News Eagles Team Notes

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eric Allen is officially a Pro Football Hall of Famer

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

His enshrinement is long overdue, but he’s in Canton now.

At long last, Eric Allen is in the Hall of Fame.

Over the weekend, the best cornerback in franchise history stood alongside Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe for their official induction ceremony in Canton, OH. With more than 100 Hall of Famers sitting behind him and his sons on hand to introduce their father, Allen went on to deliver a special shout out to the team that drafted him for whom he became a star.

Eric Allen made sure to get in a Fly Eagles Fly

HOF Enshrinement on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/BgISTJMG2F

— NFL (@NFL) August 2, 2025​

“Thank you to the legend, Buddy Ryan, for drafting me in 1988,” Allen said. “It was an honor to wear those Kelly Greens and represent the city of brotherly love.

“Whether it was Buddy’s Boys or Bud Carson’s Gang Green, we did so much damage on the football field. All us Eagle guys, we had just an outstanding defensive football team. Whether it was Seth, the late departed Reggie White, Clyde Simmons, Byron Evans, just a tremendous football team in Philadelphia.” (quotes via NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Reuben Frank).

At 5’10” and just 185 pounds, Allen was never the biggest corner in the league. But he was renowned for his ability to cover any team’s No. 1 receiver in the Buddy Ryan/Bud Carson “46” defenses played by the Birds in the late 1980s/early 1990s. His 54 career interceptions ranks tied for 21st in NFL history, the same as contemporary and fellow Hall of Famer Darrell Green, one more than Hall of Famers Ty Law and Deion Sanders and two more than Hall of Famer Champ Bailey.

Allen was a starter from opening week of his rookie season, hauling in five INTs. In his second season, he was a first-team All-Pro with a career-high eight interceptions and his first Pro Bowl nod. In all, Allen was a second team All-Pro two times (1991, ‘93) and made six Pro Bowls in his first eight years, five of them with the Eagles. During the Birds’ scintillating come-from-behind wild card victory over the Saints in 1992, Allen capped off a tremendous comeback with his first Pick-6 in the postseason. In 1993, he finished with a league-high FOUR defensive touchdowns, including this legendary return in Week 4 against the Jets, the signature play of his career.

Back in 1993 to start the season 4-0 Eric Allen had one of the greatest interception return for a touchdown in Eagles history against the New York Jets #flyeaglesfly #throwbackthursday pic.twitter.com/0V5ZbUG5b9

— Baltazar Hernandez (@balhernandez21) June 15, 2023​

If you’ve got five minutes, check out this highlight reel.

Eric Allen

One of the greatest playmaking defensive backs in NFL history

Pro Football Hall of Fame,
Class of 2025#Eagles #FlyEaglesFly#Saints #Raiders #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/9mooQ6MPiE

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) August 2, 2025​

His role in the Buddy Ryan-Bud Carson scheme was of vital importance, given the frequency of zero-blitzes the two legendary coaches frequently employed at opposing offenses. Ryan and Carson relied on Allen to be singled-up on an opposing team’s best receiver, often times in one-on-one coverage without safety help. His ability to allow the 46 Defense to work by playing effectively on an island helped make the Eagles’ defense of that era to remain one of the most effective and ferocious for the entirety of his time wearing green and silver.

Following the 1994 season, Allen left Philadelphia along with a number of other players from that vaunted Ryan/Carson defense in free agency, signing a deal with the New Orleans Saints, recording five interceptions and starting 16 games every season. He was later traded to the Oakland Raiders where he played the final four seasons of his career through his age-36 season, leading the league in INTs in 2000 with 3. He had 15 interceptions after turning 33 years old.

In all, Allen never finished a season without a pick in his illustrious 14-year career and had a knack for finding the end zone.

After years of coming up short, a bronze bust of the Eagles’ greatest cornerback in team history now sits in all its glory inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

At long last.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...all-of-famer-cornerback-official-philadelphia

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Quinyon Mitchell nabs interception while being named to NFL Top 100

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Observations from the NovaCare Complex.

Today marked the ninth Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The padded session lasted for about one hour and 45 minutes. Here’s what I observed at the NovaCare Complex.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES​

• Nick Sirianni had the Eagles working on a lot of situational football on Monday. Offense backed up against their own end zone, third down conversion to ice the game, etc.
• JALEN HURTS UPDATE: Strong day for Hurts, especially considering the situational context. With the Eagles’ offense backed up against their own goal line, Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for a first down completion near the left sideline despite tight coverage from Quinyon Mitchell. Hurts hit Johnny Wilson on a slant for another third down conversion. Facing 3rd-and-7 from the minus 4-yard line, Hurts connected with Jahan Dotson for yet another first down. Hurts made a real nice layered throw to DeVonta Smith in the middle of the field for a 15+ yard gain that had run after the catch potential. No surprise here but Hurts stepped up when the pressure was on. Nice to see him heating back up after a cool stretch.
• EAGLES INJURY REPORT:

DID NOT PRACTICE

LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)
S Lewis Cine (hamstring)
RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring)
WR Terrace Marshall Jr. (knee)
C Trevor Keegan (back)
DT Byron Young (groin)

Baun has missed five straight practices.

Marshall has missed four straight practices.

Brown, Cine, Keegan, and Johnson Jr. have missed two straight practices.

Young is a new addition to the injury report.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION

LS Charley Hughlett (neck)
CB Mac McWilliams (quad)
S Andrew Mukuba (shoulder)
LB Nolan Smith (concussion)
LB Ben VanSumeren (ankle)

Nolan Smith returned to team drills ... before then leaving practice early with trainers.

Hughlett was limited for the second day in a row. The veteran was participating in some team drills.

McWilliams was upgraded to limited after missing two practices. He was limited to position drills. Ditto for VanSumeren.

Mukuba still isn’t participating in team drills. Vic Fangio indicated the rookie safety is unlikely to play in the Eagles’ first preseason game.

IN-PRACTICE INJURIES

Nolan Smith and Kenyon Green were seen leaving the practice field with trainers. Smith’s ailment wasn’t clear. Green had been seen vomiting.

Tyler Steen was down on the ground in pain after seemingly getting hit where the sun don’t shine. He didn’t miss any reps, however.

UPGRADED TO FULL PARTICIPATION

DeVonta Smith (back tightness), Jihaad Campbell (shoulder), and E.J. Jenkins (hamstring) were removed from the injury report.

• DeVonta Smith is still really good. He regularly gave the defense trouble. Cooper DeJean trailed him after a number of catches.
• The defensive play of the day was made by Quinyon Mitchell, who intercepted a Tanner McKee pass. The quarterback seemingly didn’t see him lurking in coverage. That’s Q’s second pick of training camp. And it happened right around the time when it was revealed that Mitchell made the NFL Top 100 at No. 49 overall. He must’ve known. Mitchell allowed some completions to DeVonta on Monday but he really made the wide receiver work for them. As Zaza Pachulia once said: “Nothing easy.”

Top 100 Players of 2025:@Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell debuts at No. 49! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/zA3TvQvjCK

— NFL (@NFL) August 4, 2025​

• POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — CORNERBACK: Prior to practice, Vic Fangio said that the competition between Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo “is close.” The first first-team cornerback reps indicate as much with Jackson up first on five days so far and Ringo up first on four days. Today was Ringo’s day, though the Eagles continue to rotate them throughout team periods. I wrote down Ringo’s name down just once and it was for being flagged for pass interference in 1-on-1s. I wrote Jackson’s name down for two losses to Elijah Cooks in 1-on-1 (one where he got shoved off the line of scrimmage, another where he got beat downfield) and one loss to Cooks in team drills. So, I’d say Ringo had the better day comparatively
• Eli Ricks had some struggles in 1-on-1, being flashed for pass interference while going up against Jahan Dotson and then biting hard on a double move to allow a wide open deep reception. Ricks rebounded in team drills, breaking up a 3rd-and-2 pass attempt to Darius Cooper over the middle. Ricks also broke up another throw to Cooks on a comeback.

Vic Fangio says Eli Ricks has made some good plays “but needs to eliminate the negative ones, too.”#Eagles

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 4, 2025​

• POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — LINEBACKER: With Baun out, Smael Mondon and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. spent time together as the first-team off-ball linebackers. Jihaad Campbell rotated in, too. But Mondon getting time with the starters is interesting and could reflect how he’s had a good camp. Also, it doesn’t seem like Fangio fully trusts Campbell just yet.

Vic Fangio on Jihaad Campbell:

“We’re probably guilty of putting a little too much on his plate. But time is coming. The days [of training camp] are disappearing.”#Eagles

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 4, 2025​

Vic Fangio on Jihaad Campbell’s performance at limited snaps as an edge rusher:

“He needs a lot of work at it.”#Eagles

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 4, 2025​

• Campbell might have some Ernie Sims to him in terms of maybe practicing a little too physically. There’s a fine line between giving full effort and getting a teammate injured in practice. I don’t think Campbell has hurt anyone yet and he’s usually been quick to apologize for contact that goes a little too far. His aggression could ultimately serve him well in the real games. The Eagles will hope it doesn’t lead to injuries before those start.
• Here’s an exchange from Fangio’s press conference:

Q. Going back to the edge spot. You had said last time that nobody stood out either positive or negatively just yet. Has that changed with OLB Azeez Ojulari or OLB Joshua Uche yet?

Vic Fangio: Yeah, I think Josh has had some good practices here of late, he’s flashed and had some really good plays. Like a lot of the guys that are new, he just needs to eliminate the negative plays and the negative plays aren’t something that you guys may see or know. It’s just reacting and covering and the way we want to play the run. The nuances of the defense. He has to master those, but overall he’s had a good camp and I see him getting better each and every day and the same thing with Azeez.

Sure seems like Uche is ahead of Ojulari. The former spent time with the first-team defense on Monday, ahead of Jalyx Hunt at times.

• Moro Ojomo’s had a very strong summer but he did bite on a hard count when the defense was trying to prevent the Eagles’ offense, which was backed up against their end zone, from getting 4+ yards. After the rep, Kevin Patullo gave Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson high fives for prompting the flag to Ojomo’s encroachment.
• Matt Pryor has been repping at first-team right tackle at times to give Lane Johnson rest. Pryor mauled Patrick Johnson on a running play. He also held off Ogbo Okoronkwo with ease in a 1-on-1 rep. Pryor has a chance to be the top backup at every non-center position. At the very least, the top backup at RG and RT.
• Ainias Smith isn’t having the disastrous start to camp that he did last year. But I struggle to say he’s looked good this summer. He had trouble tracking a ball in the air during 1-on-1s. He failed to make a leaping grab on a pass over the middle in 7-on-7s. In fairness, he did have a catch for a first down while the second-team offense was facing 3rd-and-7 from the minus 4-yard line.
• Johnny Wilson has mostly struggled this summer but this was a good day for him. He created separation for a deep catch against Parry Nickerson in 1-on-1s and he caught a pass on a slant for a third down conversion. I don’t think the Eagles are ready to give up on him quite yet.
• Elijah Cooks continues to cook. I liked how he used his size and strength to legally shove Adoree’ Jackson at the line of scrimmage to create some separation in 1-on-1s. He then made a good over-the-shoulder grab to beat Jackson in their next battle. Cooks beat Jackson in team drills to set up a 2nd-and-2. Cooks does have to figure out how to stop getting stifled by Ricks.
• Darius Cooper saw some first-team reps. He didn’t capitalize, however. A Hurts pass skimmed off his hands.
• The offensive play of the day was made by undrafted rookie Giles Jackson, who was able to track and haul in an over-the-shoulder bomb by Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Maybe DTR has a chance to make the roster, after all? Or maybe they’ll look to trade DTR for whatever they can get and keep Kyle McCord as QB3? Anyway, back to Jackson. It was cool to see him make that play after he dropped a pass where he didn’t seem to track the ball well earlier in practice during 1-on-1s.
• McCord threw a bullet to Kylen Granson for a first down. He also ripped a throw to Taylor Morin for a short touchdown in goal-to-go.
• Trevor Booker and Gabe Hall each had deflections at the line of scrimmage. I wonder if the Eagles might keep six defensive tackles: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Ty Robinson, Booker, and Hall.
• ShunDerrick Powell continues to flash. The undrafted rookie running back had another long run at one point. He also caught a short pass in the flat and broke free of Dallas Gant, who got a hand on Powell’s jersey before the running back ran through the linebacker’s grasp.
• Some down-the-depth chart observations for you: Joe Evans got to Keilan Robinson in the end zone for a would-be safety. Undrafted safety Maxen Hook blew up a goal-to-go Powell run by stuffing the run in the hole.
• The Eagles worked on some special teams contingencies with Braden Mann kicking field goals, Cooper DeJean holding, and Grant Calcaterra long snapping. Jake Elliott also held a snap from new guy Christian Johnstone (wearing No. 37, also worn by Maxen Hook) on a made Mann field goal.
• I’m a big dog guy. Love dogs. Good Pink Floyd song, too.

Reggie White Lurie, the Eagles’ Director of Joy, is at practice today. pic.twitter.com/ZOoBkfTXal

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 4, 2025​

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UP NEXT: The Eagles are back at practice on Tuesday morning starting at 10:00 AM Eastern. You can find more of the Eagles’ training camp schedule by clicking here.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...hell-interception-named-nfl-top-100-list-news

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Philadelphia Eagles depth chart revealed ahead of first preseason game

The Philadelphia Eagles’ first team-issued depth chart ahead of the 2025 NFL season is here!

And now to immediately tamper the excitement: it doesn’t mean much.

It’s not like this depth chart is carefully crated with insight from the front office and coaches. It literally says “Compiled by the Eagles Communications department” (AKA the PR staff) at the top of the graphic. And it’s only issued to the public because it’s mandated by the league.

“I was 22 years old and I was the one putting out the official depth chart…”

A word of warning on “official” depth charts from @FG_Dolan on the Fantasy Feast podcast: pic.twitter.com/SPe93peCgQ

— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) August 9, 2023

Even if this was the Eagles’ real depth chart, there’s still plenty of time for things to change between now and roster cuts down to 53 players. There’s still a handful of training camp practices and three preseason games left.

