Strike Back
Rookie 1st-Rounder Shines At Padded Practice
PHILADELPHIA — Moving off the four-day acclimation period of camp, the Eagles put the pads on for perhaps the most highly anticipated practice of the summer.
With the pads popping, intensity inevitably amplified, sometimes widening the gap in terms of position battles and separating players.
The practice, which clocked in at 99 minutes, was another efficient session amid humid conditions.
In housekeeping news, LB Oren Burks (knee) and G Tyler Steen (ankle) didn’t participate, while rookie G Trevor Keegan (shoulder) was limited.
Veteran Mekhi Becton reprised his role as first-team right guard. Landon Dickerson, who visited the medical tent midway through practice, appeared to sustain a leg injury. Dickerson emerged from the tent shortly thereafter but remained a spectator. Keegan replaced him at left guard.
Returning on Tuesday were RB Saquon Barkley (personal) and RT Lane Johnson (toe).
The Eagles fortified their interior offensive line depth by signing veteran free-agent G/C Nick Gates, formerly of the Commanders and Giants.
To clear room they waived CB Mario Goodrich.
On with the observations:
* On one of the far fields at the start of practice, I made sure to observe the cornerback group. Defensive backs coach Christian Parker, whom I previously noted has been hands-on and vocal, ran the group through a set of instructions.
The initial drill focused on technique, pairing players together with one running a fade route toward the corner of the end zone and the other focusing on positioning to eliminate the back shoulder throw. At one point, Parker appeared to convey a teaching point to rookie CB Quinyon Mitchell.
The next drill focused on remaining in the receiver’s hip pocket, shadowing his movements out of breaks. Tyler Hall caught my attention due to the quickness and suddenness of his footwork.
*Stellar day from Mitchell, who opened at nickel with the starters during team drills. Mitchell continues to look the part and has impressed from an execution standpoint, as much has been thrown at him through the first five practices. So far, he’s answered the bell.
“I feel like I’ve handled it well,” Mitchell said regarding the various hats worn. “I’ve been at corner, nickel and dime. So, just learning every spot, learning every position. So I feel really good.”
* Some coverage plays in particular stood out. While Mitchell provided blanket coverage on WR Joseph Ngata on a sideline throw, Ngata managed to somehow corral the pass while remaining in bounds. But the two most notable reps came against A.J. Brown.
On the first, Mitchell proved sticky coverage, forcing Hurts to hold the ball. At the tail-end of the play, Mitchell stared down Brown.
The ensuring rep saw Brown reel in a nifty one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone, though he was ruled out of bounds. Strong showing from the rookie cornerback, who doesn’t back down. Mitchell also broke up a Kenny Pickett pass intended for WR Britain Covey in the end zone.
* On Tuesday, Isaiah Rodgers opened as the first-team cornerback during team drills. For those keeping score, this was Rodgers’ second practice garnering the first snaps compared to three for second-year CB Kelee Ringo.
Rodgers, who on Monday got a hand in to break up an end zone shot to Ngata, collected another pass breakup, getting a hand in to disrupt a would-be touchdown connection — a bullet over the middle from Jalen Hurts to Brown.
He also registered another on a pass to WR John Ross. Rodgers has impressed due to his anticipation, closing ability and recovery speed. I have a feeling he’ll come down with the first interception of training camp.
* While Mitchell qualified as one of my players of the day, another one who should not be excluded is S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who continues to fly around and make plays.
The veteran DB registered a tackle for loss, halting RB Will Shipley in the backfield and several other times swarming to limit the damage on short completions.
It’s also worth mentioning how much attitude and swagger Gardner-Johnson brings to the Eagles’ defense, constantly jawing at the offense, celebrating defensive stops, and being vocal in terms of communication.
Following a defensive stand and a pivot in periods, S Sydney Brown appeared to feel the energy and made it a point to dap him up. Gardner-Johnson will prove to be the Eagles’ most impactful offseason addition.
