‘Earn Your Stripes’

The limited OTA sessions for the Philadelphia Eagles provided a very early preview of how the team may look in 2023.

On the latest episode of “Inside The Birds,” Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher provided intel from the team’s practices.

Eagles third round pick Sydney Brown will look to earn reps at safety as the offseason progresses

Britain Covey

Geoff Mosher: “Continue to watch him on punt returns. If he can improve upon last year, think about the advantage that gives him over any other wide receiver competing for that fourth or fifth spot.”

Dan Arnold

Mosher: “I was impressed. He had what you look for from a pass catching tight end: good lateral quickness, turned up the field well, ran routes okay. He looked like he belonged. But I thought Grant Calcaterra looked good and physically bigger.”

Adam Caplan: “He just moves differently than a normal tight end. That’s why teams fall in love with him, but he’s not the strongest guy in the world.”

Right Guard

Mosher: “I feel like [Jack Driscoll] is the third horse in the race, but you can’t count him out because he’s the only one who has actually played right guard before…I talked to Brian Baldinger about it, he said it’s not just about Tyler Steen and Cam Jurgens, it’s also about Jason Kelce. He is an undersized center who had Isaac Seumalo next to him. When they combo blocked on somebody, Kelce could go up to the second level. You want somebody next to you that has meat on their bones. That makes not only (Tyler) Steen a good candidate, but also Jack Driscoll.”

Nolan Smith

Caplan: “They definitely moved him around; stack linebacker, he got to rush, cover. It’s OTAs, but this is what’s important: from a mental standpoint, if they felt he handled everything, which from everything he heard about he was professional and had a great attitude, you would assume that if this is happening that they are going to try these things in training camp.”

Christian Ellis

Mosher: “The way it was put to me is that Ellis has an opportunity. He made plays. Do I think he can overtake Nic Morrow to start alongside Nakobe Dean? Yes, but I would not say it’s destined.”

Caplan: “This has been a good story. It’s rare for the Eagles to actually have a guy with size at linebacker. He is one of their fastest special teams players.”

Sydney Brown

Mosher: “It doesn’t matter how much hype is surrounding a third rounder, he is still a third rounder. For people who are surprised he’s not running with the first or even second team yet, that’s just how it goes. You have to earn your stripes.”

Caplan: “He is not going to play box safety anymore. The safeties play back for the most part. As it was explained to me, it is a transitional phase for Brown. He will eventually start, he just has to learn this defense.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.

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