But for the sake of #content, let’s put the cynicism aside and play along.

OFFENSE​

QB: Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Kyle McCord

RB: Saquon Barkley, Will Shipley, A.J. Dillon, Montrell Johnson, Keilan Robinson, ShunDerrick Powell

FB: Ben VanSumeren

WR: A.J. Brown, Johnny Wilson, Elijah Cooks, Darius Cooper

WR: DeVonta Smith, Terrace Marshall, Giles Jackson, Ife Adeyi

WR: Jahan Dotson, Ainias Smith, Avery Williams, Taylor Morin

TE: Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, Kylen Granson, Harrison Bryant, E.J. Jenkins, Nick Muse, Cameron Latu

LT: Jordan Mailata, Kendall Lamm, Myles Hinton, Hollin Pierce

LG: Landon Dickerson, Kenyon Green

C: Cam Jurgens, Brett Toth, Drew Kendall

RG: Tyler Steen, Matt Pryor, Trevor Keegan

RT: Lane Johnson, Darian Kinnard, Cameron Williams, Laekin Vakalahi

DEFENSE​

EDGE: Nolan Smith, Azeez Ojulari, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Ochaun Mathis

EDGE: Jalyx Hunt, Joshua Uche, Patrick Johnson, Antwaun Powell-Ryland

DT: Jalen Carter, Thomas Booker, Gabe Hall

DT: Jordan Davis, Ty Robinson, Joe Evans

DT: Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Jacob Sykes

LB: Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Dallas Gant

LB: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon, Lance Dixon

CB: Quinyon Mitchell, Eli Ricks, Tariq Castro-Fields,

CB: Adoree’ Jackson/Kelee Ringo, Parry Nickerson

NCB: Cooper DeJean, Mac McWilliams, A.J. Woods, Brandon Johnson

S: Reed Blankenship, Tristin McCollum, Lewis Cine

S: Sydney Brown/Andrew Mukuba, Andre’ Sam, Maxen Hook

(Note: Nakobe Dean, who is on active/PUP, is not included on the chart.)

SPECIAL TEAMS​

P: Braden Mann

K: Jake Elliott

H: Braden Mann

LS: Charley Hughlett, Christian Johnstone

PR: Cooper DeJean, Jahan Dotson, Ainias Smith

KR: Will Shipley, A.J. Dillon

---

NOTES​

• The veteran Dorian Thompson-Robinson was given the edge over the rookie Kyle McCord. DTR is making a stronger push for the roster than originally expected.
• Will Shipley is ahead of A.J. Dillon. Dillon might have more carries than Shipley but Shipley has more total touches when accounting for receptions.
• First time in a long time the Eagles have issued a depth chart with a designated fullback on it.
• Does Kylen Granson have an edge over Harrison Bryant for TE3? There hasn’t been a lot of separation there in camp.
• Kenyon Green has been exclusively repping at left guard. He’s not in the mix to start at right guard as was previously suggested.
• Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt are listed as starters but Joshua Uche did get some first-team reps over Hunt on Monday.
• Thomas Booker’s had another good summer. He might be the fourth defensive tackle over Vanilla Gorilla Ty Robinson.
• I wouldn’t overreact to 2025 first-round pick Jihaad Campbell being listed as a backup. Last year at this time, Quinyon Mitchell was listed behind Darius Slay and the competition of Isaiah Rodgers/Kelee Ringo. Campbell still has time to push for a starting role by Week 1.
• That being said, I’ve been saying that Jeremiah Trotter Jr. isn’t going down without a fight. And he’s listed as a starter here as opposed to being in a competition with Campbell.
• Is it meaningful that Adoree’ Jackson is listed before Kelee Ringo in their grouping? At this time last year, the Eagles listed “Devin White/Nakobe Dean” for a starting spot and the latter obviously won the job while White eventually got cut.
• We’ll see if Christian Johnstone was brought in to legitimately compete with Charley Hughlett or if it’s just a temporary injury-related signing.
• Special teams emergency backups: Jake Elliott at punter, Braden Mann at kicker, Cooper DeJean at holder, and Grant Calcaterra at long snapper.
• Is DeJean going to be the Eagles’ primary punt returner? I don’t feel like they’d ideally like that. But maybe I’m wrong. Dotson’s experience there is limited; he hasn’t done it in the NFL and he had just 25 punt returns over four years at Penn State.
• Also not really sure if we’ll see Dillon returning kicks. I could see it more with Shipley.
• What stands out to you? Let me know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...les-depth-chart-revealed-first-preseason-game

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: The 2 most intriguing wide receivers behind the top 3

Today marked the 10th Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The unpadded session lasted for about one hour and 15 minutes. Here’s what I observed at the NovaCare Complex.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES

JALEN HURTS UPDATES: Hurts had some high highs and low lows on Tuesday. There was more good than bad and he continues to trend in the right direction following a cool stretch.

THE GOOD: Hurts got off to a hot start in red zone 7-on-7s. He threw a good ball to Johnny Wilson over the middle with multiple defenders closing in on the big receiver. He threw a touchdown to a wide open DeVonta Smith underneath. He placed a ball high to only where Dallas Goedert could get it and make a leaping touchdown grab over Andrew Mukuba. In 11 on 11s, Hurts threw a 10-yard touchdown over the middle to Saquon Barkley (side note: it feels like Hurts has targeted Barkley over the middle of the field more often this summer than last year). Hurts was pumped after throwing a touchdown to a crossing Jahan Dotson in the end zone as Azeez Ojulari was bearing down on the quarterback. Hurts had another connection with Dotson that would’ve set the offense up just short of the goal line. DeVonta Smith made an over-the-shoulder catch along the right sideline on a Hurts throw for another touchdown.

THE BAD: Hurts threw a short pass that would’ve been a pick six had it not been bobbled and dropped by Kelee Ringo. In fairness to Hurts, Ringo did a really good job of jumping the route. Don’t think it was a terrible decision as much as it was a good read by the defender. Hurts later threw an interception to Cooper DeJean. That one was less forgivable since he threw off his back foot as he was getting blitzed. It didn’t help that Dallas Goedert stumbled on his route (and otherwise may have had a chance to either catch the pass or break it up) but that throw seemed like a reckless decision.

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EAGLES INJURY REPORT:

DID NOT PRACTICE

LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)
RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring)
DT Byron Young (groin)

Baun has missed six straight practices.

Brown and Johnson Jr. have missed three straight practices.

Young has missed two straight practices.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION

S Lewis Cine (hamstring)

LS Charley Hughlett (neck)
C Trevor Keegan (back)

WR Terrace Marshall Jr. (knee)

CB Mac McWilliams (quad)

S Andrew Mukuba (shoulder)
OL Matt Pryor (shoulder)

Cine, Keegan, and Marshall Jr. were upgraded to limited. I didn’t see them in team drills.

Hughlett was limited for the third day in a row.

McWilliams and Mukuba participated in team drills.

Pryor is a new addition to the injury report.

UPGRADED TO FULL PARTICIPATION

Nolan Smith (concussion) and Ben VanSumeren (ankle) were removed from the injury report.

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POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — CORNERBACK: Adoree’ Jackson was first up with the first-team defense on Tuesday. That makes six days when Jackson has been up first and four days for Ringo. I didn’t write Jackson’s name down in my notes today, for better or worse. As previously mentioned, Ringo dropped an interception. Kudos to him for making the right read and jumping the route … but he’s simply gotta catch the ball there. Missed opportunity.

New Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett is wearing No. 49. Tough downgrade from the No. 0 he wore with the Las Vegas Raiders. Bennett needs to change his number as more options become available after the roster is trimmed down to 53 players.

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POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — WIDE RECEIVER: Dotson had a good practice. He’s clearly WR3 behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. How many receivers do the Eagles keep behind the top trio? And who are they?

The feeling here is that Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson are good bets to make the roster again. They get first team reps and Nick Sirianni spoke highly of them on Tuesday morning:

Q: How valuable has the opportunity been for WR Johnny Wilson and WR Ainias Smith getting first team reps with WR A.J. Brown being out and WR DeVonta Smith before that?

Nick Sirianni: Obviously, the ones in our practices get more reps, so they’re getting more reps than they would get when they were with the twos. So anytime you get more reps, that’s huge. It builds trust with the quarterback, which is always big. Johnny had a big third-down catch in a backed-up scenario yesterday, which again, builds confidence. So, I think those guys in that wide receiver room are doing a nice job. [WR] Jahan [Dotson]’s been good all offseason. Same thing like how I mentioned Tyler Steen. Jahan is another guy that’s really showed up, and then, it has been a good battle for that four or five spot. I think Ainias shows great quickness and acceleration. He’s scrappy. Johnny, I think it’s probably underestimated how much Johnny did for us last year on that field. One of our better special teams players, a guy that was very powerful at the point of attack on the number one rushing team, and then looking forward to [WR] Terrace [Marshall] getting back out there. [WR] Elijah Cooks is doing a good job. [WR] Darius Cooper has got a lot of talent, and we’re excited to continue to work with those guys.

Wilson has rebounded a little after a rough start to camp. I can see his unique size and skill set being valuable. I struggle to see what the Eagles like so much about Ainias Smith (who had a pass bounce off his hands today). He’s had some success in 1-on-1s but not so much in team drills. I do think he looks more comfortable returning punts than he did last offseason, so there’s that.

But, to me, the two most intriguing wide receivers behind the top trio are Elijah Cooks and Darius Cooper. (I’m not including Terrace Marshall Jr. since he’s missed multiple practices due to injury.)

Cooks has undeniably been the Eagles’ fourth best receiver in camp. He had a really impressive two-play sequence near the end of today’s practice. 1) He caught a pass on a slant and then immediately cut back to (metaphorically) break Eli Ricks’ ankles and accelerate to the end zone for a touchdown. 2) He then beat Mac McWilliams on a quick slant for a successful two-point conversion. Cooks is making a strong case to be on the roster.

Cooper is probably more of a practice squad candidate … assuming he manages to go unclaimed through waivers. A leaping Cooper caught a fade pass over McWilliams in the end zone for a score.

It’ll be interesting to see if Cooks and/or Cooper can translate their practice success to the preseason games. Keep an eye on them. Cooks is No. 86 and Cooper is No. 41.

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• Nolan Smith had good coverage on a Saquon Barkley wheel route in 11-on-11. Hurts’ throw ended up being a little too far in front of the running back but Smith might’ve been able to break it up had it been more on target. Pretty nice to have a guy who can drop into coverage like that and also effectively rush the passer.
• Moro Ojomo continues to dominate. And, no, it’s not just him beating up on Tyler Steen. Ojomo got by Landon Dickerson with a rip move to generate pressure on Hurts. Ojomo also beat Brett Toth (yes, it was really him this time) to log a “sack” on Hurts. Ojomo is primed for a good season.
• Tanner McKee targeted Will Shipley in the flat for a catch-and-run touchdown. He also targeted Shipley for a two-point conversion. I maintain that Shipley will see more targets than Kenny Gainwell did last year.

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UP NEXT: The Eagles have a walkthrough closed to media access on Wednesday. Then they host the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field for a 7:30 PM Eastern kickoff on Thursday night. The first preseason game is somehow already here! You can find more of the Eagles’ training camp schedule by clicking here.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...st-intriguing-wide-receivers-behind-the-top-3

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Film Review: Looking at the remaining 2024 rookies

One of my favorite things to do every offseason is to go back and compare my post-draft notes on the Eagles’ rookies with how they actually looked when they got on the field. It’s a fun blend of film study, self-evaluation, and a check on how well certain traits really translate to the NFL. I won’t be writing full scouting reports, as I did that after the draft. This series is more about reflecting on his rookie season. Did the player perform as expected? Did anything surprise me? And what do I think comes next? At the end of each article, I’ll give my updated outlook for that player in the future.

Previously: Quinyon Mitchell / Cooper DeJean / Jalyx Hunt / Will Shipley / Johnny Wilson

This will be the final one in this series and I’ll keep these short and sweet because these players didn’t play enough to truly evaluate. I’ll do them in order of when they were drafted!

Ainias Smith (Round 5)​

Let’s start with my post-draft review of Ainias Smith:

I wish I could prove this… but I had a feeling Ainias Smith would be an Eagles target. I promise I’m not lying! I wrote down on my Eagles’ draft spreadsheet after watching one game ‘Day 3 Eagles Target’ but I deleted it as I didn’t get around to watching him in enough detail to include him in my guide. I am extremely annoyed that I didn’t watch him properly, as I would have saved myself some work!

Smith is a perfect day 3 target for Kellen Moore’s offense. I think Kellen Moore desperately wanted a profile like this for his offense (Parris Campbell has a similar skillset) so I think Smith could develop into a potential WR3/4 in this offense. The big issue with Smith is that I don’t think he can play outside, which is a problem with modern offenses that like moving players all around the formation. Another issue with Smith is his size doesn’t make him a great blocker, which may limit his snaps for someone like the Eagles who will likely run the ball a lot this year.

Overall, I do expect Smith to make the roster and I think he can contribute as the season progresses with some manufactured touches, and I expect him to have a role on special teams. This feels like a pretty sensible round 5 pick. I will never complain about the Eagles adding explosive athletes on day 3 of the draft. Smith feels like a player who will have way more value in real life than he will in fantasy, which sometimes allows players like him to fall under the radar. He may never develop into a WR1/2, but I think he could be a really good football player who can contribute to this offense.

Summary​

I was right about Ainias Smith making the 53-man roster. That’s about the only thing I got right here!

“I do expect Smith to make the roster and I think he can contribute as the season progresses with some manufactured touches, and I expect him to have a role on special teams.”

Smith played just 96 offensive snaps all season, and when he did get on the field, I didn’t see the juice or suddenness I expected. There wasn’t the dynamic burst I had hoped would show up once he was working in space. I was underwhelmed. More than anything, I misread how he’d fit into Kellen Moore’s offense.

“Smith is a perfect day 3 target for Kellen Moore’s offense… I think Smith could develop into a potential WR3/4 in this offense.”

That never really happened. Moore didn’t feature a gadget-style slot weapon as much as I thought he might, and Smith’s lack of size and blocking ability meant he was rarely used. I envisioned him as a chess piece but he it didn’t happen.

