It’s been … one week because you checked out me the Philadelphia Eagles held their first coaching camp follow to gear up for the 2024 season. Let’s check out some winners, losers, and IDKs from the primary 5 days of motion down on the NovaCare Advanced.
Disclaimer: The Eagles solely held one padded follow and it’s clearly early in camp. There’s nonetheless loads of time for gamers to vary their outlook — for higher or worse — over the subsequent few weeks.
WINNERS
JALEN HURTS
Hurts has seemed significantly better than he did throughout spring practices. Judging him towards his acknowledged normal as a “triple menace,” he’s had success in all three regards. 1) As a passer, Hurts has been very correct; there haven’t been many off-target throws. 2) As a runner, Hurts seems quicker than he did the final time we noticed him play. 3) Within the psychological side, Hurts has largely been decisive and he’s averted placing the ball in hurt’s method. There are nonetheless instances when he’s been holding onto the ball longer than you’d prefer to see however the constructive outweighs the damaging up to now. Hurts is off to an encouraging begin.
DEVONTA SMITH
Two uncharacteristic drops apart, DeVonta has been superior. Makes troublesome catches look straightforward, wins in any respect ranges of the sector, it’s all there. Hardly surprising however nonetheless good to see.
A.J. BROWN
Similar take care of DeVonta. Elite expertise who’s exhausting to cease. Graduated to a stage the place he’s so good that it’s not even fascinating to speak about.
JALEN CARTER
To steal a line from my pal Sheil Kapadia, there’s no expectation for Carter that’ll have me saying “Quiet down, he can’t try this.” Carter seems primed to utterly wreak havoc on opposing offensive strains. He’s a robust drive to be reckoned with.
ISAIAH RODGERS
Between spring practices and camp to this point, Rodgers has seemed like probably the most certified contender to start out at CB2 throughout from Darius Slay. Rodgers has demonstrated straight-line velocity, quickness, psychological acuity, and ball expertise. He arguably made the perfect play of any DB this summer season by breaking apart a Kenny Pickett deep cross (which was baited) to Joseph Ngata in the long run zone. We’ve but to see how he holds up towards the run however there’s no information from his previous that signifies it’s a problem for him.
QUINYON MITCHELL
We don’t but know if Mitchell would be the beginning CB2 in Week 1. It’s attainable he’ll. However even when he’s not, he’s nonetheless going to have a job on this protection. The Eagles using Mitchell as a nickel and dime defender signifies that the coaches have a plan for him. Mitchell had his greatest day of follow on Day 5 when he locked down A.J. Brown throughout a number of 1-on-1 reps.
DEVIN WHITE
White’s explosiveness stands out in stark distinction to linebackers of Eagles previous. He’s wanting just like the Eagles’ high possibility at his place.
NOLAN SMITH
Smith terrorized Fred Johnson with back-to-back on Day 4. We have to see him proceed to win towards higher-level competitors however there are indicators that Smith can carry some cross dashing juice off the bench.
JALYX HUNT
Hunt has surpassed very low expectations coming into camp; he seems extra superior than anticipated.
MILTON WILLIAMS
Williams has been lively as each a run-stopper and a cross rusher. It’s a giant season for him as he enters a contract yr. Williams seems able to step up.
WILL SHIPLEY
After some early spring struggles, Shipley has settled in properly. The rookie working again seems actual pure catching the ball. He even obtained some first-team pink zone reps on Day 5. Shipley may very well be a job participant on this offense.
GRANT CALCATERRA
Calcaterra is working away with the TE2 job. He’s made a variety of stable catches. It additionally helps that nobody else within the tight finish room seems to be critically difficult him as Dallas Goedert’s high backup.
JOHNNY WILSON
Wilson’s been comparatively quiet in crew drills however the truth that he’s getting first-team reps looks like an excellent signal for his inventory. He’s been extra current in 1-on-1.
BRITAIN COVEY
Covey has made a behavior of getting open and being a dependable possibility. He would possibly even have a job within the offense this yr. Covey can be the highest punt return contender, particularly with Cooper DeJean lacking probabilities to overhaul the job.
LOSERS
COOPER DEJEAN
Unlucky to start his rookie marketing campaign on the lively/NFI record. If his reported restoration timeline holds up, he’ll miss at the very least 11 practices and one preseason recreation. DeJean will nonetheless have a while to indicate he deserves to be on the sector however he’s behind the eight ball.
