Wednesday marked the tenth Philadelphia Eagles coaching camp follow forward of the 2024 season. The Birds weren’t in pads right this moment; it was a comparatively lighter/shorter session. Nonetheless, loads of good notes to get to. Right here’s what I noticed on the NovaCare Advanced.
EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES
• JALEN HURTS UPDATE: Hurts is having a robust summer season.
At this fee, I really feel like he’s having one of the best camp of his profession. And the second-best displaying of any quarterback I’ve watched in Eagles coaching camp since I began attending them yearly again in 2013. Solely Carson Wentz’s very spectacular 2017 presently stands above this one. However Hurts nonetheless has time to overhaul his predecessor for that prime spot.
Jalen Hurts is just about having nearly as good of a coaching camp as one might’ve realistically hoped for.
Could possibly be poised for one more huge 12 months.
#Eagles
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 7, 2024
One in every of my favourite Hurts performs from right this moment didn’t actually have a flashy end result; it was only a checkdown to DeVonta Smith in the direction of the correct sideline. However Hurts rapidly went via his reads, realized nothing was there, and made the choice to get the ball out for a brief optimistic achieve. That’s a lot preferable to seeing him maintain onto the ball for an eternity. On that notice, right this moment was one other follow the place he averted working in 7-on-7.
A couple of extra Hurts throws that stood out:
1) Correct anticipatory throw to Grant Calcaterra up the seam to separate protection between Zack Baun beneath and Reed Blankenship excessive for at the least 20 yards.
2) Hurts threw a ball over beneath defender Nakobe Dean excessive to solely the place Dallas Goedert might make the play on it for a landing move.
3) Hurts received the ball out tremendous quick and on-target to DeVonta Smith to beat Darius Slay for a primary down in a Third-and-5 scenario. Unsure if he was getting blitzed on that play however that’s precisely the type of scorching route throw you’d wish to see a blitz beater.
Hurts did miss excessive on a number of fade patterns within the again left nook of the top zone. One concerned Calcaterra getting shoved out of bounds alongside the sideline. The opposite two have been simply positioned barely too excessive for his supposed targets.
However, as has usually been the case this summer season, the optimistic outweighed the adverse for Hurts. And he’s nonetheless but to throw an interception all through coaching camp, which is seemingly a franchise report within the training-camp-statistic-keeping period (hat tip to BGN alumnus Eliot Shorr-Parks).
Hurts’ post-practice press convention was attention-grabbing. There are some clips going round on social media purporting that the quarterback epically OWNED these evil, no-good, mendacity reporters. However I really thought Hurts dealt with an trade concerning the new ESPN report about his relationship with Nick Sirianni respectfully. And that was a distinction to how Hurts has typically been needlessly combative and cagey at occasions in earlier press convention settings. I’m not suggesting he must be the media’s greatest good friend … however I’ve witnessed some routine and genuinely innocuous questions obtain oddly terse solutions. In fact, nobody actually cares about how the media is handled and followers will not be going to take a reporter’s aspect over the dude they’re rooting for and whose jersey they most likely personal. However, getting again to my greater level, I felt like Hurts gave an genuine reply with a relaxed demeanor. And that tone jibes with how he’s regarded in camp; hardly uptight, hardly urgent. Relatively, he’s been in complete command on and off the sector. Nothing however props to him thus far.
Day 1: Thumbs up
Day 2: Thumbs up
Day 3: Thumbs up
Day 4: Thumbs down
Day 5: Thumbs sideways
Day 6: Thumbs up
Day 7: Thumbs up
Day 8: Thumbs up
Day 9: Thumbs up
Day 10: Thumbs up
• EAGLES INJURY UPDATES:
Tyler Steen (ankle) was upgraded to full participation.
John Ross totally practiced regardless of leaving early on Tuesday.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson (shoulder) missed his second straight follow.
Parris Campbell (groin) missed his fourth straight follow.
Brandon Smith (concussion) missed his fourth straight follow.
Mekhi Garner (hamstring) missed his fifth straight follow.
Oren Burks (knee) nonetheless hasn’t practiced for the reason that first day of camp.
Sydney Brown remains to be on lively/PUP and Cooper DeJean remains to be on lively/NFI.
• RIGHT GUARD TRAINING CAMP BATTLE: With Steen again in full power, it’s actually notable that Mekhi Becton took first-team reps over him. Steen labored because the second-team proper guard once more. Becton hasn’t regarded SO good that Steen can’t presumably overtake him earlier than the summer season is over. However the veteran clearly has the pole place on the job proper now.
• CORNERBACK TRAINING CAMP BATTLE: Isaiah Rodgers took the primary first-team cornerback reps throughout from Darius Slay in 11-on-11. That’s now seven days for Rodgers (six in a row) and three for Kelee Ringo. Each Rodgers and Ringo had good reps to stop A.J. Brown from scoring on a fade route in opposition to them. Ringo later gave up a catch to Brown on a comeback route in a situational drill.
• LINEBACKER TRAINING CAMP BATTLE: For the tenth day in a row, Devin White and Zack Baun have been the primary first-team linebackers in 11-on-11. Baun knocked the ball out of Johnny Wilson’s grasps to stop a catch. Nakobe Dean continued to battle in protection. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. made a very good play by being in place to sort out Tyrion Davis-Value shy of the objective line after a brief catch. After that rep, Baun ran as much as the rookie linebacker to reward him for good eye self-discipline and recognition. Trotter Jr. seems extra spectacular than Dean, who he’s usually been in comparison with, did as a rookie.