At this point, I’m not convinced he’ll make the roster. He didn’t flash enough to earn more reps last year, and while I wouldn’t be mad if he stuck over Johnny Wilson, I don’t think either has a guaranteed spot. I haven’t totally given up as the skill set still has value but he needs to show more explosiveness in camp. Otherwise, he will likely end up on the practice squad, rather than the 53 man roster.

Jeremiah Trotter (Round 5)​

One of my favorite Eagles picks from last year, here is what I said about Trotter:

I was pretty surprised that Trotter fell to the 5th but I think it’s pretty easy to figure out why. A lot of NFL teams will have criteria for size and if someone doesn’t meet that threshold, they won’t be on their board. I imagine a lot of NFL teams just simply didn’t have Trotter on their board due to his size, because the film shows a player that is better than a 5th-round pick.

I go back and forth on Trotter due to the size and where he was drafted. This is hardly a bold prediction, but after seeing him fall to the 5th round I think he probably will end up as a backup, but there’s still a part of me that thinks he could have a TJ Edwards career arc and end up as an above-average starter. If I go with my gut feeling that I thought pre-draft, I think Trotter could end up as a good starting linebacker. I hope he gets some opportunities to play this year, and I don’t think it’s impossible that by the start of next year, Trotter is one of the Eagles’ starting linebackers. We know that the Eagles organization does not value linebackers that highly, and it is unlikely that Trotter will compete with a high draft pick or an expensive free agent signing over the next couple of years.

My biggest concern with Trotter this year is that he’s in a crowded room with similar undersized linebackers who like to be kept clean. I think the Eagles are expecting the defensive line to be really strong and keep these linebackers clean this year. However, with the Eagles’ recent linebacker play, who knows when Trotter will be needed?

Summary​

I loved this pick at the time, and nothing I saw in his rookie season has changed that. Trotter only played 111 defensive snaps, but when he was on the field, he looked like the same player he was at Clemson. His size and speed limitations didn’t magically disappear, but his feel for the game was evident when he played.

7) Jeremiah Trotter looked like he did in college. Shock! I'm still surprised he fell as low as he did but I really think he could play meaningful snaps this year. He was quick to diagnose things and moved well. Good signs! pic.twitter.com/t7Jpr8CuQX

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 13, 2024

“I think Trotter could end up as a good starting linebacker. I hope he gets some opportunities to play this year, and I don’t think it’s impossible that by the start of next year, Trotter is one of the Eagles’ starting linebackers.”

That might still be a little optimistic, but I don’t think it’s impossible. Recent training camp reports have been positive, and the traits that made me believe in him still show up. He is obviously not as talented as Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell, so he will be behind them in the depth chart this season. However, Nakobe Dean’s injury might give him a chance to jump up to the 3rd linebacker spot.

“After seeing him fall to the 5th round I think he probably will end up as a backup, but there’s still a part of me that thinks he could have a TJ Edwards career arc.”

He may not have the size or athletic profile to be a three-down guy for a whole season, but as a backup and spot starter, I think he’s more than capable. Especially if the Eagles’ defensive line plays to its potential and keeps him clean.

He may not become a star, but if the Eagles need someone to step in and play in 2025, I wouldn’t be surprised if Trotter plays well. For a fifth-round pick, this already looks like smart value.

Trevor Keegan (Round 5)​

Keegan barely played last year, so I don’t have much to add, but I’ll repeat my scouting report from last year nonetheless:

Trevor Keegan feels like a really good pick in the 5th round and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t make the roster. He’s a 3-year starter who knows how to play the position and has the awareness that you want to see. He’s a physical run blocker who is slightly limited in space but is good enough in space to run a variety of concepts that I expect the Eagles to run this year (OZ, counter, pin/pull). He can also hold up in pass protection and although his pass protection numbers are excellent, I expect quicker interior lineman to cause him trouble.

The biggest issue with Keegan is a lack of versatility. I imagine that’s a huge reason why he fell to the 5th, as teams don’t want backup offensive linemen who can only play 1 position. I expect the Eagles will try to give Keegan reps at right guard too throughout the summer, as the Eagles will want him to be an option at both spots. If Keegan can develop on the right side too, then he should be an excellent backup at guard who can step in for a few games a season if needed. I have seen some comments about him playing tackle, but I don’t think he has the arm length or profile the Eagles look for at tackle.

If he reaches the potential that his athletic testing suggests he has, then it is possible he can develop into a starter. He isn’t going to start at left guard here while Landon Dickerson is here, but it’s possible he could push Tyler Steen if he struggles at right guard. Overall, I would expect him to make the roster and develop into a versatile backup who can start a few games a season if needed and maybe even become a full-time starter down the line if he reaches his athletic potential. For a 5th round pick, that’s pretty good.

Summary​

Not much to add here! Keegan barely saw the field as a rookie, but that was always expected on an offensive line this deep. Based on what we saw in college and brief NFL action, I still think there’s something to develop here.

6) It seems like he's losing the job to Becton currently, but I thought Tyler Steen did some good things in this game. Here he is pulling effectively and striking the linebacker. I also watched Trevor Keegan too and I thought he did well. pic.twitter.com/Cgm6wMZBSk

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 12, 2024

“I’d be surprised if he doesn’t make the roster… He’s a physical run blocker who is slightly limited in space but is good enough in space to run a variety of concepts that I expect the Eagles to run this year.”

I was right that he’d make the roster last year, and I still think he’s a solid bet heading into 2025. Kenyon Green is probably the more popular name in the battle for backup left guard, but I won’t be surprised at all if Keegan ends up winning that job. I’d actually be a bit disappointed if Keegan doesn’t make the roster, because I think he has the traits to carve out a role here.

“If Keegan can develop on the right side too, then he should be an excellent backup at guard who can step in for a few games a season if needed.”

I mentioned his lack of versatility being an issue, but there have been reports he is training at center too. That’s an interesting development because the Eagles like keeping versatile lineman.

Eagles 2024 fifth-round pick Trevor Keegan is getting snaps at center with the third-team rotation

— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) July 28, 2025

He may never be more than a spot starter, but for a 5th round pick, that’s still a win. If he can continue to develop, especially in terms of positional versatility, he could quietly be a valuable depth piece for this team going forward.

FYI: I’ve ignored Dylan McMahon as he was cut! He was the Eagles’ final pick in the 6th round but now he plays for the Los Angeles Rams.

Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...-review-looking-at-the-remaining-2024-rookies

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles rookie storylines for Bengals preseason game

Preseason football is here. Rejoice freaks, I know you love this.

While the preseason is not a great way of judging a team, it can really help coaching staffs, front offices, and fans take a look at some of the younger guys on a squad. Rookies will face unfamiliar opponents in a game situation for the first times ever, dealing with real speed and competing with guys who are fighting for their careers.

The Eagles added a ton of rookies this spring through the draft and free agency. Here is what to look for in Thursday night’s preseason matchup against the Bengals.

How much responsibility does Jihaad Campbell have?

Jihaad Campbell was expected to be on a learning curve this summer. Between cross training all over the front seven and recovering from injury, the former Alabama star wasn’t supposed to immediately be a main factor in the defense.

Campbell quickly bucked those expectations. Not only did he become available and healthier faster, he picked up every role thrown at him very, very quickly. In his first preseason game, it will be notable to see where Campbell lines up and how much leadership he’s given over the defense.

While I don’t expect the defensive play-calling to be very complicated at this stage, his ability to execute will inform how ready he will be for regular season football.

Where does Andrew Mukuba line up, if at all?

Andrew Mukuba played all over the defense in college and it’s possible he can have a similar impact in the NFL. I expect the preseason will be a great chance for the coaching staff to experiment with his alignments. Does he play slot? Is he a full time safety? Is he center fielding? Can he rotate down into the box?

Tomorrow will offer a small glimpse into how the team maximizes his versatility.

That is, if he even plays. He’s been limited in practice and Vic Fangio realized downplayed his chances of suiting up on Thursday night.

Is the Mac McWilliams hype real?

Mac McWilliams has turned some heads in camp. The feisty cornerback has challenged receivers and pushed his fellow young cornerbacks in competition. That being said, the Eagles still went out and traded for Jakorian Bennett in part to boost their optionality at cornerback.

If healthy, tomorrow is McWilliams’ first big chance to make an impression on the coaching staff in a live game situation.

How does the rookie defensive line depth look?

The Eagles lost a few key defensive line contributors this offseason. Josh Sweat is in Arizona, Milton Williams is in New England, Thomas Booker is in Las Vegas, and Brandon Graham is hopefully on a beach somewhere.

Philadelphia drafted two defensive linemen this spring; Ty Robinson out of Nebraska and Antwaun Powell-Ryland. Robinson, an early Day 3 pick, is expected to contribute much sooner while Powell-Ryland is more expected to have a depth role, if he even makes the roster at all.

Both should get a lot of snaps in preseason. With both players being guys who won with speed in college despite lacking size, they will get to test their abilities against far bigger, stronger competition this preseason.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...-rookie-storylines-for-bengals-preseason-game

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Why Tanner McKee is invaluable to the Eagles

The city of backup quarterbacks continues to shine when it comes to the QB2 spot. Philadelphia, a place that has seen not one, but two players who were originally brought in to be benchwarmers win Super Bowl MVP, has a new favorite son in third-year signal-caller Tanner McKee.

McKee dazzled in the preseason on Thursday night against Cincinnati’s starting defense, completing 80 percent of his passes while throwing for 252 yards and combining for three touchdowns. This is not the first time that McKee has turned heads in the preseason, but the 2024 regular season campaign illustrated that the Stanford product can bring the goods when the games matter too, completing 66.7 percent of his passes and throwing for four touchdowns across two games, including his first career start that he won.

It’s great to make fun of the New Jersey NFL teams and say that McKee would be the best Giants or Jets quarterback in over a decade, but McKee, even with Jalen Hurts firmly entrenched as the franchise quarterback as the reigning Super Bowl MVP, absolutely has an integral place on this Eagles team.

A backup quarterback has started meaningful games in three out of four seasons in the Hurts-Nick Sirianni era. Gardner Minshew won a game in the Meadowlands in 2021 that helped keep the Birds’ playoff hopes alive. Minshew then went 0-2 in two starts as the Eagles attempted to wrap up the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2022. Last season, Kenny Pickett started as the Birds throttled the Cowboys in Week 17 on the way to clinching the NFC East crown.

The chances are pretty good the Eagles are going to have to rely on McKee at some point in 2025. That’s not an indictment of Hurts. That’s just the nature of the sport. Fans and media members alike spent Thursday night speculating what the Eagles could fetch for a young, cost-controlled QB of McKee’s caliber, but there isn’t a single draft I would part for McKee right now.

The Eagles are in parade-or-bust mode. Anything other than hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara next February would be a disappointment. They have the most talented roster in the sport. The Birds are set at QB1 with a guy who’s been to the mountain and have drafted and developed their QB2 into a legitimate starting-level quarterback in this league. Being able to put in McKee, an accurate, poised passer who gives his receivers every chance to make a play, behind this offensive line and with these skill position players is going to still give the Birds a chance to make noise even if disaster strikes.

The possibility of McKee winning an important game or two, the difference between winning the division or the difference between securing a first-round bye, is more valuable in the Eagles’ pursuit of their third Super Bowl victory than any pick they could receive for next spring’s draft.

Sure, the Eagles can and will reevaluate all of this come next offseason. McKee will be a good starter in this league one day and will eventually land on a different team and make a boatload of money. That will be awesome for him. Right now, however, the Eagles know what they have in McKee if the situation calls for him to come in and save the day. No franchise is more aware, of course, of the power a transformative backup quarterback can have than the Birds.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com.../why-tanner-mckee-is-invaluable-to-the-eagles

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles News: “Tanner McKee is a starting-caliber backup quarterback”

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Eagles 34, Bengals 27: Tanner McKee is a starting-caliber QB, No. 2 cornerback still a question, remember Darius Cooper & more takeaways – PHLY
Tanner McKee is a starting-caliber backup quarterback. The McKee hype has been warranted this summer, and it was cemented by McKee going 20 of 25 for 252 yards and two touchdowns (plus a Tush Push touchdown) while playing into the third quarter. He started the game against the Bengals’ starting defense (while playing with mostly the Eagles’ reserves), and you would not have known the discrepancy. He was decisive and efficient, and he put the ball up for his teammates to make a play. The 27-yard deep ball to Johnny Wilson was an example. His touchdown pass to Darius Cooper at the end of the half was placed in the perfect spot. “It felt good, felt like we were moving the ball, which is always fun,” McKee said. “There are things that like, ‘Oh man, I missed that’ or whatever. But overall, moved the ball well, had a lot of guys that made great plays. So the feeling is good.” The Eagles prioritize the No. 2 quarterback spot. Jeffrey Lurie once said he considers the second quarterback one of the most important parts of a successful organization. There was a sentiment that the Eagles might have been showcasing McKee; I don’t see it that way. They could have moved McKee in March or April — there was interest elsewhere then, and the Eagles traded Kenny Pickett to have McKee as the backup quarterback this year. He could indeed start on other teams in the NFL, but the Eagles would be more inclined to keep McKee and then perhaps trade him after the season. There’s too much value for a Super Bowl-caliber team to have a backup quarterback who can the offense like him.

Eagles-Bengals preseason observations: Position battle updates, injury news, and more – BGN
Tanner McKee was awesome. He’s a stud. Would need more than a second-round pick in order to trade the Eagles’ backup quarterback.

2025 NFL preseason, Week 1: What We Learned from Thursday’s tripleheader – NFL.com
McKee solidifies standing as Hurts’ backup. Tanner McKee captained an Eagles offensive machine on Thursday night, leading Philadelphia to scores on five of his six drives, capping four with touchdowns. Since his rookie year of 2023, McKee has looked good enough in the preseason to earn a groundswell of backing from Eagles fans to be Jalen Hurts’ backup. Whether it was Marcus Mariota or Kenny Pickett who was the No. 2, McKee had his supporters. The job is his now and he showed out from the start of the preseason opener. Before handing QB duties to Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the third quarter, McKee completed 20 of 25 passes for 252 yards and two scores while adding a 1-yard tush push for six. His highlights were plenty, but the most impressive was a beautiful ball to Darius Cooper for a TD with just 35 seconds left in the first half, his second scoring pass in less than a minute. Doing much of his work against Bengals defensive starters was another feather in his helmet — and cause for concern for Cincy.