* My favorite drill of camp could possibly be 1-on-1s between the offensive and defensive lines. Some of the reps that stood out were Lane Johnson staving off EDGE Bryce Huff and DT Jordan Davis pushing C Cam Jurgens backwards.
Nolan Smith, who stole the show Monday, easily evaded UDFA T Anim Dankwah and registered another strong rep against RT Fred Johnson. Smith, considerably more explosive than any edge rusher on the roster, is noticeably stronger and has shown really good hand usage.
Third-year edge rusher Patrick Johnson, whom head coach Nick Sirianni name-dropped Monday as a defensive player who has showcased toughness and relentless effort, won big against OL Darian Kinnard. Johnson, a core special teamer and depth defender, has caught my attention on multiple occasions of late.
*The Eagles’ defensive line was active, not only in terms of providing pressure, but also in disrupting the pass. First it was DT Milton Williams, entering a contract year, getting a hand up to reject what was intended to be a short Jalen Hurts dump-off in the flat. Williams, by the way, flashed throughout practice.
Jordan Davis, who has also provided quality pressure at various points throughout camp, also got a hand in to shut down a pass attempt. Given the length and athleticism of the Eagles’ defensive line, along with lengthy edge players like Smith and Josh Sweat, pass deflections at the line of scrimmage should happen at a higher frequency this season.
* While LB Nakobe Dean, who appears to have added some size to his frame, has largely swarmed to the football with urgency and prevented big plays, I didn’t feel as though he had his best day in pass coverage, particularly defending the flat against RB Kenny Gainwell.
Appearing to recognize the mismatch, Hurts hit Gainwell on a swing pass for the first touchdown of the day, with Dean giving chase. During a red zone period, Dean also surrendered a touchdown to WR Parris Campbell, who gained position on Dean at the goal line. For the record, I still believe Dean eventually overtakes Zack Baun as a starting linebacker.
* Speaking of Gainwell, the fourth-year RB was rock solid and has been incredibly steady throughout the first five days of training camp. Gainwell has found himself on the receiving end of a flurry of passes and appears springy and more explosive on the move.
On an offense with so many weapons, a player like Gainwell will naturally get overlooked, but there is an obvious organizational trust and belief in his abilities. Rookie Will Shipley has certainly flashed, but I wouldn’t be so quick to minimize Gainwell’s 2024 outlook.
* As for Hurts, the quarterback turned in another solid showing. While not as efficient as previous practices, Hurts was effective during the red-zone period. He has done a tremendous job in keeping the football from harm’s way — no turnovers through five practices — but there were multiple occasions in which I felt he held the ball too long.
One play in particular threatened his interception streak, however, with Hurts throwing for TE Dallas Goedert. The ball clanged off the hands of Ringo and fell incomplete. I couldn’t help but circle back to an offseason chat I had with Rodgers, who’d mentioned to me that he and Ringo would get on each other for the plays they didn’t make and needed to convert the deflections into interceptions.
* Britain Covey continues to produce. The third-year wide receiver is virtually unguardable in space and someone I would characterize as an elite separator. His footwork, suddenness and short-area quickness were evident on a red-zone snap, where he executed a deadly cross-over move on CB Tyler Hall, crossing his face for a short touchdown over the middle.
“I think I’ve shown the most growth as a receiver,” Covey said after practice. “Like I said, reliability as a receiver is important. If you think about this offense, we’ve got A.J. [Brown], Smitty, Dallas and Saquon. So, your third receiver that’s out there, he needs to be able to affect the game in ways other than being ball-centric.
“There’s only so many footballs to go around. So, I think that’s why a lot of times, in the past, we’ve had Quez [Watkins] out there. He affects the game with his speed. Parris [Campbell] and John [Ross] affect the game with their speed. I feel like my route-running and my ability with the ball is similar.”
* Random observation: WR Joseph Ngata was the first player to take the field Tuesday morning, getting in work on the JUGS machine. As I’ve mentioned here previously, multiple sources have lauded Ngata for his work ethic.
* Celebrities in attendance included Yankees manager Aaron Boone and former St. Joe’s basketball star and former NBA guard Jameer Nelson.
– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.
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