‘Be Ready For All Of us’

PHILADELPHIA — Shaking free over the middle before accenting the Texas route with a nifty shimmy at the top to sell it, Will Shipley then hit the brakes once reaching the end zone.

Seemingly sizing up the advantage, Jalen Hurts pulled the trigger right on cue, rifling the pass into the mitts of the second-year running back.

Touchdown.

The reception, one of several that he accounted for Monday morning, served as a reminder of the unique dimensions Shipley can furnish an already high-octane Eagles offense.

Throughout the session, Shipley served as a safety valve of sorts for Hurts and fellow quarterback Tanner McKee, who also peppered him with a flurry of short and intermediate targets. Showcasing shiftiness and short-area quickness, the Clemson product would joggle loose, pulling in the passes before deliberately turning upfield.

There were also moments when Shipley, on the first day of a fully padded practice, was popped in the ground game, namely by linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. – Shipley’s teammate at Clemson – and cornerback Eli Ricks on an outside run. Thinking back, Shipley probably got the better of the collision with the latter, but his sturdiness and ability to run through contact was perhaps equally as notable as his receiving prowess.

Buried in the pecking order last year behind Saquon Barkley and Kenny Gainwell, Shipley was scarcely deployed last season at his position of trade, touching the ball only 34 times during the regular season. The rookie instead undertook a critical role on special teams, his duties ranging from kick return to personal protector on punt coverage.

But the dawn of his second season revealed a new-look backfield ripe with opportunity behind Barkley, presenting Shipley with prospects of carving out an expanded role. In preparation of what figures to be a far more active 2025 campaign, Shipley attacked various facets of his game, fixating on minute details. And as depicted in the ITB “Rookie Diary” series, Shipley’s offseason focus, unsurprisingly, adopted a meticulous approach.

“Really just go back and look at every, single play from last year,” he said. “Be able to talk with coach [Jemal] Singleton and know where I gotta get better. A lot of different areas, but obviously, a couple different areas of emphasis that you just have to get after and consistently hit every day.

“So, the stone-cutter’s mindset … you chip away, you don’t see a crack in over a thousand hits, and then, ‘Boom!'” All the sudden, it just goes. So, just chipping away.”

GETTY IMAGES: Will Shipley’s development can make the Eagles RB room more diverse in 2025.

Described by Barkley as being the “smartest back in the room,” Shipley now finds himself in the driver’s seat as the team identifies a successor to Kenny Gainwell for the vacant No. 2 running back job. In reality, Shipley profiles as the ideal in-game complement to Barkley, his explosiveness, home-run-hitting ability and pass-catching acumen melding together a potentially fruitful fastball for Kevin Patullo’s offense.

The time spent on task has been evident through five practices, even flashing improvement in pass protection, where Shipley fared well in a handful of 1-on-1 reps against the team’s contingent of inside linebackers.

But for all of the on-field evidence of self-improvement, there was a specific intangible Shipley pinpointed when assessing his growth within the past year.

“I think I’m strides ahead of where I was in all parts of my game, but especially confidence-wise,” he said. “Just getting that experience, having the things behind you … playing in the NFC Championship game and playing in a Super Bowl. I’ve got those experiences under my belt now. So, the confidence, I think, kind of bumps everything up a couple points for me as well.”

As for his initial impressions of Patullo’s offense and how the finer subtleties and nuances of have so far manifested, Shipley believes it’s too early to tell. He noted that the running back room is “hungry” and in the film room daily – good day or bad – making necessary corrections. Each member of the room has been accountable for their miscues.

If that hunger is maintained, Shipley said, the sky is the limit.

The new iteration of the backfield accompanying Barkley and Shipley also includes free-agent bruiser A.J. Dillon, who stocks the room with balance and a differing skill set. Barkley, top of the league at his position, reprises his role as the dynamic bellcow.

Dillon, listed at six-foot, 247 pounds, joins the Eagles after missing the entirety of last season with a neck injury. At his best, the former Packers running back brings a punishing running style that profiles as a closer and volume-based spot starter. Shipley is the outlier, boasting fluidity, souped-up quickness and a slighter build.

Naturally, at one point during his post-practice chat Monday with reporters, Shipley casually eluded an opportunity to highlight his strengths. He instead pointed out the diversity of his position group, a trio assembled with the presumed strategy of confounding opposing defenses.

“I think, inevitably, it makes you a little more of who you are. I’m 205-210 [pounds]. Sa[quon]’s 230. We can kinda do different things … I can maybe get in and out of my cuts a little bit quicker, but I’m not gonna be able to run through someone like maybe A.J. [Dillon] would be able to,” he said.

“You gotta be ready for all of us. And it’s huge being able to take advantage of the things God has gifted me with and being able to progress those. And ultimately, just make the most out of them.”

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