Spadaro: 12 takeaways from the Eagles’ 34-27 win to open the preseason – PE.com
Quarterback Tanner McKee had himself a fantastic game, playing into the third quarter. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns and also scored on a Tush Push on a fourth-and-goal play from the 1-yard line in the first quarter. McKee threw darts all night, worked the pocket beautifully, had great anticipation and accuracy, and probably only made one throw he would like to have back. He is the No. 2 quarterback now, one play away from game action, and the Eagles have the highest confidence in him for good reason. McKee played good football at the end of last season, stepping in against Dallas when Kenny Pickett was injured and then leading the Eagles to a win over the Giants’ starting team in Week 18. He will play more in this preseason and McKee will just get better and better.

Eagles Preseason Takeaways With BLG: Let’s Go Overboard With Tanner McKee! – The Ringer’s Philly Special
The Eagles had their first game of the preseason and came out victorious on Thursday night over the Bengals by a score of 34-27. Sheil is joined by Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation to discuss some takeaways from the victory.

Handing out 10 awards from the Eagles-Bengals preseason game – PhillyVoice
2) The ‘Ruh Roh’ Award: The Eagles’ CB2 spot. Kelee Ringo had a tough night against the Bengals’ starters, notably the following ugly play against Ja’Marr Chase. He gave up an easy reception on an out route, and then overran Chase, who then waltzed into the end zone.

A Good Start – Iggles Blitz
Patrick Johnson was the standout rusher. None of the other edge rushers stood out to me. That’s not ideal. The DTs did some good things. Rookie Ty Robinson had a sack and showed good athleticism. Gabe Hall got the pressure on the play where Johnson had his INT. I thought several guys played the run well. Cincy RBs finished 18-57. The Eagles should come out of this game pretty happy. They got good answers at several positions. They came out relatively healthy. The overall team looked good. The third string offense had some struggles, but they were really young. Those guys are going to have issues in their first game. There are still questions. Howie will have to decide if he wants to add a veteran safety or still thinks Drew Mukuba is the answer there. CB remains an issue. There is also the possibility of needing to add another veteran rusher.

Darius Cooper introduces himself to Eagles fans with tremendous performance – NBCSP
Darius Cooper can laugh about it now. But back in OTAs, when the undrafted rookie receiver from Tarleton State got his first first-team rep in the NFL, he had a moment with Jalen Hurts that still brings a smile to his face. “He was calling the play,” Cooper said, “and I was like right next to him. And he called the play and I’m looking at him. I’m like, ‘I’m next to Jalen Hurts right now. This is crazy!’ He called the play, we broke the huddle, and I didn’t know what I was doing at all.” Oops. Cooper lined up in the wrong formation, but eventually figured it out and ran the right route. But aside from that one moment, Cooper has always carried himself like he belongs in the NFL, even if some didn’t believe it.

2025 NFL preseason Week 1: Takeaways on new players – ESPN
Running back AJ Dillon had an encouraging debut, rushing five times for 27 yards (5.4 average) and catching three passes for 27 yards. He showed some wiggle with a jump cut on a 9-yard gain and moved the pile when he lowered his shoulder. It was a good start after sitting out all of last season because of a neck injury. Undrafted rookie receiver Darius Cooper (6 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD) raised his profile. He regularly separated from defenders with sharp routes and good burst. First-round pick linebacker Jihaad Campbell nearly came up with an interception, and fourth-round defensive tackle Ty Robinson registered two pressures, a sack and demonstrated good awareness by sniffing out a screen and taking that option away from the quarterback. –

NFL Preseason Week 1 Game Recap: Philadelphia Eagles 34, Cincinnati Bengals 27 – PFF
The Eagles kept their starters on the bench, but quarterback Tanner McKee looked right at home against much of the Bengals’ first-team defense. He played into the third quarter, going 20-of-25 for 252 yards and two scores. Tarleton State product Darius Cooper was on the end of several throws, hauling in six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Eagles Super Bowl Starter Avoided ACL Tear: Report – SI
NFL insider Josina Anderson further confirmed the news as well about Gardner-Johnson’s knee. “A Texans official tells me S CJ Gardner Johnson’s ‘didn’t tear’ his ACL and that the team is ‘still evaluating him…’ Just also adding here, generally speaking, with any injury there are microscopic tears compared to macro tears (Grade 1 – Grade 3)….so still waiting for full clarity on the scope of injury and a complete diagnosis on CJGJ,” Anderson said. Gardner-Johnson was forced out of practice on Thursday after suffering the leg injury. Initially, it seemed like the worst had occurred. Fortunately, that may not be the case. Texans reporter Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston also confirmed the news and said tests are underway but that the team hopes he’ll be able to return.

A.J. Brown: Treylon Burks is a good kid, sad it went down like that – PFT
During an appearance on Pardon My Take, Brown was asked his feelings about how lopsided the results of the trade have been. “I’m grateful that happened,” Brown said. “I like to say that I outgrew that situation at Tennessee. I’m glad this happened, because I felt like I was meant to shine. We needed a big team with a big market and I think this is the right place and the best fit for me. I am a little sad for Treylon Burks. I wish he could get healthy, because he is a good kid and I talk to him numerous times. I’ve got his number. It sucks to see it go down like that.”

Chargers LT Rashawn Slater out for 2025 season with ruptured patellar tendon – Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers will be without LT Rashawn Slater for the entire 2025 season after he ruptured his left patellar tendon during Thursday’s practice. [BLG Note: The Eagles play the Chargers in Week 14.]

Five Players to Watch during the Washington Commanders Preseason: Week 1 – Hogs Haven
Luke McCaffery: Terry McLaurin is still on the PUP list, and Noah Brown also didn’t make the trip to New England. Normally, I would say this is a key time for one of the back-end wide receivers to step up, and while that certainly is true, I am more interested to see how McCaffery plays tomorrow night. While reports have been positive, there are also some comments that he hasn’t stood out significantly from those same players. I don’t expect Deebo Samuel to play much, if at all, so McCaffrey should get some run versus both the starters and the second string, and I will be watching to see the development Kliff Kingsbury spoke about in his Monday presser.

Cowboys injury news: Rookie RB Jaydon Blue leaves practice with issue – Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys may have suffered another injury on Thursday. This time it’s rookie running back Jaydon Blue. Over the last couple of weeks Blue has been getting more opportunities to show the Cowboys what he is capable of. It is hard to make an impact as a rookie, but the position of running back is one where you can really shine. Blue’s home run ability is something everyone has been looking forward to seeing, particularly in the preseason.

Giants at Bills: 7 things to watch in Saturday’s preseason opener – Big Blue View
Jaxson Dart: How many plays will Dart receive and how much will Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka put on his plate? We’ve seen Dart make checks at the line of scrimmage through camp and he’s executed audibles based on the defensive look. Of course, the Giants’ offense and Bills’ defense will show just the bones of the playbook, but how Dart handles those rudimentary plays in the reps that he receives will be telling. Dart’s decision making, arm-talent, and overall production are all exciting aspects of Saturday’s game to monitor. Daboll did say on Thursday that rookies will “as many reps as we can give them.”

Madden NFL 26 review: The leap we’ve been waiting for – SB Nation
The biggest competition for Madden NFL is coming from within the house. EA Sports’ addition of EA Sports College Football has completely changed how we view the flagship NFL franchise, and truthfully last year was a little bit of a letdown. That wasn’t entirely the fault of Madden, which had to contend against a new, shiny football game — but after experiencing he passion, love, and care put into CFB 25 it left the NFL game a little lacking. That all changes in Madden NFL 26, which has harnessed some of the best elements of EA Sports College Football 26, while adding its own signature features to leave us with the best, most complete, and most fun Madden in years. If you’ve been waiting for significant improvements to shell out your hard-earned money, well, this one is it.

…

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Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...ckee-is-a-starting-caliber-backup-quarterback

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Oh yeah, that Jalen Carter guy is pretty good

Today marked the 11th Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The session lasted for about one hour and 25 minutes. Here’s what I observed at the NovaCare Complex.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES​

JALEN HURTS UPDATE​

Hurts had a solid practice.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP did well to connect with Johnny Wilson on a layered throw over the middle. Hurts put the ball high where the tall receiver could make the play. Hurts had a nice short completion to a crossing Dallas Goedert.

Hurts did overthrow Saquon Barkley in the flat during a situation where the offense was backed up at the minus 1-yard line. He also had a throw get deflected at the line of scrimmage.

EAGLES INJURY REPORT​

IN-PRACTICE INJURY

I saw Jalyx Hunt participating in offensive line versus defensive line drills early in practice but he wasn’t to be found during team drills. ESPN’s Tim McManus said he saw Hunt visit the medical tent about 20 minutes into practice. We’ll keep an eye on this one.

DID NOT PRACTICE

WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)
WR Elijah Cooks (shoulder)
OT Kenyon Green (shoulder)
LS Charley Hughlett (neck)
RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring)
TE Cameron Latu (knee)
DT Byron Young (groin)

Brown was seen doing some running prior to practice. Seems like a positive sign even though he’s now missed four straight practices.

Johnson has also missed four straight practices.

Young has missed three straight practices.

Cooks suffered a shoulder injury in the first preseason game. Missed time works against him making the roster.

Green also suffered a shoulder injury in the first preseason game. He wasn’t looking great prior to getting hurt.

Hughlett was previously limited in practice last week but he didn’t play on Thursday and now he’s not practicing. Maybe the recently signed Christian Johnstone has a real chance to be the Eagles’ new long snapper?

Latu got banged up in the preseason game.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION

LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
OG Landon Dickerson (knee)
WR Terrace Marshall (knee)

After missing six straight practices, Baun is back in a limited capacity. He did not participate in team drills.

The Eagles seem to be managing Dickerson’s workload. Brett Toth split time at first-team left guard.

Marshall returned to team drills.

UPGRADED TO FULL PARTICIPATION

Andrew Mukuba (shoulder), Mac McWilliams (quad), Matt Pryor (shoulder), Trevor Keegan (back), and Lewis Cine (hamstring) were removed from the injury report.

Sydney Brown was notably not listed on the injury report despite being evaluated in the medical tent on Thursday night.

OH YEAH, THAT JALEN CARTER GUY IS PRETTY GOOD​

Let’s be clear: I don’t think Carter has been dogging it at practice by any means. But it feels like he can hit an entirely different gear when he really wants to do so. Today was one of those days where Carter decided to be a game-wrecker (well, practice-wrecker). He strip-sacked Hurts. He knocked down a pass at the line of scrimmage. He continued to shine in 1-on-1s.

During training camp, it can be easy to overlook players we already know are great at the expense of paying attention to guys with more to prove. But it bears repeating that Carter is a force to be reckoned with.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — CORNERBACK​

Kelee Ringo was first up with the first-team defense on Saturday. That makes six days Adoree’ Jackson has been up first and five days for Ringo.

Ringo broke up a pass to DeVonta Smith on a curl route … but it looked like he got to the receiver early. Multiple nearby reporters agreed that a flag should’ve been thrown for pass interference.

Jackson trailed on a play where Darius Cooper dropped an over-the-shoulder catch (Gasp! The undrafted rookie is human after all.)

Vic Fangio says the first preseason game was “a great learning experience” for Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo. “I think it’s great that happened. We’ll see if they can grow from that.” #Eagles

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 9, 2025

Eli Ricks, repping at RCB, intercepted a Tanner McKee pass for a pick six with the Eagles’ offense backed up against their own 1-yard line. Not sure if McKee and Terrace Marshall had a miscommunication but kudos to Ricks for making the play in any case. The third-year corner celebrated his touchdown by punting the ball.

Jakorian Bennett participated in practice for the first time since the Eagles traded for him last week. Bennett’s first action in team drills came when he rotated in at right cornerback with the second-team defense. That’s notable since Ringo and Jackson have mostly repped at RCB this offseason. Bennett later took third-team RCB reps. He wasn’t really noticeable, except for when he gave up a tightly contested slant reception to Taylor Morin for a successful two-point conversion try.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — SAFETY​

Sydney Brown was still the first-team safety next to Reed Blankenship in nickel defense despite Andrew Mukuba’s return.

Mukuba did see some very limited first-team action as the sixth defensive back in the Eagles’ dime package.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — WIDE RECEIVER​

As previously noted in the Jalen Hurts section, Johnny Wilson made a nice grab over the middle in team drills. He’s rebounded since a rough start to training camp. Good on him.

My guy Darius Cooper did drop a pass early in practice but he followed that up by making a tough catch over the middle on a throw from Hurts in 7-on-7. Hurts left the ball a bit low but Cooper was able to prevent it from hitting the ground. After the play, Hurts jogged over to Cooper to dap up the undrafted rookie. Cooper took a good amount of reps with the first-team offense in this practice. Stock way up.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — EDGE RUSHER​

With Hunt not taking part in team drills, Joshua Uche was the first-team edge rusher on the right side of the defense. Uche also took second-team reps in the same position.

Seeing some first-team action, Ogbo Okoronkwo had some good moments. He “sacked” Hurts at one point and I saw him having success against Kendall Lamm in OL vs. DL 1-on-1s.

Uche, Okoronkwo, and Patrick Johnson have all done more than Azeez Ojulari has this summer.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — QB3​

Facing 1st-and-goal from the 10-yard line, Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw a nice touchdown ball to Taylor Morin in the back of the end zone with Mukuba trailing. DTR then hit Morin again on a quick slant for a two-point conversion to end practice. DTR some dancing after both reps.

Kyle McCord was guilty of holding the ball for too long during his limited reps.

McCord had a better spring than DTR but the latter quarterback has had the superior summer. DTR definitely looks more game ready than McCord; he deserves the emergency third QB role based on merit.