TYRION DAVIS-PRICE
TDP dropped a cross and fumbled in non-contact spring drills. He’s had at the very least 4 drops over the previous two practices. Not making a convincing case for the Eagles to maintain a fourth working again.
AINIAS SMITH
Smith’s additionally had some drops along with some muffed punts. Wilson, who was drafted after him, has apparently leapfrogged Smith on the depth chart.
OREN BURKS
The veteran linebacker hasn’t practiced since Day 1. “You possibly can’t make the membership within the tub.”
C.J. UZOMAH
He’s seemed sluggish and his arms haven’t been nice. That may not matter a lot if he’s simply largely going to be a run-blocking TE3 … however you’d at the very least prefer to see him be a purposeful pass-catcher.
MATT HENNESSY
PHLY’s Bo Wulf mentioned he preferred what he noticed out of Hennessy in OL vs. DL 1-on-1. I didn’t see all of these reps since I used to be cut up between these drills and 7-on-7, which happen concurrently. I noticed Hennessy get beat badly to permit stress in a crew drill setting. And it doesn’t appear superior for him that the Eagles have solely continued to signal potential inside choices since they initially signed him. See: Mekhi Becton, Max Scharping, and now Nick Gates.
WILL GRIER
I truly assume Grier has completed some good issues along with his very restricted reps. He was good within the preseason final yr and he might gentle it up once more this summer season. However, exterior of the top of follow developmental interval, he’s not even getting an opportunity to play. He’s not a contender to make the roster.
I DON’T KNOWS
JAMES BRADBERRY
Credit score to Bradberry for being trustworthy about his scenario. And he’s had some good moments in protection. However I’m nonetheless not likely shopping for him being on this roster. Can he deal with tackling as a security? Is he going to offer particular groups worth as a backup? I nonetheless assume the Eagles want to commerce him earlier than Week 1. However possibly he’ll find yourself sticking round? I don’t know, therefore his placement on this part.
TYLER STEEN
It’s attainable that Steen can be again on Thursday night time. If not then, he may very well be again for his or her subsequent follow on Sunday. Lacking two or three practices is hardly a demise knell for his possibilities of beginning at proper guard. However the missed time actually doesn’t assist him. It’d be particularly good for him to not be lacking padded follow reps.
MEKHI BECTON
Becton’s measurement is certainly intriguing; he seems like he is usually a drive as a run blocker. Go safety is extra of a query mark, although. I don’t wish to write him off for getting dominated by Jalen Carter, who’s particular, however he wants to indicate extra to steal a beginning job.
CAM JURGENS
I can’t say Jurgens has jumped out to me in a giant method, for higher or worse. However my BGN Radio co-host Jimmy Kempski had him as his MVP of follow in the future (seemed nice out in house blocking within the second stage) and his LVP the subsequent day (obtained beat badly by Marlon Tuipulotu). So, looks like some inconsistency for Jason Kelce’s alternative.
SAQUON BARKLEY
Nonetheless ready for Barkley to have a spotlight second that makes everybody say “Wow, there’s Saquon Barkley!”
PARRIS CAMPBELL
To his credit score, Campbell’s been getting open and catching all of the brief targets thrown his method. However he hasn’t completed something particular in crew drills. He hardly has a lock on the WR3 job.
JOHN ROSS
Ross has been getting an excellent quantity of first-team reps however hasn’t stood out a ton. He did get open deep for a landing however he was overthrown. Once more, hardly locking down the WR3 job.
BRYCE HUFF
Hardly panicking as a result of he’s going up towards high-level tackles and it’s not like Haason Reddick at all times dominated in follow settings. However it will be good to see Huff stand out someday quickly.
KENNY PICKETT
I positively assume Pickett seems higher than Marcus Mariota, which is admittedly a reasonably low bar to clear. However with Tanner McKee getting his first style of second-team reps on Day 5, maybe there’s a legit QB2 battle in any case.
NAKOBE DEAN
Dean has been praised for wanting good as a run defender/blitzer, which is good. However he’s nonetheless not very current in protection, aside from when he’s noticeably getting beat. And Dean has but to take one of many first first-team linebacker reps in 11-on-11. These have solely belonged to White and Zack Baun to this point. I can purchase Dean as a backup/rotational LB3 however much less in order a full-time starter.
