A surprising early cut for the Eagles Wednesday with the release of veteran tight end C.J. Uzomah.
Surprising because one day earlier, Uzomah was getting 1st-team reps.
Uzomah, a one-time 5th-round pick of the Bengals, split time with Grant Calcaterra on the first offense on Tuesday while Dallas Goedert sat out most of practice with an oblique injury.
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He's been competing for a backup tight end spot, and with his experience and receiving ability, seemed to be in the mix to back up Goedert and Calcaterra.
The Eagles signed Uzomah to a one-year contract on April 11, and he was competing with Albert Okwuegunam Jr. and E.J. Jenkins for the third tight end spot. Recent acquisitions Kevin Foelsch and Armani Rogers are the other tight ends currently on the 90-man roster.
Uzomah has 192 catches for 1,881 yards and 16 touchdowns in nine NFL seasons, the first seven with the Bengals and the last two with the Jets. He surpassed 400 yards in both 2018 and 2021 but was just 8-for-58 with one TD last year and was released on March 13.
He also had a very good postseason in 2021 with Cincinnati, with 15 catches for 146 yards and a TD as the Bengals reached the Super Bowl. His 15 receptions are 6th-most in Bengals history in a single postseason.
Philadelphia Eagles
Uzomah played 11 offensive snaps in the preseason games against the Ravens and Patriots and had one three-yard catch in Baltimore. His 41.4 Pro Football Focus grade in those two games ranks 131st out of 138 tight ends this preseason.
Jenkins had a nice game in New England last week, with five catches for 47 yards, including a 19-yarder from Will Grier to set up a field goal.
The Eagles on Wednesday also re-signed interior offensive lineman Jason Poe, who was with the team until he was released on Aug. 5.
Poe, 26, hasn’t played in the league but spent time last year on the 49ers’ and Jets’ practice squads.
He joins a crowded group of interior linemen trying to earn a roster spot. Matt Hennessy, Brett Toth, Max Scharping and Nick Gates are also in that category. Tyler Steen, Dylan McMahon and Trevor Keegan seem to have roster spots secured.
Final cuts down to the regular-season limit of 53 must be made by 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Eagles finish the preseason with a 1 p.m. game Saturday at the Linc vs. the Vikings.
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