MISCELLANEOUS​

• Tariq Castro-Fields probably leads all Eagles players in practice penalties this offseason. He’s often been flagged for being too grabby in coverage. To his credit, though, TCF has been playing better lately. Case in point: he broke up a pass intended for Morin today. TCF’s making his case for a spot on the practice squad.
• Morin might also be a PS guy after making some catches and having returner ability.
• Jacob Sykes is another PS candidate. The former UFL defensive tackle made a nice tackle for no gain in the first preseason game. He was able to generate some pressure on DTR today.
• Some former Eagles linemen were spotted at practice today: Fletcher Cox, Brandon Brooks, and Ndamukong Suh.

Former Eagles legend Ndamukong Suh is at practice today. pic.twitter.com/MUUosRUoQB

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 9, 2025

UP NEXT​

This week’s schedule:

• Sunday, August 10 — Training camp practice open to fans starting at 6:00 PM Eastern (Lincoln Financial Field — Tickets sold out!)
• Monday, August 11 — Off day
• Tuesday, August 12 — Training camp practice starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Wednesday, August 13 — Joint training camp practice against Cleveland Browns starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Thursday, August 14 — Joint training camp practice against Cleveland Browns starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Friday, August 15 — Walkthrough closed to media access
• Saturday, August 16 — Eagles vs. Browns preseason game starting at 1:00 PM Eastern (Lincoln Financial Field)

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...-oh-yeah-that-jalen-carter-guy-is-pretty-good

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles training camp practice updates live from Lincoln Financial Field

The Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 training camp schedule continues tonight with the team’s first and only practice open to the public at Lincoln Financial Field.

Players will be wearing their special Eagles Autism Foundation jerseys with bright green jersey numbers that’ll later be auctioned off for charity.

Here’s what’s on tap for Sunday evening:

• 5:40 PM ET – Nick Sirianni press conference
• 6:00 PM ET – Practice begins

Unless you’re watching from the stands tonight, there’s no better way to track all of the news than with the comprehensive coverage we have lined up for you here at Bleeding Green Nation.

Follow me on social media for live updates:

• Twitter (@BrandonGowton)
• BlueSky (@brandonleegowton.bsky.social‬)
• Threads (@brandongowton)

For the 13th year in a row, I’ll be covering Eagles training camp from the team’s headquarters on a daily basis. You can find practice tweets from myself and other Philly beat reporters that will appear in the list below.

READING AND LISTENING MATERIAL WHILE YOU WAIT FOR UPDATES​

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Oh yeah, that Jalen Carter guy is pretty good

Vic Fangio talks Eagles’ defensive performance in first preseason game

The Linc – Jakorian Bennett enters the cornerback competition

Eagles rookie report card: Bengals preseason game

Eagles-Bengals snap counts: Johnny Wilson takes advantage of playing time

NEWS TRACKER​

Note: if the tracker isn’t properly loading for you, you can CLICK HERE.

A Twitter List by BleedingGreen

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...ice-updates-live-from-lincoln-financial-field

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Jihaad Campbell, the blitzer

Sunday night marked the 12th Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The team’s one and only public session of the summer lasted for a little over two hours. Here’s what I observed at Lincoln Financial Field.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES​

JALEN HURTS UPDATE​

The Eagles’ offense as a whole was bested by an Eagles defense that regularly generated pressure on the quarterback and played stout against the run.

Hurts had some good first down completions to Dallas Goedert (towards the left sideline), Ainias Smith (short curl route), and Grant Calcaterra (over the middle), and DeVonta Smith (fourth down completion along the left sideline).

Hurts’ highlight throw was a 23-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta with Cooper DeJean trailing and single-high safety Sydney Brown unable to range over. Nice ball. Multiple views of the play were posted on social media:

JALEN HURTS TO DEVONTA SMITH FOR 6!

Cooper DeJean on the coverage— Smitty had a step pic.twitter.com/KvYy5ctEAL

— SleeperEagles (@SleeperEagles) August 10, 2025

Smitty over Coop for the TD pic.twitter.com/BpemfEKyeF

— Jeff (@Philly_Bul215) August 10, 2025

Hurts’ lowlight was a rep where he was likely “sacked” by a blitzing Jihaad Campbell but he threw the ball anyway. Jordan Davis got a hand on Hurts as the quarterback threw and that seemingly contributed to the ball being jarred loose and floating up in the air for a Nolan Smith pick six.

Here at Eagles Open Practice…

Nolan Smith Jr. with a pick-six off of Jalen Hurts in team 11-on-11 period. Big play! pic.twitter.com/cXK0v8tsfd

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) August 10, 2025

Jalen picked by Nolan Smith pic.twitter.com/O2nniduuHR

— Jeff (@Philly_Bul215) August 10, 2025

This wasn’t Hurts’ best practice of the summer but it also wasn’t his worst by any means.

EAGLES INJURY REPORT​

IN-PRACTICE INJURIES

Landon Dickerson was carted to the locker room after limping off the field late in practice. We’ll be monitoring this situation closely.

Gabe Hall got banged up midway through practice. He left the field and didn’t return.

DID NOT PRACTICE

WR Elijah Cooks (shoulder)
OT Kenyon Green (shoulder)
LS Charley Hughlett (neck)
RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring)
DT Byron Young (groin)

Johnson has missed five straight practices.

Young has missed four straight practices.

Cooks, Green, and Hughlett have missed two straight practices.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION

LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)

Baun still isn’t participating in team drills. That could change soon.

Brown returned in a limited capacity after missing four straight practices. He should be able to participate in team drills again soon.

UPGRADED TO FULL PARTICIPATION

Jalyx Hunt practiced in full after leaving early on Saturday.

Terrace Marshall (knee) was upgraded from limited to full go.

Cameron Latu (knee) returned to practice.

JIHAAD CAMPBELL, THE BLITZER​

The Eagles’ 2025 first-round pick kept popping up even when I wasn’t specifically watching him. Campbell logged multiple “sacks” on Hurts by getting to the Eagles quarterback as a blitzer through the middle of the offensive line.

Campbell looked good shedding blockers. And not just as a pass rusher, but also as a run defender:

Jihaad Campbell OMGGGGG pic.twitter.com/uaH5LlDWdc

— Jeff (@Philly_Bul215) August 10, 2025

There was also an impressive red zone rep where Campbell was in position to chase down a scrambling Hurts for either a sack or limiting a run to a short gain with a tackle from behind.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — CORNERBACK​

Adoree’ Jackson was first up with the first-team defense on Sunday. That makes seven days Jackson has been up first and five days for Ringo.

Jackson notably allowed a first down completion to Goedert and a fourth down conversion to DeVonta where he had tight coverage but couldn’t break up the pass at the catch point.

Ringo trailed Terrace Marshall on a Tanner McKee incompletion down the right sideline. The ball looked just a tad far out in front of Marshall, who couldn’t make the over-the-shoulder grab. Later, Ringo was in good position to contest a downfield throw to Darius Cooper that went incomplete.

Jakorian Bennett began practice repping with the third-team defense but he moved up the depth chart as the night went along. He rotated in for Eli Ricks on the second-team unit before eventually getting some first-team looks at right cornerback. Guessing the Eagles will want JB to get some reps with the starters against the Cleveland Browns in joint training camp practices this week.

QUINYON MITCHELL LOCKS DOWN DEVONTA SMITH​

Hurts tried to complete a downfield pass to DeVonta on the left side of the field. No dice. DeVonta wasn’t able to create any separation; Mitchell was all over the wide receiver. Later on, Hurts targeted DeVonta on the right side of the field. Mitchell was there again to prevent the reception. Mitchell then blanketed DeVonta a third time during a two-minute drill late in practice.

Teams were already very reluctant to throw at Mitchell as a rookie. They should be even less eager to test him in Year 2. He’s a lockdown defender.

MISCELLANEOUS​

• Jeremiah Trotter Jr. continues to refuse to go down without a fight. Trot Jr. was in good position for a run stop on Saquon Barkley early in practice, highlighting his ability to often be in the right place. He also shed a Calcaterra block on that rep. Later, a blitzing Trot Jr. beat Barkley in pass protection to get to Hurts for a “sack.” That stood out since Barkley is knowing for being good in pass pro.
• Nolan Smith got to Hurts for a “sack” on a play where the quarterback wasn’t able to step up due to the interior defensive line pushing the pocket. Pass rush working together to get the job done.
• Moro Ojomo beat Dickerson to “sack” Hurts. Ojomo also deflected a Hurts pass at the line of scrimmage. He continues to be a beast.
• Jahan Dotson had a really nice toe dragging catch along the right sideline on a pass that Hurts threw a little more wide than it needed to be.
• Darius Cooper had multiple first down catches. He was the hot route option for McKee on a third down where the quarterback got blitzed. Even if Cooper is a good receiver, though, he probably won’t have much of a role on offense this year (barring WR injuries). He could be primed to contribute on special teams, however. And that’s why is was interesting to see the Eagles have him returning kicks during the kickoffs in this scrimmage setting. Cooper was also first up as a gunner in a punt coverage drill. Cooper can really cement his roster spot by proving he provides special teams value.
• Andre’ Sam had a good rep as a gunner to beat Lewis Cine as the jammer. Sam might make the roster.
• Gabe Hall was having another good practice prior to leaving early due to injury. He got to AJ Dillon in the backfield for a “tackle for loss.”
• Ogbo Okoronkwo has been standing out in a good way in OL vs. DL 1-on-1s. He beat rookie Myles Hinton by bending the edge on one rep.
• Kylen Granson has created separation as the third best tight end behind Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcattera. He had a third down conversion over the middle on Sunday night.
• These depth players have played well enough to warrant a spot on the practice squad: Jacob Sykes, Taylor Morin, Lance Dixon, and Tariq Castro-Fields. Sykes got in the backfield to force a run to the outside back inside for no gain. Morin made a contested catch against Parry Nickerson for a first down and then caught a touchdown from McKee on an out route in the end zone (that’s been a money pattern for the undrafted rookie). Dixon had a nice “TFL” when the Eagles began their live tackling (which is saved for the third-team units) late in practice. TCF had a “TFL” and he broke up a Kyle McCord throw to Nick Muse.
• ShunDerrick Powell had a third down pass over the middle bounce off his hands.
• The Eagles have put more of an emphasis on dealing with crowd noise than they have in the past. Between pumping in crowd noise during practice situations and having Dave Spadaro try to hype up fans on third downs last night, they’re trying to challenge the offense’s communication and silent count.
• For those wondering why the players were wearing jerseys with lime green numbers, it’s to promote the Eagles Autism Foundation. They’ll be auctioned off for charity if you want to get your hands on one.
• If you don’t follow the zipper merge in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you should have your driver’s license revoked. Let someone go, then you go. This isn’t complicated. Headed into practice last night, I was in the left lane seen below (Terminal Ave) that goes underneath I-95 to connect with 11th street (the road between The Linc and the Wells Fargo Center). Cars coming south from Broad Steet were merging from the right lane (for 95 North) into the left lane (Terminal Ave) at the point shown below. I let one of them go in front of me. It should be my turn next, right? Nope. Jabroni behind the guy I let go isn’t even looking at me even though we’re stuck waiting at a red light. Bad job by him. But, OK, the third car from that lane is certainly going to understand that I’m going now, right? Nope! Some genius in a pickup truck starts to try to cut me off in my own lane and I had to beep to prevent him from hitting me. Same person then decided they had enough of waiting in traffic after we got through the light and decided to floor it down the opposite side of a one-lane road where there’s a bend that prevents you from seeing oncoming cars, thus priming themself for an accident. Bad driving experiences happen all the time, I get it. But I’m pretty passionate about the zipper merge and I feel like it’s just not taught enough. That and I swear nobody has any idea what to do at a yield sign. It’s either come to a full stop with no one around (wrong!) or just blow through the sign into traffic that already has the right of way (wrong!).

PRACTICE ATTENDANCE​

The number that was being thrown around was “a record 60,000 fans.” That seems like a fair estimate.

For historical context, here’s a look back at the team-announced attendance totals over the years:

2016 — 36,000 (two practices combined)

2017 — 59,000 (two practices combined)

2018 — 75,000 (two practices combined)

2019 — “More than 40,000” (one practice)

2020 — No practices

2021 — 25,896 (one practice)

2022 — “Almost 30,000” (one practice)

2023 — “Over 50,000” (one practice)

2024 — “Nearly 50,000” (one practice)

UP NEXT​

This week’s schedule:

• Monday, August 11 — Off day
• Tuesday, August 12 — Training camp practice starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Wednesday, August 13 — Joint training camp practice against Cleveland Browns starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Thursday, August 14 — Joint training camp practice against Cleveland Browns starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Friday, August 15 — Walkthrough closed to media access
• Saturday, August 16 — Eagles vs. Browns preseason game starting at 1:00 PM Eastern (Lincoln Financial Field)

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...mp-practice-notes-jihaad-campbell-the-blitzer

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Landon Dickerson injury update: Eagles avoid worst case scenario

Here’s a more concrete Landon Dickerson injury update following the vague one from earlier on Monday: the Philadelphia Eagles’ three-time Pro Bowl left guard will have “a minor procedure” on the torn meniscus in his right knee that will have him “week-to-week” with the goal of being able to play against the Dallas Cowboys in the regular season opener on September 4.

This relatively good news comes from NFL insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.

Dickerson’s estimated recovery timeline certainly beats one where he’s out for the entirety of the 2025 NFL season, which was feared to be possible after he was carted off Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night.

Even if Dickerson isn’t ready to play in Week 1, it sounds like he’ll avoid going on short-term injured reserve. He would’ve been ineligible to play in the Eagles’ first four games in that case.

It remains to be seen to what extent, if any, that Dickerson will be hampered by his knee injury when he does get back on the field. But a less than 100% Dickerson still beats the alternative.

Speaking of, it’s not yet clear how the Eagles will handle Dickerson’s absence in the weeks leading up to the regular season. Brett Toth has taken first-team left guard when Dickerson’s been resting during training camp. But it’s also possible that the Eagles could work Matt Pryor into the mix, either by playing him on the left side or moving Tyler Steen and putting Pryor in at right guard. We’ll see when the Eagles return to training camp on Tuesday morning.

