warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

3. Christian Hackenberg

Many people in the Philadelphia area may be familiar with one of the Eagles newest signings, quarterback Christian Hackenberg, due to his time in college at Penn State. Hackenberg was signed as a free agent on Aug. 12 to compete for a roster spot and provide some more depth at the position.

Hackenberg was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. That’s the same draft that the Eagles traded up to the second-overall pick to draft Carson Wentz. Since the draft, both Wentz and Hackenberg have had completely different starts to their careers.

Hackenberg spent his first two seasons in New York without even playing a single snap. He spent most of the time as the team’s third-string quarterback — not exactly what you would expect out of a second-round pick. The Jets decided to cut their losses so they traded Hackenberg to the Oakland Raiders on May 23. Hackenberg’s time in Oakland was short-lived as he was cut on June 13.

You may be thinking, why would I care about a guy who hasn’t even played an NFL game yet, which is fair to think. But,the Eagles signed him for a reason, and he was drafted in the second round for a reason too. The Eagles are hoping, under the tutelage of Doug Pederson, who is a former NFL quarterback himself, he may be able to show some signs as to why he was so heavily sought after in high school and college. If he can create some big plays against the Patriots, he has a chance to earn himself a roster spot.

Home/Philadelphia Eagles