Most Wonderful Time

Training camp is officially underway for the Philadelphia Eagles, who’ll see if the talent on paper translates to the field.

On the latest of the edition of Inside the Birds, Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher discuss observations from the first public day of training camp and recent transactions from the team.

ITB photo: Second-year WR DeVonta Smith is optimistic about the Eagles in 2022.

Tyree Jackson

Adam Caplan: “Apparently, his progress [from an ACL injury during the season] in the spring was terrific. Whatever they allowed him to do in terms of running straight ahead and cutting, he felt great. Someone I know who was in touch with him said that he looked great and chomping at the bit to get back. He just has to get cleared. It makes me wonder if he gets on the field in August.”

Geoff Mosher: “That would be a heck of a development. You and I ruled him out from playing this year, months ago. For him to be able to get back on the field potentially by August and try to bridge the gap, maybe there’s some hope for this guy.”

Jalen Reagor  

Mosher: “Apparently he had a great conditioning test continuing out the offseason that he’s had, and he’s looking really good from a physical, athletic, and focus standpoint.”

Caplan: “Last year at this time, he failed the conditioning test. Everything’s behind him now. There’s no issues. He’s also healthy and he came into camp in very good condition. I know the Eagles insist that they’re not cutting him under any circumstance, but here’s the question: What can he contribute? I know in Wednesday’s practice he was part of the punt return team. They were rotating him. He’s not guaranteed to win it. It’s either going to be [Brittan] Covey or Reagor and my money would be on Covey. If he doesn’t win the punt return job, how will he get on the field?”

Mosher: “It’s sort of not a fair fight, and that’s his own doing. He did not have two very good years. The top two receivers we know are A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and Zach Pascal came over as a free-agent signing as the teacher’s pet, so we know he is going to play, and Quez Watkins we’ve heard the coach speak glowingly of. Jalen Reagor is not going to be the fifth wide receiver for this team, making that money being a former first-round pick. They’ll trade him before making him the fifth receiver.”

Jalen Hurts

Caplan: “You can just see – and I know it’s a very light practice with 7 on 7s mostly – he didn’t bail as much. He did a really good job of hanging in there. He made an incredible throw. Hurts rolled right, did not bail, and waited until the guy crossed the face of the defender. He was just more composed.”

Jordan Davis

Caplan: “When they played a 34 front, he was the nose [tackle] …Watching him run, guys who are as big as him are not supposed to move like this. Remember, his 10 (yard dash) was really good. That’s the only thing that matters in timing.”

Quez Watkins

Caplan: “He beat Tay Gowan [in practice]. I know they don’t see him as a 50-plays-a-game player. I do wonder where will they line him up this year because [AJ] Brown and [DeVonta] Smith are your outside guys. Will they expand Quez’s role this season? That’s another thing we’ll be looking into. He is super explosive. He’s gotten stronger physically. The maturity stuff, which we outlined two years ago, from what we understand last year he’s really grown. Maybe the message got through to him. When you’ve got AJ Brown and Devonta Smith in this room, you better get your stuff together.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com

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