For now, the Eagles can at least be happy that the worst case scenario for Dickerson was avoided.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...njury-update-eagles-avoid-worst-case-scenario

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: The Landon Dickerson backup plan

Tuesday marked the 13th Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. It was a relatively light session that lasted just under an hour as the Birds gear up for hosting joint training camp practices against the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday and Thursday. Here’s what I observed at the NovaCare Complex.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES​

JALEN HURTS UPDATE​

Hurts was razor sharp. The reigning Super Bowl MVP only attempted eight passes in today’s practice but he completed all eight of them. Hurts had multiple connections with DeVonta Smith, who was flat out unguardable. Two of Hurts’ completions to Smith were anticipation throws over the middle with the wide receiver working out of the slot. Hurts also hit a toe-tapping Jahan Dotson in a tight window along the right sideline. To me, his most impressive completion came when he rolled right and fired a bullet across his body to Dallas Goedert with Quinyon Mitchell in tight coverage. Maybe Hurts is sick of all the QB ranking disrespect. Will be interesting to see if he can stay hot against old friend Jim Schwartz’s defense over the next two days.

EAGLES INJURY REPORT​

DID NOT PRACTICE

WR Elijah Cooks (shoulder)
OG Landon Dickerson (knee)
OL Kenyon Green (shoulder)
DT Gabe Hall (shoulder)

Cooks and Green have missed three straight practices. Green is reportedly expected to miss the rest of the preseason.

Dickerson is “week-to-week” due to the knee injury he suffered on Sunday night. He’s set to undergo a “minor procedure” that could give him a chance to play early in the regular season, if not Week 1.

Hall got banged up on Sunday night. In related news, the Eagles signed a free agent defensive tackle.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION

LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)
RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring)
DT Byron Young (groin)

Baun and Brown have yet to return to team drills. We’ll see if that changes over the next two days.

Johnson was upgraded to limited after missing five practices and one preseason game.

Young was upgraded to limited after missing four practices and one preseason game.

UPGRADED TO FULL PARTICIPATION

Veteran long snapper Charley Hughlett (neck) was upgraded to full go after missing the Eagles’ first preseason game and the last two practices. In related news, the Eagles waived Christian Johnstone.

THE LANDON DICKERSON BACKUP PLAN​

The Eagles had Brett Toth line up at first-team left guard in Dickerson’s absence. This doesn’t come as a surprise since Toth was repping there when Dickerson had previously been either limited or resting.

Toth also saw a good deal of first-team practice reps last summer before the Eagles cut him and kept him on their practice squad for the entire regular season. They did sign Toth to their roster on January 10 after Jack Driscoll suffered an injury.

Toth has notably struggled to snap the ball while repping at center in the past but the 6’6”, 304 pound blocker hasn’t looked out of place at guard.

Had Dickerson suffered a season-ending injury, the Eagles might’ve opted to move Tyler Steen to left guard and put Matt Pryor in at right guard. But Toth as a direct fill-in for Dickerson seems to be the plan they’re going with for now.

It’s worth noting that Darian Kinnard, who had previously been repping on the right side of the offensive line, was working at left guard today. He could be in the mix to play if Toth loses his grip on the job.

Brett Toth figures to be at first-team LG today with Landon Dickerson out. pic.twitter.com/LYwgQVfu2B

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 12, 2025

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — CORNERBACK​

Adoree’ Jackson was first up with the first-team defense on Monday. That makes eight days Jackson has been up first and five days for Ringo. Ringo still did rotate in with the starters in the same 11-on-11 series. Will be interesting to see how the CB2 playing time is split against the Browns.

Ringo gave up an intermediate gain to Darius Cooper, who was able to create separation from the cornerback.

Mac McWilliams mixed in at first-team cornerback. McWilliams played tight coverage on Dotson’s aforementioned sideline catch, though the rookie did grab the receiver’s jersey (flag wasn’t thrown).

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — SAFETY​

Andrew Mukuba took some first-team safety reps (in nickel, Cooper DeJean is still the top guy in base) for the first time since prior to his shoulder injury that occurred relatively early in training camp. So, this position battle clearly hasn’t been called just yet.

MISCELLANEOUS​

• Darius Cooper caught a Tanner McKee pass for a catch against Ringo but then dropped a routine reception while running a slant on the next rep. Cooper failed to save a low throw over the middle from McKee after making the play in a similar situation with Hurts on Saturday. Cooper got some more reps at kick returner.
• Ogbo Okoronkwo generated pressure on Hurts while going up against Jordan Mailata.
• Kyle McCord went ahead of Dorian Thompson-Robinson on the third-team offense today. The final play of practice was a McCord completion up the seam to E.J. Jenkins, who made the contested grab to beat Tristin McCollum. That was McCord’s best completion in a bit.
• Nick Sirianni was not very happy after a rep where DTR threw a pass in the flat to … nobody. He really chewed out undrafted rookie running back ShunDerrick Powell for messing up his assignment.
• Eli Ricks, working with the third-team defense, broke up a McCord pass to Avery Williams on an route. Good result, but not good that he’s down with the third team.
• The Eagles seemed to put a heavier than usual focus on position drills in this practice. Probably because they won’t get as many of those reps in the Browns practices.
• College football head coaches DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick held a joint press conference after Eagles practice in promotion of the Norfolk State vs. Delaware State game at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday, October 30. Curious: anyone here planning to attend?

UP NEXT​

This week’s schedule:

• Wednesday, August 13 — Joint training camp practice against Cleveland Browns starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Thursday, August 14 — Joint training camp practice against Cleveland Browns starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Friday, August 15 — Walkthrough closed to media access
• Saturday, August 16 — Eagles vs. Browns preseason game starting at 1:00 PM Eastern (Lincoln Financial Field)
• Sunday, August 17 — Off day

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...actice-notes-the-landon-dickerson-backup-plan

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Film Analysis: Tanner McKee is a legit quarterback with the floor of a top backup and maybe more

We are back! It’s time for another Eagles season and I’ll be covering the offense and defense every single week, as always. Personally, I sort of hate preseason football because it’s so vanilla schematically, but it does give us a chance to look at some of the backups. Let’s get into it! (Previously: All-22 defense takeaways)

We had the first look at the quarterbacks, and honestly, not much to say on Kyle McCord or Dorian Thompson-Robinson so I’ll ignore them in this one. This night was all about Tanner McKee. McKee was probably the best player on the field for the Eagles, going 20 of 25 for 252 yards, two touchdowns, and no picks. He played into the third quarter and faced Cincinnati’s first-team defense at the start and looked completely in command. He showed improved pocket mobility, the ability to keep his eyes downfield, and fantastic ball placement for his guys to make plays. McKee is a legit quarterback with the floor of a top backup and maybe more. McKee’s college film was good, too. I’ve always been a fan and said this post-draft…

“I sort of love the pick. I’m sorry. I can’t help it. I love these big old-fashioned pocket passers even if the NFL has passed them by. Five years ago, Tanner McKee is definitely an early-round pick. He can do so many things well. He throws with beautiful touch down the field, is pretty consistent with his ball placement, and can get through his progressions”

Eagles Offense All22 PS Week 1 vs Bengals. 1) I'll start with McKee! McKee's pre-snap process is so clean. I think it's worth noting that the Bengals rarely disguised their coverages, but McKee's performance was still impressive. I love the little post-snap check on the LB to… pic.twitter.com/cxkdvLonYW

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

This is the long Will Shipley run that got everyone excited. I like the design (under-center outside zone with opposite motion to stress the defense horizontally), and the execution up front was spotless. I’m surprised we didn’t see more of this last year and I wonder if we will this year. The Eagles best three backs all excel in outside zone. I thought the right-hand side of the line did exceptionally well here and it was good to see Jahan Dotson blocking down the field. Maybe I’m harsh (I’m sure you will tell me in the comments) but I still want Will Shipley to beat that last defender. I wasn’t overly impressed with Shipley, despite his good numbers, and the goal-line sequence (three attempts inside the five) where he just didn’t move the pile was a little worrying.

2) I'll get critised for being anti-Shipley, but I would have loved him to beat the safety in the open field here. Shipley also struggled to push the pile 3x in a row on the goal line. This is just standard outside zone with motion going the other way to stress the defense… pic.twitter.com/LfHP7zzZBY

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

This is classic “single-high, let it fly” from McKee here. McKee hits depth and trusts the matchup. I was critical of Johnny Wilson in my recent film review but this is exactly what I wanted to see more of from him. He has a huge frame and whilst he may never separate well, he needs to win in these contested situations.

3) McKee has been coached to believe in the 'single-high let it fly' philosophy! Nothing fancy here, just hit your back foot and let it rip. The placement and velocity is really nice and Johnny Wilson makes a play in a contested situation! Finally! I don't expect Wilson to be a… pic.twitter.com/wFLATLOwqG

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

Bin this call. Two outs stacked within 5 yards and zero MOF stress. It’s just asking the defense to squeeze your routes on the outside and provides little for a quarterback over the middle. The route spacing here makes life harder than it should be. Additionally, considering backup offensive linemen around the league suck, this was a decent showing from the offensive line. Drew Kendall and Trevor Keegan were clean in pass pro, and Cameron Williams was OK considering how raw he was.

4) It's only preseason, so I don't really care about scheme stuff, but let's agree to burn this one from the playbook. Running 2 out routes within about 5 yards of each other is pretty dumb. Also, it's good to know the Eagles dont' just completely ignore the middle of the field… pic.twitter.com/TK2WZrlWo1

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

AJ Dillon time. This is him at his best: downhill outside zone from under center, reading the DT’s helmet and cutting decisively. The YAC and pile-pushing physicality showed up, and he looked good as a receiver (3-27). I had him outperforming Shipley overall. I did note a few more gap concepts in his rushing attempts too (this could be nothing, could be something we see in the regular season) and I thought he looked comfortable out there. To me, he’s just a far more physically imposing player than Shipley. However, as I said in my review of his game, Shipley is a very well rounded back who will be needed this year. I’ve just got a hunch that Dillon could be used more than some people think.

5) AJ Dillon! I wondered if he would look healthy and he clearly did! This is his bread and butter, downhill running outside zone from under center. I love it. If the Eagles are winning and want to give Barkley a rest at the end of games, I think we might see a lot of this. This… pic.twitter.com/VsqGX8gV6O

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

This was McKee’s worst rep. I’ll include some concerns I have about his overall game just for balance. He’s obviously a very talented thrower. He can throw on the move, but he doesn’t see the flat corner and gets away with one here. He’s an aggressive thrower and if he starts somewhere down the line, there’ll be some turnover variance, especially because he won’t create with his legs. That often leads to tighter window throws.

6) This was McKee's worst throw of the day and it reminded me of one he had vs. the Giants last year. He's capable of throwing on the move but he just doesn't see the cornerback in the flat here and he gets away with one. I think McKee is a very aggressive thrower and it wouldn't… pic.twitter.com/NR5zDDG84v

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

We’ve waited long enough, let’s talk about Darius Cooper. Cooper was a UDFA who has received some positive reports (especially from the man BLG himself), and he looked sudden off the line in this one and caught the ball really well. It’s only been one game, but after 6-82 and TD later, he is getting closer to a spot on the 53. If not, good luck sneaking him through waivers after this film. I was very impressed with how often he got off press coverage and how well he used his physicality at the top of his route. I was not expecting the move he made here after he caught the ball!

7) It's time to talk about Darius Cooper! (41). What an impressive debut it was for the UDFA. He won in a variety of ways and looked fast. He looks bigger than he tested but he also had enough juice to create some separation and win after the catch. This move had me sit up in my… pic.twitter.com/54veCwMWlk

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

It doesn’t get any better than this. Two-high pre-snap, late rotation to single-high; McKee looks off the post safety and takes the go route on the outside. McKee’s process is so clean. Cooper’s release is great, but it’s the mid-route hand usage is so clever and so nuanced. That says a lot about the work he puts in on the training ground. Just watch the nudge with his hand to create the tiny bit of separation required. That’s what we see the best at this position do. Perfect ball, perfect catch. I love it.

8) What a beautiful play. Two-high pre-snap but McKee spots the late safety rotation into single-high. He looks to his left to hold the post safety but always knows he's taking the one-on-one. Cooper has a good release but I love the use of his hands halfway through the route to… pic.twitter.com/fDQ7m7adUo

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

This one is not on McKee, but there’s a tiny lane to escape between the back and LT, but McKee’s not that creator. That just means the structure around him has to be excellent and the concept on the left is late here. I’d rather the back release than hang in protection on this concept, as McKee doesn’t really have anywhere to go. This is a rough rep for Myles Hinton, and he ends up on the ground. I did an All22 watchalong of Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams for my Patreon a couple of months ago and the obvious takeaway was just how raw both of them are. I don’t think either should be anywhere near the field this season. Hinton had a really rough game.

9) The biggest knock on McKee is the lack of mobility in the pocket. He's unlikely to make a rusher miss. There's definitely an open lane to escape between the back and LT, but McKee isn't going to create very often. However, that just means you need your offensive design to be… pic.twitter.com/66xVcCCsCm

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

I would bet that Crash has been the most common Eagles concept over the past couple of years and this is a clinic in how to throw it. McKee keys the flat corner, is staying low and then rips the hole shot between the cornerback and safety, and puts it right on the upfield shoulder. This is elite processing and placement. It’s good stuff!

10) Ooft. This is gorgeous. The Eagles love this concept (Crash), and McKee reads the flat cornerback perfectly and knows he has the hole shot open to him, in between the CB and safety. The processing is outstanding, and the ball placement is perfect too. I love it! pic.twitter.com/Lt9YUn9KXB

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

There is nothing better than a slot fade vs single-high. McKee drops it in the bucket and Wilson thanks him for it. It’s also a throw Hurts loves, so this is something to keep an eye on in the regular season. Interestingly, Johnny Wilson played inside more than I expected this game. That’s something to monitor. I think the slot suits him as it gives him more free access and more chances to play against smaller inside cornerbacks.

11) (Meant to post this earlier) There is nothing better than a slot fade against single-high. Johnny Wilson played a lot more in the slot in this one, which is an interesting development! This is clear single-high and McKee puts it in the perfect place for Wilson to go up and… pic.twitter.com/uYSUioGawj

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

I think this was a fantastic game for Wilson, but I just wanted to show this for balance. The ball from DTR isn’t great, but I still want the big-bodied guys to erase a slightly errant throw. He’s turned a corner lately with using his frame; finishing plays like this in the short game is the next step that I want to see the rest of preseason.

