PHILADELPHIA – Sometimes the way you assemble your roster can get in the way of gaining a competitive advantage.

The Eagles used few players at the tight end position on their initial 53-man roster and reached an agreement with practice squad offensive lineman Nick Gates to use the seventh-year veteran as a backup at center back on game days at the start of the season.

That means both promotions are already in the cards, as receivers AJ Brown and Johnny Wilson were listed as questionable on the status report for Monday night’s game against Atlanta due to hamstring injuries.

Gates and TE EJ Jenkins were upgraded in Week 1 against Green Bay. Gates remains a no-brainer against the Falcons, as Jenkins or fellow PS TE Jack Stoll are also needed as a third option behind Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra, allowing Kellen Moore to use 12 players if needed.

The extra day helps Philadelphia on both fronts: It gives Brown and Wilson an extra 24 hours to work out any tension and prepare for the game, while also pushing back the announcement of the PS increase until Monday at 4 p.m. ET.

For a typical Sunday game, the horsepower increases must be announced by 4 p.m. ET Saturday, allowing the Eagles to keep Atlanta guessing until four hours before kickoff.

The main problem, of course, is Brown.

The Eagles aren’t the same team when the All-Pro receiver isn’t on the field, and the loss of the two-time 1,400-yard receiver will severely impact the Eagles’ offense as everyone will move up a spot.

DeVonta Smith is a star in his own right and more than capable as a WR1. From there, recently acquired Jahan Dotson moves up to WR 2 and the idea of ​​splitting the WR3 position between Britain Covey (a tricky traditional slot player) and Wilson (the king-size blocker) could have been the plan to keep going. However, Wilson’s injury could make the experienced Parris Campbell a third necessity from the PS.

The easiest way to get Gates, Jenkins or Stoll and Campbell on the field Monday night is through a roster move with the two raised. Gates will likely be slotted at 53, as the veteran has been promised early raises.

This final would require a corresponding roster change to make room for Gates.

Players who did not play in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil included backup quarterback Tanner McKee, injured players Isaiah Rodgers (broken hand) and Devin White (ankle), and non-injury players Jalyx Hunt, Darian Kinnard, Trevor Keegan and Byron Young.

Of that group, Hunt and Keegan are secure as 2024 draft picks that the organization likes. That means the candidates who could be affected by a roster change are White, who lost his job as starting linebacker Mike to Nakobe Dean and has no role on special teams, Kinnard, an O-lineman with guard/tackle versatility, and Young, a DT waiver-wire pickup from Las Vegas.

The easiest decision would be to swap Gates for Kinnard at the 53, with the idea of ​​bringing Kinnard back to PS if he goes through waivers.

The best-case scenario is that the Eagles are simply being cautious with Brown, who felt tightness in his hamstring during Friday’s practice. Philadelphia then left Brown out of a lighter practice on Saturday.

Wilson, meanwhile, was doing stretches to prepare for Saturday, but was seen in discussions with WR coach Aaron Moorehead before being suspended for the day.

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