The first few days of Eagles training camp have already started sorting out the edges of the roster, even if the real wrestling matches are still ahead. With the team working in shells and shorts, the picture is still fuzzy. Once the pads come on Tuesday, these battles should get a lot louder.
For now, a handful of players have put themselves in the best position early.
At receiver, Dontayvion Wicks has opened with the kind of camp that gets attention fast. He’s made several strong grabs, won balls away from defenders, and shown the Eagles a reliable target for Jalen Hurts.
That matters in a competition for the WR2 role, and Wicks has clearly taken the first step. Makai Lemon is behind him, which isn’t surprising given that Lemon is a rookie coming off a hamstring injury this spring.
He hasn’t shown much yet, but the door is still open for him to climb once the practices pile up. Right now, though, it feels like Wicks’ job to lose.
The same kind of early edge is showing up in the safety competition. The Eagles are giving Epps the first shot at the starting job next to Andrew Mukuba, and Vic Fangio has made it clear this is a real battle.
Michael Carter has mixed into first-team nickel work with Epps, while Cooper DeJean has handled the starting safety spot in base looks. Even with that rotation, Epps still looks like the frontrunner, and Fangio has also praised Carter.
Quarterback is another spot where the reps are being split down the middle. Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton have been alternating through the first three practices, with McKee getting the first-team look one day and Dalton the next.
Neither has separated from the other. Dalton hasn’t done much to stand out, and McKee has also been quiet, with practice observations noting that he seems to be holding the ball too long.
That said, the situation has an unusual wrinkle: McKee is a trade candidate this summer, so this is the kind of competition that can work out for the Eagles either way.
Up front, the defensive line battle has been tilted by Jonathan Greenard being on PUP. That has pushed Hunt and Nolan Smith into equal first-team work, and Hunt has been the more impressive of the two through three practices.
In fact, he may have been the best player in camp so far. The real test for him will come once Greenard returns and Hunt has to show the same level of play on the left side, while Greenard lines up on the right.
That might not happen until the season begins. Smith, meanwhile, didn’t exactly get a ringing endorsement from Vic Fangio.
On the offensive side, Darius Cooper has been one of the early winners. He’s drawn more first-team chances than Johnny Wilson and turned in a highlight-reel catch over Cooper DeJean in one practice.
That kind of start builds momentum quickly, and Cooper’s strong summer last year is giving him a base to work from again. Britain Covey also had a solid Day 3, catching the ball when called upon.
He could help himself as a punt returner, but he still needs to prove he can contribute as a receiver if he wants to lock down a roster spot.
At tight end, the early returns have been far less encouraging for Eli Stowers. Through three practices, he has been almost invisible and has had trouble creating separation.
His athleticism hasn’t really shown up yet, and that becomes a concern once the pads start coming on. Mundt has been getting work in both 12 personnel and 11 personnel, which suggests the Eagles want to see whether he can offer more than just blocking.
There may be a larger role available there, but Stowers will have to do his part to make that possible.
In Other News...
Jalen Hurts Just Changed The Mood Around Eagles Camp
The first week of Eagles training camp had a familiar pressure point attached to it, with Jalen Hurts drawing heat for a slow start, no touchdown passes and a string of sacks. By the time Day 4 rolled around, though, the tone around practice had shifted noticeably. Hurts was sharper, more decisive and started stacking the kind of completions that can change the feel of a camp session in a hurry.
Reporters came away pointing to the improvement as a welcome sign for an offense trying to find its rhythm early. The progress did not erase the rough opening stretch, but it did give the Eagles something they badly needed this time of year: evidence that the quarterback can reset quickly and lift the whole group with him. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Smith Just Added Real Pressure To A Huge Eagles Season
Nolan Smith opened up this week about the speeding and reckless driving arrest that has followed him through the offseason, publicly apologizing for what he called an unacceptable mistake. The Eagles edge rusher said he has already addressed it with the organization and stressed accountability to his teammates, a notable step for a player entering his fourth season with a real opportunity to cement his place in the lineup.
The timing matters because Philadelphia already made a commitment to Smith by picking up his fifth-year option in April, and this is the kind of offseason noise the Eagles would rather avoid around a defender they expect to lean on. Smith said he is focused on moving forward, but the episode has already added another layer of pressure to a season that could shape both his standing in Philadelphia and the clubs wider plans on defense. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Training Camp Battle Is Heating Up Behind Cooper DeJean
The Eagles secondary is in the middle of a noticeable reset as training camp gets underway, with Cooper DeJean shifting from nickel to safety in base looks and likely lining up next to Andrew Mukuba. At the same time, Philadelphia is working newcomer Riq Woolen into the perimeter mix alongside Quinyon Mitchell, giving Vic Fangio a few different ways to sort out a defense that is still settling into its new shape.
Behind DeJean, the competition is already starting to sharpen in the sub packages, where Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II are vying for playing time. The Eagles have options there, but they also have decisions to make, and the way those snaps are divided could tell a lot about how the back end is going to look once the real games arrive. [Read more 🡒]