12) I've been positive about Wilson, so I'll be a little critical here. It's a poor throw from DTR but I think it's a catchable ball. I might be harsh (I probably am) but I always want bigger receivers to be able to bail out a slightly errant throw, which Wilson isn't able to do… pic.twitter.com/ux6TPHwc8y

— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) August 11, 2025

I was going to include the Kyle McCord interception, but I felt bad… let’s just end by saying that it wasn’t a terrific start for the young rookie quarterback.

Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here. If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...with-the-floor-of-a-top-backup-and-maybe-more

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles-Browns Training Camp Practice Notes: The cornerback competition continues

Credit: Holden Blanco for BGN

Wednesday marked the 13th Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The Birds squared off against the Cleveland Browns in the first of two joint training camp sessions between the two teams leading up to a Saturday afternoon preseason game. Here’s what I observed at the NovaCare Complex.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES​

OVERALL PERFORMANCE​

One would’ve expected the Eagles to look like the superior team in this practice. That wasn’t really the case. The Browns put forth a really good effort to give the reigning Super Bowl champions a run for their money. The result of this practice was much closer to being a tie than it was a decisive “win” for either side. Neither offense really got going in a major way, though the Eagles’ offense was more inspiring than the Browns’ offense in part due to Cleveland’s seemingly unlimited number of quarterbacks regularly misfiring throws.

JALEN HURTS UPDATE​

After coming out red hot in practice on Tuesday, Hurts took a step back on Wednesday. He was intercepted three different times:

1. The first pick occurred in wide receiver versus defensive back 1-on-1s. Hurts’ throw to Ainias Smith on a crossing pattern was undercut by backup nickel cornerback Myles Harden. I wonder if Smith may have rounded his route too much but, still, not a good result
2. The second pick occurred in 7-on-7s. Starting linebacker Devin Bush contested a short throw to Dallas Goedert and came up with the ball.
3. The third pick occurred in 11-on-11s. The rep was arguably over with Hurts being “sacked” but Hurts still tried to force a ball over the middle to Jahan Dotson. Starting safety Ronnie Hickman came flying in to make the grab in stride.

In addition to these plays, Hurts had a fade pass to DeVonta Smith knocked down by Denzel Ward in 1-on-1s. Facing goal-to-go late in practice, a Hurts pass intended for AJ Dillon was deflected up into the air where it was in jeopardy of being caught but fortunately wasn’t. Another goal-to-go pass meant for Dotson on a quick slant was knocked down by depth cornerback Dom Jones.

It wasn’t all bad for Hurts. He did have some good short touchdown passes to DeVonta and Dillon. He made a good anticipation throw to a crossing Dallas Goedert for a first down and then some. Hurts lofted a ball down the left sideline to Johnny Wilson, who was able to make the leaping contested catch against Browns cornerback Cameron Mitchell.

All told, the Eagles would probably like to see a stronger performance against Jim Scwhartz’s defense on Thursday.

EAGLES INJURY REPORT​

DID NOT PRACTICE

WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)
WR Elijah Cooks (shoulder)
OG Landon Dickerson (knee)
OL Kenyon Green (shoulder)

Brown was downgraded to DNP on Wednesday after previously returning to practice in a limited capacity. Jeff McLane reports Brown did NOT experience a setback; the receiver’s absence was due to the Eagles being especially cautious with his hamstring injury.

Cooks and Green have missed four straight practices. Green is reportedly expected to miss the rest of the preseason.

Dickerson is “week-to-week” due to the knee injury he suffered on August 10. Dickerson underwent a “minor procedure” on Wednesday and will aim to return in Week 1 (September 4), though Week 2 (September 14) might a more realistic goal.

Hall got banged up on Sunday night. In related news, the Eagles signed a free agent defensive tackle.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION

LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
DT Gabe Hall (shoulder)
OT Myles Hinton (ankle)
RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring)
DT Byron Young (groin)

Baun returned to team drills on Wednesday but only for one 7-on-7 series. He’s still not back in 11-on-11. Still, progress.

Hall returned in a limited capacity after getting banged up on Sunday night and missing the Eagles’ Tuesday practice. Good to see the injury isn’t more serious.

Hinton is newly dealing with an ankle injury.

Johnson and Young were listed as limited for the second day in a row. It’s unclear if they’ll be able to play on Saturday.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — CORNERBACK​

Kelee Ringo was first up with the first-team defense in 11-on-11 on Wednesday. That makes eight days Adoree’ Jackson has been up first and six days for Ringo. Jackson, Ringo, and new guy Jakorian Bennett were all rotating with the starters at cornerback, though.

Jackson did a nice job of battling projected Browns starting wide receiver Cedric Tillman to break up as pass as him and his assignment went to the ground during 1-on-1s. Jackson broke up another pass to Tillman in this setting. Didn’t notice him as much in team drills.

Ringo allowed multiple catches in 1-on-1s, including a stutter comeback to Diontae Johnson. Ringo JUST missed a pass breakup to Jerry Jeudy in 11-on-11s. He continues to be so close to making big plays without actually being able to finish. This miss from Ringo would’ve set up Jeudy for a potential big catch after the catch.

Bennett got off to a positive start by knocking down a short pass over the middle to Jeudy. He struggled after that. Bennett trailed well behind a crossing Gage Larvadain — who is an undrafted rookie — to allow a touchdown during red zone drills. He allowed a completion over the middle to Jeudy on a really nice anticipation throw from Joe Flacco. Later, Bennett got his hands on a pass but he was flagged for defensive pass interference on the play.

In fairness to Bennett, he’s still learning a new defense. And some of his struggles came while playing left cornerback, which isn’t where he mostly played for the Las Vegas Raiders. But it’s probably safe to say Bennett isn’t a slam dunk starting option.

JOHNNY WILSON’S BOUNCE-BACK CONTINUES​

Wilson continues to make plays after a rough start to camp. The second-year wide receiver was responsible for two noteworthy grabs on Tuesday:

1. Wilson made a leaping catch along the left sideline against backup safety Damontae Kazee in 7-on-7s on a pass from Tanner McKee. Good job of using his 6’6” frame to beat the 5’11” defender.
2. Wilson made another contested catch along the left sideline on a throw from Hurts to beat Cameron Mitchell (as previously mentioned).

Wilson using his size to his advantage is encouraging after seeing him struggle to do so earlier in camp.

MISCELLANEOUS​

• The Eagles’ passing offense minus A.J. Brown wasn’t super effective. But their running game sure did look good. Saquon Barkley seemingly had multiple big gains, though hard to totally tell when the defense isn’t tackling him.
• Zack Baun broke up a Kenny Pickett pass thrown over the middle in 7-on-7. That was his first rep back in team drills. Baun was notably lined up next to Jeremiah Trotter Jr., not Jihaad Campbell.
• Trot Jr. must led the Eagles in run stops this summer. He’s just always in the right place against them.
• Quinyon Mitchell seemingly got his hand in at the catch point at the last second to prevent a downfield touchdown to Jeudy in 1-on-1s.
• Mitchell and Adoree’ Jackson were working against Jeudy and Dionate Johnson on their release techniques while the rest of the team was doing special teams drills. Ditto for DeVonta Smith going up against Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II.
• Brett Toth was still working at first-team left guard.
• Sydney Brown was mostly the first-team safety, though Andrew Mukuba rotated in.
• Jalyx Hunt pressured Joe Flacco into a rushed pass that was overthrown and incomplete.
• Josh Uche logged a would-be sack on Flacco.
• Campbell’s physicality was on display yet again. He contacted a Browns running back as the ball arrived to help prevent a dump off reception.
• Fan-favorite Darius Cooper caught a McKee pass on a slant to beat depth cornerback Keenan Isaac. Speaking of Coop, he was sought out by the legendary Merrill Reese prior to practice:

Darius Cooper chatting with Merrill Reese prior to today’s Eagles practice. pic.twitter.com/pgl7w7tXyy

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 13, 2025

• Undrafted rookie Brandon Johnson (Bo Wulf of PHLY’s training camp crush) had a good day. He broke up a pass in 1-on-1s and another from Dillon Gabriel to Diontae Johnson in 11-on-11s. Practice squad candidate.
• Calling it a “fight” is a bit much but there was a big scrum related to a special teams skirmish. Some tension on a hot summer morning.
• There were a number Eagles alumni at practice today. Not included below: Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. And Dick Vermeil.

Big day for Eagles alumni…

– Malcolm Jenkins is here for photography
– Jason Kelce is here watching the Eagles O-line
– Duce Staley coaches the Browns
– Hugh Douglas is here for 94.1 WIP
– Ron Jaworski, Mike Quick here as well

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 13, 2025

• A lot of Browns players were happy to see their old teammate Ogbo Okoronkwo. Being well-liked isn’t everything but it probably can’t hurt his chances to stick around in Philly. Especially since he’s actually played well this summer.

Myles Garrett seems to have reverence for former teammate and current Eagles edge defender Ogbo Okoronkwo. pic.twitter.com/Gsh9rZ1Lhb

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) August 13, 2025

• No Shedeur Sanders today. He reportedly didn’t practice due to suffering an oblique injury in warmups. He did seem to be going pretty hard with his workout prior to practice. After practice, Hurts and Sanders were seen having a long conversation.

Jalen Hurts and Shedeur Sanders had a lengthy conversation after practice and Hurts gave Sanders a golf cart ride back to the locker room.

Hurts: "I'll keep the conversation intimate. We had a very lengthy conversation. He came to me and just wanted to talk. I'm always…

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 13, 2025

UP NEXT​

Schedule for the next several days:

• Thursday, August 14 — Joint training camp practice against Cleveland Browns starting at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Friday, August 15 — Walkthrough closed to media access
• Saturday, August 16 — Eagles vs. Browns preseason game starting at 1:00 PM Eastern (Lincoln Financial Field)
• Sunday, August 17 — Off day

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...ce-notes-the-cornerback-competition-continues

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Browns dominate the day

Thursday marked the 15th Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The Birds squared off against the Cleveland Browns in the second of two joint training camp sessions between the two teams leading up to a Saturday afternoon preseason game. Here’s what I observed at the NovaCare Complex.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES​

OVERALL PERFORMANCE​

The Eagles got their butts handed to them on Thursday morning.

Does this mean their 2025 season is already over before it even began?!

Yes.

Yes, it does.

OK, no, obviously not.

In the words of Allen Iverson, we’re talking about practice.

But that’s what this article is … a report from today’s practice. I’m not drawing sweeping conclusions. I’m just telling you what I saw. What it means, if anything, is up to interpretation.

That being said, I do think it’s fair to be disappointed the Eagles didn’t look better against the Browns.

The Eagles’ offense had some valid reasons for not looking awesome. No A.J. Brown, no Lane Johnson, no Landon Dickerson, and mostly no Saquon Barkley. Those are clearly key absences. Also, Jim Schwartz is one of the NFL’s best defensive coordinators.

However, none of that is an excuse for the offense looking as sloppy as it did at times. It’s not just that they were ineffective; it’s also that they weren’t very crisp. They didn’t put themselves in a great position to succeed with the mistakes and miscues they made.

The Eagles’ defense shouldn’t have been as bad as it was. Sure, they were missing Zack Baun, but their top linebacker options behind him have played well this summer. Vic Fangio’s unit was largely going up against a 40-year-old Joe Flacco and then a rookie Dillon Gabriel. And yet they allowed the Browns’ offense to run circles around them.

There was a sequence in practice where the Browns were just dominating the Birds:

1. The Browns ran a trick play where what originally looked like a bubble screen to turned into the wide receiver taking the lateral and throwing a pass to a running back on the opposite side of the field for a big gain and near touchdown.
2. Flacco hit Jerry Jeudy on a slant with Quinyon Mitchell trailing for a catch-and-run touchdown.
3. Flacco hit Jamari Thrash on a short throw to beat Cooepr DeJean for a touchdown.
4. Flacco hit David Njoku on a fade to the back left corner of the end zone for a touchdown with Reed Blankenship and Jihaad Campbell trailing in the area. Blankenship seemed to put his arms up in confusion or frustration; there may have been a miscommunication.
5. Immediately following the Njoku touchdown, the Browns ran a screen where the original recipient pitched the ball to an unmarked Browns player in motion for another score.
6. Gabriel lofted a downfield pass to Fannin Jr. for an over-the-shoulder touchdown catch with Andrew Mukuba trailing.

The Browns’ offensive success stood out in stark contrast as the Eagles’ starters were failing to get into the end zone again and again on the next field over.

How much does this matter?

Probably not a ton. I feel pretty confident projecting the Eagles to be a better team than the Browns this season. The Birds have undoubtedly earned the benefit of the doubt.

But I do think these practices against the Browns served as a reminder that 1) by virtue of being Super Bowl champions, no one will be taking the Eagles lightly and 2) what the Eagles’ own players said early in training camp about this season being a different year is entirely true. The 2025 Eagles don’t simply get to pick up where the 2024 Eagles left off. They have to climb the mountain all over again.

JALEN HURTS UPDATE​

Hurts was not the only reason the offense struggled. But he wasn’t a big part of the solution, either.

The bad:

• Hurts either threw too early or Grant Calcaterra didn’t out of his break fast enough on a short out pattern into the end zone.
• Hurts overthrew DeVonta Smith with Denzel Ward in coverage.
• Hurts threw a fade pass to DeVonta that got knocked down by Ward.

The good:

• Hurts did have two short completions over the middle to DeVonta Smith. One set them up for a very short goal-to-go situation (though Hurts missed DeVonta on the next rep).
• Hurts completed a pass to Darius Cooper over the middle to put the offense a little short of the goal line.

Hurts and the offense as a whole were undoubtedly hampered by Myles Garrett (who will never not be impressive to behold in person, just such a freakishly big and powerful man) regularly generating disruption.

EAGLES INJURY REPORT​

DID NOT PRACTICE

WR A.J. Brown (hamstring)
S Lewis Cine (groin)
OG Landon Dickerson (knee)
OL Kenyon Green (shoulder)
OT Lane Johnson (rest)

Brown missed practice for the second straight day. The Eagles are said to be taking caution with his hamstring injury.

