Round One

PHILADELPHIA — With temperatures rising, the Eagles hosted the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday for their first of two joint practices. The Browns, who roster five former Eagles, including quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett — and former DC Jim Schwartz — brought juice, adding to the palpable intensity.

ITB PHOTO: Eagles RT Lane Johnson arrives for the first joint practice against the Cleveland Browns.

The session included 7-on-7s, 11-on-11s, 1-on-1s and special teams drills.

As for Wednesday’s status report, WR A.J. Brown (hamstring), WR Elijah Cooks (shoulder), G Landon Dickerson (knee) and Kenyon Green (shoulder) didn’t practice.

Note: Dickerson had surgery Wednesday morning for his meniscus injury.

Limited for the Eagles were LB Zack Baun (back), DT Gabe Hall (shoulder), OT Myles Hinton (ankle), RB Montrell Johnson Jr.(hamstring) and DT Byron Young (groin).

Baun participated in 7-on-7s, first aligning opposite Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Rookie Jihaad Campbell also mixed in.

Among the former Eagles on hand to take in practice were Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce.

The session, categorized as “green,” covered around 1 hour, 45 minutes. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo addressed the media prior to practice.

Let’s get to the practice observations.

*After breaking team stretches, a series of 1-on-1s took place on neighboring fields, with WR/DBs on one, OL/DL on another. I focused more so on the latter. Here are some highlights from the period:

Cam Jurgens vs. Maliek Collins:

Jurgens stood up Collins. He also had another quality win against DT Jowon Briggs.

Tyler Steen vs. Mason Graham:

Really strong rep from Steen here, who got hands on Graham and didn’t give the rookie an inch.

Brett Toth vs. Isaiah McGuire:

McGuire out-leveraged Toth for the win.

Darian Kinnard vs. Julian Okwara:

Kinnard stonewalled his former teammate.

Kendall Lamm vs. Okwara:

Okwara bested the veteran with a strong bullish.

Also, good reps from rookie Drew Kendall and roster exemption Laekin Valalahi.

*There was then a focus on special teams, with the Eagles deploying (in order) a punt return group of Avery Williams, Ainias Smith, Jahan Dotson, Taylor Morin and Giles Jackson.

The team also had groupings of two fulfilling the vice role, tasked with slowing the Browns’ gunner. Here are a few notes:

CBs Eli Ricks and Mac McWilliams covered up Browns CB Dom Jones, with Ricks delivering a nice shoulder pop for good measure to spring Morin.

On a Williams return, RB Keilan Robinson did an impressive job sealing off Browns CB Kennan Isaac. It’s worth mentioning that Robinson was recognized Tuesday by Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay for delivering a key block on the 46-yard Ainias Smith punt return in the preseason opener.

I thought the best rep belonged to CBs A.J. Woods and Tariq Castro-Fields, who teamed up to stymie Browns CB Tony Brown II. Woods forced Brown outside and once he reversed course, Castro-Fields picked him up, delivering a quality lick.

*Next on the docket was a 7-on-7 period, with Eagles defenders on a middle field and the offense operating on a neighboring field. I focused early on the defense, but let’s start with some depth chart notes:

Baun logged his first team work in quite some time, joining Trotter Jr. with the 1s. As mentioned previously, rookie Jihaad Campbell mixed in with Trotter Jr. Baun logged a pass deflection.

The safety pairing to start included Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown, with rookie Drew Mukuba also working in.

At cornerback, first up during 7-on-7s was Adoree’ Jackson opposite Quinyon Mitchell, with Kelee Ringo opening with the second unit. It’s worth noting that it was Ringo who got the nod during 11-on-11s. Ringo and Jakorian Bennett also worked in with the first unit, though neither had particularly stellar showings.

Jackson, by the way, made a nice play along the sideline, swarming Browns WR Diontae Johnson and collecting a pass breakup.

Other 7-on-7 notes:

Browns QB Dillon Gabriel delivered a dart in tight coverage to WR Jerry Jeudy along the far sideline, with Ringo and S Tristin McCollum converging.

Rookie CB Brandon Johnson, recently logging second team nickel reps, blanketed WR Kaden Davis on a corner route, getting a hand in to force the incompletion.

Browns QB Tyler Huntley, who held onto the ball for far too long, checked a pass down over the middle to RB Pierre Strong Jr., who shimmied around Baun to churn out a few more yards.

*I then ventured over to another field to observe the first- and second-team Eagles offense. At left guard, in place of Dickerson, was Toth. The second team left guard, for the second consecutive day, was Kinnard. As I’ve said previously, keep an eye on him.

Johnson sat out of team drills mid-way through the session, though he said after practice it was planned to better assess other players. That bumped veteran Matt Pryor up as the first team RT. Replacing Pryor on the second unit was rookie Cameron Williams, who appeared overmatched.

To start, the second team offensive line was as followed (L-R): LT Kendall Lamm, LG Kinnard, C Kendall, RG Trevor Keegan, RT Pryor.

Some highlights:

The Browns’ DT Collins jumped on the first play.

Jalen Hurts, who appeared largely confounded by what the Browns were showing and held the ball a tick too long on multiple occasions, delivered an on-the-money back shoulder throw along the left sideline to WR Johnny Wilson for about 25 yards. Wilson, showcasing concentration and body control, soared over Browns CB Cameron Mitchell.

During a 7-on-7 period, Hurts was picked off by Browns LB Devin Bush, who had a bead on a pass to TE Dallas Goedert, jumping in front to secure the turnover. He also tossed an interception during 1-on-1s.

Hurts frequently looked to WR DeVonta Smith, hitting him for a nifty connection along the sideline, on a crossing route in stride and finding him in the front right part of the end zone for the short touchdown.

On another reception, a screen to the left, Smith received quality blocking and scooted up the left sideline, running out the play to the end zone. But Myles Garrett showed no quit, attempting to chase down Smith from behind and swipe the football away.

Speaking of Garrett, the All World pass-rusher understandably gave the Eagles’ offensive line fits. At one point, with the Eagles in 13 personnel, Garrett bore down on Hurts from the back side for what would have been a sack. Garrett also had another notable rush, getting around Jordan Mailata for what likely would have been a “sack,” that instead resulted in a Hurts check down to RB A.J. Dillon. Mason Graham also tallied a “sack” of Hurts.

When C Jurgens gets moving, look out. The spry center, with a full head of steam, pulled and delivered an audible pop on Browns LB Devin Bush.

Tough, decisive running on multiple inside zone scampers from second-year RB Will Shipley. On of the runs, Toth delivered a nice block to spring Shipley through the crease. Shipley also showed well on a rep in pass protection, picking up a blitzing LB (didn’t see who).

The Veteran Dillon also has a productive showing, frequently getting to the second level, on one occasion making his presence felt by delivering a shoulder pop to S Damontae Kazee. Dillon also flashed as a pass-catcher, reeling in a flurry of dump-offs and a catch-and-run for a touchdown.

*A minor, and brief, skirmish surfaced later in the session during a special teams period that was a reversal on the initial one chronicled above. Eagles S Andre’ Sam, working as the gunner in this instance, mixed it up with CBs Troy Brown II and Myles Harden before the sideline stormed onto the field to separate the scrum. That Sam is feisty.

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