First Round, First Team

PHILADELPHIA – After holding a private walkthrough Friday, the Eagles on Saturday resumed their normal training camp schedule, coinciding with Military Appreciation Day. The practice, efficient and detailed, featured a wide variety of drills and looks in their third day of the acclimation period.

The practice, classified as “green,” covered around 1 hour, 40 minutes. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo addressed the media prior to practice.

As for Saturday’s status report, DT Jalen Carter (shoulder) did not practice, while G Kenyon Green (knee), LB Jihaad Campbell (shoulder) and C Cam Jurgens (back) were limited participants. For Green, it was his first training camp session. The fourth-year pro got some work in team drills as the third-team left guard.

LB Nakobe Dean, who’s on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, along with Carter were spotted as spectators. Among those taking in practice were former Eagles standout DT Fletcher Cox and former NFL DT Gerald McCoy, who works for NFL Network.

ITB PHOTO/ANDREW DICECCO: Eagles first-round LB Jihaad Campbell (30) got his first action with the starting defense Saturday.

Let’s get to the practice observations:

* On Thursday, I’d written that it felt like Campbell was close to garnering work with the Eagles’ first-team defense. Well, on Saturday, Campbell did, in fact, mix in alongside Zack Baun. While second-year LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. received the vast majority of first-team snaps, it’s evident Campbell is ahead of schedule and could eat into Trotter Jr.’s workload.

* Unlike the first two practices, QB Jalen Hurts missed a handful of throws, mostly due to ball placement. He did, however, complete a flurry of passes inside the numbers and pushed the ball downfield more than the first two days.

There was one instance where his short pass to WR Jahan Dotson was rejected by the oversized “rabbit ears” impeding his vision at the line of scrimmage. There was another play, during a red zone period, where he rifled a pass high in the back of the end zone intended for TE Dallas Goedert – who had a step on S Reed Blankenship – though the pass hit his fingertips and fell incomplete.

His notable completions showcased touch and chemistry with his playmakers. During a period devoted to third downs, Hurts delivered a perfectly placed deep shot on a 3rd-and-10 about 25-to-30 yards down the right sideline to WR A.J. Brown, who was covered closely by CB Kelee Ringo. While Ringo failed to locate the ball, the coverage was there. The connection was another byproduct of the innate rapport between Hurts and Brown.

Hurts, during a red zone period, also connected on consecutive touchdowns to WR DeVonta Smith. The first was a dart at the goal line, where Smith had position on DB Cooper DeJean. The following play saw Smith cross the face of rookie LB Smael Mondon Jr., who held a little of Smith’s jersey as the receiver crossed the pylon. Smith, by the way, has looked terrific through three practices. He also skied to reel in a short Hurts toss that was a bit high.

* On the subject of LB Smael Mondon Jr., the rookie linebacker caught my eye on multiple occasions, as the Georgia product showcased physicality and range. The Georgia product will be a major asset on special teams.

* First up during kick return drills were WR Avery Williams and RB Will Shipley, followed by a pairing that included WRs Ainias Smith and Danny Gray. Veteran RB A.J. Dillon also took reps, as well as fellow RBs Keilan Robinson and Montrell Johnson Jr. Johnson Jr. is already a player I’ve highlighted as one to watch during exhibition play. The Florida product has some burst.

* For the second consecutive day, it was veteran CB Adoree’ Jackson opening with the first team at right cornerback. Ringo also mixed in as well. Again, expect this rotation to persist throughout the summer until one of the two emerges.

* Do-it-all DB Cooper DeJean again aligned at safety when the Eagles were in base. Once shifting to nickel, however, it was third-year safety Sydney Brown who aligned opposite Reed Blankenship. Rookie Drew Mukuba also saw a healthy amount of reps with the starters. He also came on when the Eagles went to dime.

On Brown, he mentioned after practice that his offseason focused on getting his knee 100% healthy (Brown injured his knee in the 2023 season finale):

“Just getting my knee right. As much as I wanted to be 100%, I wasn’t fully 100% yet. Now, my knee is feeling perfect. I’ve put a lot of work in this offseason and I feel I’m right where I need to be.”

As for Mukuba, I jotted down “24” on multiple pages in my practice notebook, as the rookie has generally proven to be sticky in coverage. In one instance, he had decent position on TE Dallas Goedert, who ultimately reeled in the narrow-window throw. Mukuba clapped his hands after the play. He also provided tight coverage on a completion to Smith.

* Second-year CB Quinyon Mitchell already looks to be in regular-season form. On a deep Hurts pass down the sideline during a team period, Mitchell ran step-for-step with DeVonta Smith, getting a hand in to breakup the throw. The 24-year-old appears to have picked up where he left off last season.

*It’s early, granted, but it’s no coincidence that third-year DT Moro Ojomo is stringing together productive practices for the second consecutive summer. Ojomo, showcasing quickness, active hands and a motor that seemingly doesn’t quit, provided consistent pressure from the interior. He notched a “sack” of Hurts during a team period. He’ll add more juice to the new-look Eagles’ pass rush.

* As it pertains to the bunch competing for depth roles at wide receiver, it’s been veteran Terrace Marshall who has flashed most, but third-year WR Danny Gray made a nice diving reception over the middle on a Tanner McKee pass. Gray came back for the ball in front of safeties Mukuba and Tristin McCollum, ensuring that it didn’t hit the ground. This play occurred on the heels of a nifty catch-and-run Thursday, on a crosser from rookie QB Kyle McCord. Keep an eye on Gray, who boasts 4.33 speed and potential optionality as a KR.

Additionally, second-year WR Ainias Smith made the notebook for a second consecutive practice. The Texas A&M product is quick and shifty and is clearly playing with more confidence.

* I found the special teams drill that occurred late in the session to be quite compelling. Stationed in the end zone were a row of four returners along with a designated lead blocker, with another player tasked with defeating the block and getting to the ball-carrier. Here are a few notable encounters:

Returner: Avery Williams

Blocker: Kelee Ringo

Coverage: Eli Ricks

I’ll give the win to Ricks, who squeezed past Ringo in pursuit of Williams.

Returner: Saquon Barkley

Blocker: Harrison Bryant

Tackler: Jalyx Hunt

Hunt easily blew past Bryant to get to Barkley and jokingly let that side of the field know about it.

Returner: Danny Gray

Blocker: Ben VanSumeren

Tackler: Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

VanSumeren got physical with Trotter Jr. and sealed him off, much to the delight of teammates in his line – and to running back Saquon Barkley, who cheered him on in support.

Note: Regardless of how minimal his role may be at fullback, VanSumeren will almost certainly stick due to special teams value. He’s clearly the Eagles’ top special teamer and a favorite amongst his teammates.

Returner: Ainias Smith

Blocker: Lewis Cine

Tackler: Sydney Brown

Cine was no match for Brown, the heat-seeking missile. Brown did a nice job using his hands to disengage.

* One player further down the depth chart who flashed a bit? WR Elijah Cooks, who spent a week on the Eagles’ practice squad leading up to the divisional round matchup with the Rams. Cooks reeled in an intermediate catch from McKee during an early team period on split fields and another later during 11-on-11s.

Cooks would also be on the receiving end of a McCord pass on the final play of the developmental period to end practice. The rangy wideout won on a contested catch down the left sideline. The crowd, and sideline, went wild.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.