• WR3 TRAINING CAMP BATTLE: Johnny Wilson was as soon as once more up with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the first-team offense. He failed to herald a catch he ought to’ve secured higher to stop Baun from breaking it up. Britain Covey made a very spectacular contested catch in visitors and was capable of maintain on regardless of being contacted because the ball arrived. Covey has clearly earned some targets.
• QB2 TRAINING CAMP BATTLE: Kenny Pickett most likely would’ve been sacked in an actual sport setting however he received off a very good downfield move to Covey. Pickett exacerbated second-team offensive line struggles by holding onto the ball for a very long time. Tanner McKee had an actual spectacular back-shoulder ball to Austin Watkins in the midst of the top zone for a landing. It took some severe belief and coordination to that one accomplished as a result of Watkins simply stopped working his route after the ball was already out to create the separation and beat Eli Ricks (who hasn’t actually had a very good camp). to see extra of Pickett and McKee within the preseason video games.
• Right here’s a visible illustration of Kellen Moore’s involvement within the offensive operation. Nick Sirianni was on a separate subject with the protection whereas the Eagles’ OC was primarily within the huddle with the gamers throughout a pre-practice walkthrough exercise:
• I’ve praised Sirianni for the way camp has gone up to now. The vibes appear to be good and the practices have been crisp. Nevertheless, one factor that also worries me concerning the Eagles’ head coach is his overly conservative method in sure conditions. Tush push apart, Sirianni has not at all times been aggressive sufficient. Too many coward’s attracts and sequences the place they performed scared (see: the disastrous sequence from late within the loss to the Arizona Cardinals final season). PHLY’s Bo Wulf observed extra cowardice from Sirianni earlier this week and detailed it effectively:
Right here’s my play price mentioning: should you’re feeling actually good vibes concerning the Eagles […] right here’s the factor which can be going to make these vibes not so good. Nick Sirianni, in the midst of follow right this moment, says it’s an unscripted session. We’re going to be working eventualities, proper? One play. So, for the starters, the one play, the one state of affairs he has provide you with is Third-and-goal from the [8-yard line], first quarter. What’s our go-to play right here? What are we calling? And you recognize what he referred to as, Zach? A coward’s draw. That’s the play that we’re calling on Third-and-goal from the 8. And guess what, it was a two-yard achieve and also you’re kicking a subject objective. However, first quarter, so you may’t be risking throwing the ball into the top zone. Very a lot on my radar.
After which, the opposite state of affairs he comes up, for the [third team], the state of affairs is 4th-and-5 from the minus 35, first quarter. Nick, I do know that you’re not going for 4th-and-5 from the 35 within the first quarter, you simply referred to as a coward’s draw from the 8-yard line on Third-and-goal. You’re not snapping this ball, I do know you’re not snapping this ball, the protection is aware of you’re not snapping this ball, everybody is aware of you’re not snapping this ball. And guess what, they didn’t snap the ball. We gotta follow drawing offsides. And, you recognize what? You do must follow drawing offsides. That’s advantageous. But when the state of affairs in your thoughts that’s good for drawing them offsides is 4th-and-5 from the 35 within the first quarter? We’re practising the flawed stuff, we’re practising loser stuff. […] Let’s follow being aggressive. […] That is the primary time I’ve apprehensive concerning the Nick offense affect into Kellen Moore’s offense. That’s weak stuff.
I convey this again up as a result of I observed one other state of affairs on Wednesday the place the Eagles’ third-team offense was backed up at Third-and-10 from their very own half-yard line. Because the offense was huddling, an overhead remark indicated that the objective gave the impression to be to merely get some yards as a substitute of really going for the primary down. Positive sufficient, McKee focused Austin Watkins for about 4 yards or so. Now, in equity, I’m unsure what the rating was on this state of affairs that they have been practising; there might clearly be a time the place it’s greatest to keep away from the protection and get extra space for a punt. However, to a bigger level, Sirianni’s lack of aggression is a severe concern coming into this season. He must be higher in that division than he has been previously.
• Is likely to be price taking note of because it pertains to who makes the 53-man roster: particular groups deployment. The primary-team kickoff return blockers have been Tyler Corridor, Patrick Johnson, Ben VanSumeren, Kelee Ringo, Josh Jobe, Jalyx Hunt, Grant Calcaterra, Zack Baun, and Tristin McCollum.
• Brandon Graham had a “sack” with the second-team protection. He positive seems like he can nonetheless play in Yr 15.
• Talking of vets who nonetheless have it, Darius Slay had a very good move breakup on a Hurts throw to Joseph Ngata. If it’s Brown as a substitute of Ngata in that state of affairs, I really feel higher concerning the possibilities of it being a catch. However Slay has accomplished effectively regardless of struggling some losses.
Darius Slay: “That is one in all my hardest coaching camps as far as an Eagle.”
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 7, 2024
• Ainias Smith made a pair strong catches with out dropping the ball right this moment. Progress!
• E.J. Jenkins did not reel a catchable ball above his head for a would-be Pickett landing move.
• Eagles Tremendous Bowl champions Chris Lengthy and Beau Allen attended Wednesday’s follow. Trying ahead to them having an Eagles visitor (or a number of) on the following Inexperienced Mild podcast, assuming that’s the case. Forgot to say that fellow Tremendous Bowl champion Torrey Smith beforehand attended follow on Tuesday.
• Let’s finish on some levity:
UP NEXT: The Eagles have a walkthrough closed to media entry on Thursday. Then they’ll journey about 100 minutes down I-95 on Friday for his or her first preseason sport, which is in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens (7:30 PM Japanese kickoff).
