Keep It Simple

PHILADELPHIA — In anticipation of hosting the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday and Thursday for joint practices, the Eagles conducted a brisk session Tuesday to offset a heavy workload upcoming. The session mostly centered on team drills, with some special teams work sprinkled in.

As for Tuesday’s status report, WR Elijah Cooks (shoulder), G Landon Dickerson (knee), Kenyon Green (shoulder) and DT Gabe Hall (shoulder) didn’t practice.

Dickerson and Hall are new additions to the list after sustaining injuries in Sunday’s open practice. Dickerson, as noted, will have surgery for a meniscus injury but is considered week-to-week. Notably, LS Charley Hughlett (neck) was full go is his return to practice.

Note: Before practice, the Eagles signed DT Justin Rogers and released LS Christian Johnstone. Johnstone handled long-snapping duties in the preseason opener with Hughlett sidelined.

Rogers, 23, was a 2024 seventh-round pick of the Cowboys. With Hall sidelined, Rogers gives the Eagles another body along the interior. He’s been issued No. 75.

Limited for the Eagles were LB Zack Baun (back), WR A.J. Brown (hamstring), RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring) and DT Byron Young (groin). All were withheld from team drills.

Johnson Jr. and Young are trending in the right direction after missing time. Well after practice had ended, I spotted both players working on the opposite end of the practice fields.

Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson and Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick, once teammates in Philadelphia who even rekindled their connection in a game of catch after practice, met with the media following the session to promote their Oct. 30 meeting at Lincoln Financial Field.

The session, brief and fast-paced, covered 57 minutes with joint practices looming. Special teams coordinator Michael Clay addressed the media prior to practice.

ITB PHOTO: Eagles defensive players warm up on the field before a training camp practice.

Let’s get to the practice observations:

*Following the stretching period, all eyes fixated on the middle practice field for a glimpse at the offensive line configuration in the absence of Dickerson. Keeping with continuity, veteran OL Brett Toth served as his replacement on the first unit. The 28-year-old Toth, entering his seventh NFL season, has appeared in 20 games (two starts).

Notably, fourth-year pro Darian Kinnard – who has repped at right tackle and right guard this summer – was the second team left guard. As I’ve noted previously this offseason, the Eagles like Kinnard, so not much of a surprise the team is giving him looks at multiple positions. His versatility and continued growth, in theory, makes him a valuable addition to the game day roster.

* The second-team offensive line configuration was as follows (L-R): LT Kendall Lamm, LG Darian Kinnard, C Drew Kendall, RG Trevor Keegan, RT Matt Pryor.

* The third-team offensive line configuration, for those curious, was as follows (L-R): LT Myles Hinton, LG Laekin Vakalahi, C Trevor Keegan, RG Hollin Pierce, RT Cameron Williams.

* At cornerback, the Eagles opened with veteran Adoree’ Jackson opposite Quinyon Mitchell, with third-year pro Kelee Ringo also mixing in. For those keeping score, that makes eight of 13 practices that Jackson has opened with the first unit. No first-team reps Tuesday for newly acquired CB Jakorian Bennett, who saw some work with the 1s late in Sunday’s open practice.

* While S Sydney Brown, since the early days of camp, has taken all the first-team work at safety opposite Reed Blankenship, Tuesday saw rookie Drew Mukuba open with the starters alongside Blankenship. It’s a notable development for the second-round pick, who is tasked with making up for lost time.

Mukuba, when asked post-practice how he remained engaged while sidelined, said:

“Just being on the sideline, paying attention to the calls, paying attention to the guys playing my position. Just being able to – from the sideline, being able to see that gave me a different view, obviously. But just being able to see other guys do what I’m supposed to be doing out there, kind of helped me learn from them, from their mistakes. So, when I come out there, I don’t make the same mistakes and I’m a lot better.”

* The session might have only lasted 57 minutes, but I thought Jalen Hurts maximized his reps, appearing crisp and timely in his pass attempts. A few highlights occurred during a team period, when Hurts looked off a receiver and delivered a bullet into a tight window over the middle to TE Dallas Goedert, who created just enough separation from Mitchell to pull it in the throw before he arrived. Hurts also dialed up WR DeVonta Smith, a Tuesday standout, on a picture-perfect corner route along the right sideline. Smith had a step on rookie CB Mac McWilliams, who repped outside.

Hurts would go back to the well shortly after on an identical play, only this time it was WR Jahan Dotson who bested McWilliams, showcasing strong hands to reel it in along the sideline. McWilliams had better positioning on this completion, however. Smith demonstrated good concentration on an earlier sequence, diving to secure a low ball from Hurts over the middle.

* The Eagles also managed to squeeze in a special teams drill in the middle of the session. One player would return the kick, while the other swarmed to seal off STC coordinator Michael Clay, who was holding a pad out in front. A few of the kick return pairings: Will Shipley and Avery Williams; Ainias Smith and Keilan Robinson; A.J. Dillon and Giles Jackson; Darius Cooper and Giles Jackson.

Before practice, Clay spoke on what Cooper, trying his hand on special teams, can add:

“I think for this whole training camp, just for everybody, finding out what they can do to help this team out. Darius is coming from a smaller school in Tarleton State. Everything’s kind of new to him, so the more you can do, obviously, in the NFL is going to help you in your career. So, we’re just piecing it together to see what he can do and see how he can help this team.”

* Second-year RB Will Shipley ripped a quality run through the middle, accelerating through the crease, but it was the linebackers in run fits who caught my attention. On consecutive plays, rookie Jihaad Campbell swarmed to close a hole and tag Shipley to eliminate a big gain and then navigated traffic to get to him before he broke through on the ensuing play. Fellow rookie Smael Mondon Jr. also flashed in run support, meeting Dillon in the hole to impede progress.

* Third-year CB Eli Ricks continues to showcase advanced instincts and ball skills, breaking on a sideline pass to WR Avery Williams to negate the completion. Ricks continues to put together a strong camp, though it’s fair to wonder if his reps will decrease with Bennett in the mix and needing to get up to speed.

* QB Tanner McKee connected with rookie WR Darius Cooper, running a corner route, early in the session on a well-placed ball. The duo continues to build on its growing rapport. McKee went back to Cooper, running a slant, but the Tarleton State product was unable to bring it in with CB Mac McWilliams in hot pursuit. It’s a reception we’ve come to expect from Cooper.

* Making the most of his limited opportunities on this day, rookie sixth-round pick Kyle McCord rifled an intermediate pass to TE E.J. Jenkins, who at 6-foot-6, climbed the ladder to make the reception with S Tristin McCollum closely defending to end practice.

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