Cine is now missing practice due to a groin injury after previously missing time with a hamstring injury. It’s been a very underwhelming offseason for the 2022 first-round pick.

Dickerson seemed to be moving well after practice as he handed out beers to Eagles and Browns offensive linemen.

Landon Dickerson, day after meniscus surgery, makes an appearance after practice. pic.twitter.com/j7iqUFroFP

— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) August 14, 2025

Green has missed five straight practices. He’s reportedly expected to miss the rest of the preseason.

Johnson had a planned rest day. The Eagles also eased up on his workload late in Wednesday’s practice.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION

RB Saquon Barkley (rest)
LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
WR Elijah Cooks (shoulder)

A planned rest day for Barkley left his workload very limited.

Unlike yesterday, the two teams didn’t run any 7-on-7 drills today. So, no team drill action for Baun, who’s still not doing 11-on-11s.

Cooks was upgraded to limited participation after missing four straight practices. He did not take part in team drills. Guessing he won’t be able to play in the preseason game on Saturday.

UPGRADED TO FULL PARTICIPATION

Gabe Hall (shoulder), Myles Hinton (ankle), Montrell Johnson Jr. (hamstring), and Byron Young (groin) were removed from the injury report after being listed as limited on Wednesday.

POSITION BATTLE UPDATE — CORNERBACK​

Adoree’ Jackson was first up with the first-team defense in 11-on-11 on Thursday. That makes nine days Jackson has been up first and six days for Kelee Ringo.

While I didn’t specifically notice Jackson or Ringo get beat, the Browns’ passing attack was very effective. Flacco was tracked as going 7/10 for two touchdowns (I’d argue it was three) and zero interceptions. He could’ve had another touchdown on a good throw that was dropped by rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Gabriel threw a pass to an open target that should’ve been caught for a touchdown was bobbled up into the air for an Andrew Mukuba interception. Good on the rookie for staying with the ball but it’s hard to say that the defense played the Browns well in that situation.

MISCELLANEOUS​

• Sydney Brown continued to take the first-team safety reps next to Reed Blankenship.
• Matt Pryor was at first-team right tackle with Lane Johnson resting.
• Mac McWilliams continues to take second-team cornerback reps on the outside as opposed to working in the slot where he did earlier this offseason. McWilliams might be a contender to start on the outside. If not by Week 1, perhaps at some point this year.
• For as much as the Eagles’ pass defense struggled, their first-team run defense was better. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. led the way in that regard once again. The Eagles’ backup defensive units struggled to defend the run.
• Josh Uche had a good run stop on a play where he also drew an offensive holding call on Browns massive left tackle Dawand Jones.
• Kylen Granson was unable to effectively lead block on a Hurts screen pass to Darius Cooper.
• Tristin McCollum got flagged for defensive holding.
• Ainias Smith dropped a Hurts pass.
• Darius Cooper seems to be money on crossing routes. Always gets open. Tanner McKee completed a pass to him on such a pattern today. Cooper did fail to make a contested catch on a McKee fade throw to him against Browns depth cornerback Dom Jones.
• Fullback Ben VanSumeren had a short catch in the flat! Can’t remember the last time the Eagles threw to a fullback. This would’ve been a very bad situation in a real game, though, because BVS was primed to get lit up by a Browns defender. Hospital ball by Hurts.
• Had a tough time seeing all the players (the Eagles’ jersey font can be hard to read with certain numbers looking like other numbers and sometimes players wearing their jersey folded up in half) but here are some special teams lineup notes. The first-team kickoff coverage unit included (but was no limited to): Darius Cooper, Josh Uche, Ben VanSumeren, Kylen Granson, Mac McWilliams, Kelee Ringo, Will Shipley, and Patrick Johnson. The first-team kickoff return unit was comprised of these 11 players: Terrace Marshall, Grant Calcaterra, Kylen Granson, Tristin McCollum, Ben VanSumeren, Patrick Johnson, Will Shipley, Kelee Ringo, Johnny Wilson, Will Shipley (returner), and AJ Dillon (returner). Something to keep in mind when it comes to players making the roster for special teams reasons.

UP NEXT​

Schedule for the next week and beyond:

• Friday, August 15 — Walkthrough closed to media access
• Saturday, August 16 — Eagles vs. Browns preseason game starting at 1:00 PM Eastern (Lincoln Financial Field)
• Sunday, August 17 — Off day
• Monday, August 18 — Eagles training camp practice at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Tuesday, August 19 — Eagles training camp practice at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Wednesday, August 20 — Eagles training camp practice at 10:00 AM Eastern (NovaCare Complex)
• Thursday, August 21 — Walkthrough closed to media access
• Friday, August 22 — Eagles at Jets preseason game starting at 7:30 PM Eastern (MetLife Stadium)
• Saturday, August 23 — Off day

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...g-camp-practice-notes-browns-dominate-the-day

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

Landon Dickerson walking around after Eagles practice one day after knee procedure

Just 24 hours after undergoing a small knee procedure, Landon Dickerson was back at Eagles practice, and even shared a moment of mutual respect with some of the Browns’ offensive lineman. The Eagles and Browns have had many joint practices the past few years, and after their second joint practice of 2025, Dickerson walked on the field with a cooler filled with Miller Lite.

More notable perhaps than the preseason game opponents cracking a beer on the practice field, was that Dickerson was walking around with a sleeve on his right leg following a procedure to fix up a meniscus issue. The left guard received some promising news after suffering an injury during the Eagles public practice last weekend, and instead of being out for multiple months, was expected to be week-to-week. That Dickerson is already walking around and out on the field is a really good sign for his return Week 1 against the Cowboys.

It’s also a really cool moment among a position group that often takes a brunt of the load and little of the praise.

Joel Bitonio on Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson giving him some Miller Lites after practice.

"It looked like a Gatorade can to me…It was a nice gesture. The O-lineman suffer together sometimes. It's always a bond, even when you're on another team — we respect each others… https://t.co/Nx06XQERJU

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) August 14, 2025

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...-eagles-practice-one-day-after-knee-procedure

 

[Philadelphia Eagles]

25 Eagles players to watch in the Browns preseason game

Following two joint training camp practices between the teams, the Philadelphia Eagles will face the Cleveland Browns in a preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field with a 1:00 PM Eastern start time on Saturday afternoon.

The Birds are unlikely to suit up their starters since 1) they already saw a lot of reps in practice this week and 2) they just don’t like to risk their key players getting hurt in a preseason game.

With that in mind, here are the most interesting Eagles to watch against the Browns. For your viewing assistance, I’ve listed jersey numbers next to the player names.

STARTING CORNERBACK BATTLE​

#7 – KELEE RINGO​

Ringo clearly struggled in the Eagles’ first preseason game. He didn’t exactly rebound in practice against the Browns. Ringo is running out of time to prove he deserves to start, if it’s not already too late for him. He could really afford a positive showing on Saturday.

#8 – ADOREE’ JACKSON​

It seems like the Eagles might be leaning Jackson over Ringo at the moment. Which isn’t really a great testament to Jackson as much as it is an indictment on the Eagles’ other options. If Ringo struggles again, Jackson could be one step closer to starting. Especially if Jackson manages to avoid having a bad outing.

#49 – JAKORIAN BENNETT​

Bennett will be making his Eagles preseason debut after not playing in last week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He notably struggled in the Eagles’ first practice against the Browns. We’ll see what he can do in his first game action. The feeling here is that JB is unlikely to contend for a Week 1 starting job but he could eventually rise to starting status if/when there’s a starting CB benching at some point this season.

#22 – MAC MCWILLIAMS​

McWilliams has recently seen more reps on the outside (mostly with the second-team defense but a few with the first-team unit) and fewer on the inside, which could indicate he’s realistically competing for a starting role. As said with Bennett, McWilliams might be in a better position to eventually rise to starting status during the season than claim the job by Week 1.

STARTING SAFETY BATTLE​

#21 – SYDNEY BROWN​

Brown is currently the favorite to start at safety (in nickel packages, still behind Cooper DeJean in base). Other observers feel like he’s building positive momentum but the feeling here is that he still has much to prove. It’ll be interesting to see how long the Eagles keep him in the game on Saturday. It’s hard to say he’s running away with the starting safety job when Andrew Mukuba was taking some first-team safety reps over Brown as recently as Monday.

#24 – ANDREW MUKUBA​

Mukuba will make his Eagles preseason debut after missing last week’s game. The second-round rookie has mostly been repping with the second-team defense. But he could make a late push to start over Brown with a strong performance on Saturday.

STARTING LINEBACKER BATTLE​

#30 – JIHAAD CAMPBELL​

According to Vic Fangio, Campbell didn’t start against the Bengals due to the training staff wanting to limit his snaps. We’ll see if he’s still on a pitch count again in this game. Does Campbell start next to Jeremiah Trotter Jr.? Or is it Smael Mondon Jr. again? How long does Campbell play into the game? And how does he look when he does play? We’ve yet to see Campbell rep next to Zack Baun, who’s missed a lot of practice time, during training camp. It seems like Trot Jr. could start ahead of Campbell in Week 1. But that doesn’t necessarily mean Campbell won’t be on the field in some kind of rotational role.

TEMPORARY STARTING LEFT GUARD BATTLE​

#64 – BRETT TOTH​

Toth has taken all the first-time reps at left guard since Landon Dickerson suffered a knee injury on Sunday night. Do the Eagles feel the need to get him extensive snaps at left guard in this game? Or do they want to limit his playing time to prevent him from suffering an injury that knocks them down to their third LG option?

#72 – DARIAN KINNARD​

Kinnard shifted over from working on the right side of the offensive line to left guard in the aftermath of Dickerson’s injury. If Toth struggles and Kinnard plays well, could the latter rise to the starting role until Dickerson is ready to return?

#79 – MATT PRYOR​

It’ll be interesting to see where Pryor lines up on Saturday afternoon. Do the Eagles get him any snaps at left guard?

ROTATIONAL EDGE RUSHER BATTLE​

#0 – JOSHUA UCHE​

Uche has arguably been the Eagles’ third-best edge rusher and he’s even been on the first-team defense ahead of Jalyx Hunt at times. With Philly’s edge rushers failing to generate any kind of disruption against the Bengals’ offense last week, it’d be nice to see them create some pressure in this spot. Uche should be able to stand out in this situation.

#13 – AZEEZ OJULARI​

Some observers noted that Ojulari had his best practice on Wednesday. That’s not really saying much, though, since he’s mostly been invisible. Time for that to change.

#48 – PATRICK JOHNSON​

Johnson makes plays in the preseason. It’s what he does. If he continues to do so, how do the Eagles not keep him around? He can also play on special teams. And he does get first-team reps in practice.

#50 – OGBO OKORONKWO​

Ogbo is pushing for a roster spot. Low-ceiling, high-floor option in an edge rusher rotation that lacks proven talent.

DEPTH WIDE RECEIVER BATTLE​

#41 – DARIUS COOPER​

Cooper looked awesome in last week’s game against the Bengals. Since then, the team has increased his first-team reps on both offense and special teams. Cooper’s probably already done enough for the Eagles to keep him on the roster. But it’ll be fun to see if he can terrorize the Browns’ defense on Saturday. Cooper’s potential is exciting. Even if he’s not a huge factor this season, he could be a future starting receiver for this team.

#82 – AINIAS SMITH​

Smith just hasn’t done much of anything on offense to stand out in a good way. Can he continue to prove he provides value as a punt returner? If not, it’s hard to argue he deserves a roster spot.

#46 – TERRACE MARSHALL​

Marshall missed a chunk of training camp practices and last week’s game due to injury. It might be too late for him to make the Eagles’ roster, especially given Cooper’s ascent. But he’s still fighting for his NFL career. And Tanner McKee has enjoyed throwing his way. So, he could get some opportunities.

#86 – ELIJAH COOKS​

Guessing Cooks won’t be able to play since he only returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday. If that’s the case, he’ll have only played one offensive snap in the first two preseason games after looking pretty good in practice prior to his injury. Unfortunate. Maybe he pushes to play knowing that his time is running out.

THIRD QUARTERBACK BATTLE​

#14 – DORIAN THOMPSON-ROBINSON​

DTR looked OK but not great against the Bengals last week. If the Eagles cut back on McKee’s playing time, which they probably should because I don’t know that there’s a ton more to learn about him, both of the Eagles’ QB3 candidates could get more snaps to prove they belong.

#19 – KYLE MCCORD​

McCord really struggled in his NFL preseason debut. If we see more of the same, are the Eagles really going to feel the need to keep him on the roster when he might be able to make it to the practice squad instead?

THE REST​

#43 – BEN VANSUMEREN​

BVS didn’t play on offense against the Bengals. Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo suggested that the Eagles don’t want to tip their hand on their fullback usage. We’ll see if that remains the case on Saturday. BVS did see a red zone target from a Jalen Hurts throw in Thursday’s practice. More importnatly, BVS can also continue to prove his worth by excelling on special teams.

#31 – ANDRE’ SAM​

Sam was active as both a defender and special teams contributor last week. He’s a guy the Eagles should want to keep on the roster but it remains to be seen if the room is there for him to make it.

#34 – MONTRELL JOHNSON JR.​

The undrafted rookie running back from Florida will be making his Eagles preseason debut after missing a good chunk of training camp and last week’s game due to a hamstring injury. Johnson Jr. flashed early in camp prior to getting hurt. He’s realistically pushing for a practice squad spot.

#94 – BYRON YOUNG​

Young missed last week’s game due to injury. It’ll be interesting to see if he stands out on Saturday, especially since he keeps getting mentioned by Vic Fangio in the defensive coordinator’s press conference. But the Eagles already seem to have five defensive tackles ahead of him on their depth chart.

#47 – CHARLEY HUGHLETT​

The long snapper? Really? Yes. Hughlett missed last week’s game due to a neck injury, so, this will be his Eagles preseason debut. If you don’t notice him on Saturday, that’ll be a good sign. Otherwise … that’s an issue.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com...players-to-watch-in-the-browns-preseason-game