Eagles-Jets 5 things: Kiko Alonso and position battles

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Eagles (3-0) at Jets (2-1)
7 p.m. on NBC10

The Eagles' preseason wraps up tonight at MetLife Stadium when they take on Todd Bowles' New York Jets.

The final preseason game is all about the backups, although one key Eagles starter will play.

With battles taking place across the Eagles' roster, here are five things to focus on tonight:

Alonso's debut
Inside linebacker Kiko Alonso surprised many when he said Tuesday that he expects to play "a few series" against the Jets. The starters never play the fourth preseason game, but Alonso is in a different situation. He hasn't played football in 612 days.

Alonso, who tore his ACL 14 months ago and suffered a concussion that cost him nine practices in August, was a late scratch in Green Bay. He felt some tendinitis in the knee he had surgically repaired last summer.

But he returned to practice on Monday and is ready to go tonight.

This game won't reveal just what kind of player Alonso can be on the Eagles' defense because he'll be playing with all backups. But it will be good for him to shake off the rust like Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans did last weekend, and you've got to imagine it will be cathartic for Alonso to actually tackle someone to the ground.

The key tonight for Eagles coaches will be getting Alonso in, letting him run around for 10 or so snaps and getting him out of there healthy.

Barkley vs. Tebow
Matt Barkley will start, just as he did a year ago in the Eagles' preseason finale against the Jets. In that game, Barkley went 21 for 33 for 253 yards with a 43-yard TD pass to Arrelious Benn and an interception. Barkley also rushed three times for 11 yards, including a seven-yard TD scramble.

Barkley has outperformed Tebow as a passer in three preseason games this summer. Barkley is 23 for 43 (53.5 percent) for 306 yards with no TDs and an interception that wasn't his fault. He's rushed twice for seven yards.

Tebow is 10 for 19 for 97 yards. He's rushed 10 times for 50 yards, and lost 28 yards on three sacks.

Something to watch tonight will be Tebow's usage in two-point conversion tries. Chip Kelly turned to Tebow after the Eagles' first two TDs in Green Bay and the Eagles failed to convert both times. On the first try, Tebow took the snap from shotgun and ran into a wall at the 1-yard line. On the second attempt, a quick slant to his right was nearly intercepted by a Packer.

Obviously, more can be done with Tebow than with Barkley, and Kelly seems to have a soft spot for "Timmy." But in terms of pure passing, Barkley should have the leg up so far.

Tonight's game could be the determining factor in who makes the final 53 as the third-string quarterback. Success tonight in those type of gadget plays could push Tebow ahead of Barkley.

Barner vs. Mostert
Do the Eagles keep four running backs? They didn't last year, breaking camp with LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles and Chris Polk. And that was despite an impressive preseason from RBs Henry Josey and Matthew Tucker, both of whom were among the final cuts.

Josey gained 252 yards on 37 touches and scored a TD last preseason. It wasn't enough to make the team.

Barner has been even better this summer, scoring three times already and making a big play in each game. He scored on the ground and on a punt return in the first preseason game, added a second punt return TD in the second game, and had a 50-yard catch-and-run against the Packers.

In total this preseason, Barner has rushed 12 times for 48 yards with a TD, caught four passes for 72 yards and returned 12 punts for 223 yards and two touchdowns. That's 7.5 yards per offensive touch and 18.6 yards per punt return.

If the Birds do keep four RBs, Purdue speedster Raheem Mostert has made it a race. He, too, has made some splashy plays in the preseason. He caught a 40-yard pass against the Colts, rushed 10 times for 54 yards against the Ravens and returned the opening kickoff 67 yards against the Packers.

The Eagles would probably have more success passing Mostert through waivers and adding him to the practice squad than with Barner. That, along with Barner's explosiveness in the punt return game, better preseason and Oregon ties, probably gives him the advantage.

Final receiver spot(s)
Six wide receivers were on the Eagles' season-opening 53-man roster last season: Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper, Jordan Matthews, Josh Huff, Brad Smith and Jeff Maehl.

The 2015 wide receiver corps will include Matthews, Huff, Cooper and rookie Nelson Agholor. That would leave two open spots if they go with six WRs again.

Battling for those two final spots are veterans Seyi Ajirotutu and Miles Austin; Maehl; hometown rookie Rasheed Bailey; and second-year players Freddie Martino and Quron Pratt.

The educated guess here is it comes down to two of Ajirotutu, Austin and Maehl. The tri-state are loves it some Bailey, but he's probably headed for the practice squad.

Those final receiver spots will be affected by special teams play. Ajirotutu has stood out in that regard. He realized while in San Diego with special teams ace Kassim Osgood that if he couldn't be an every-down receiver, he needed to make an impact on special teams.

Then it would come down to Maehl's familiarity with the offense vs. Austin's veteran savvy and ability to get open. The assumption here is that Austin has the edge, which would as of now leave Maehl the odd man out. But again, this fourth game could shift things.

Austin's extensive injury history has to be considered, though the things the Eagles do with sports science are geared toward the type of nagging soft-tissue injuries he's suffered throughout his NFL career.

Safety dance
Malcolm Jenkins and Walter Thurmond are locked in as the Eagles' starting safeties, but the depth chart behind them is unsettled.

Ed Reynolds, Jerome Couplin, Chris Maragos and Chris Prosinski are battling for the backup jobs. Maragos and Prosinski are special-teamers looking to make an impact on defense.

Reynolds has made more plays this preseason, intercepting two passes with a chance for a third against the Colts. He was a fifth-round pick of the Eagles' last year and spent 2014 on the practice squad.

Couplin played in eight games with the Lions last season before signing with the Eagles last Dec. 10.

The Eagles carried four safeties on the season-opening 53 last year. If they want to keep both Maragos and Prosinski for special teams purposes, they could be forced to keep five safeties this time around, and even that would leave an odd man out among this group.

Defensively, safety is the position to watch tonight.

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