The Eagles didn’t take Day 1 of their joint practice with the Patriots, but that’s not really the point of this week. These sessions are about tightening things up, and Philadelphia still walked away with a clearer picture of where things stand.
Jalen Hurts had his moments, highlighted by the deep ball to Elijah Moore. He also connected with Hollywood Brown a few times, but the interceptions have continued to be the headline of camp.
Some of them haven’t been his fault, but they still show up in the same column. Hurts is getting more comfortable in the offense, though the consistency is still waiting to catch up.
Without DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon on Day 1, the best version of the offense wasn’t even available.
Brown, meanwhile, has been steady this week and turned in a solid opening practice against New England. He’s been working more effectively over the middle and looks more at home in the scheme, which matters as he keeps trying to separate himself from the roster bubble. Elijah Moore is still pressing for Brown’s spot, and there’s still a path where both receivers make it, but Brown could help his case with another strong day.
Tariq Woolen was another player who could use a cleaner showing. Drake Maye and A.J.
Brown both got him on Day 1, and Romeo Doubs also beat him in coverage before dropping the pass. That kind of up-and-down performance has followed Woolen through camp.
The Eagles’ pass rush should look different once games begin and quarterbacks can actually be hit, but Woolen still needs to smooth out the inconsistency.
On the quarterback depth chart, Dalton made a strong move toward securing the QB2 job. He showed good anticipation, handled the second-team offense well and looked more convincing than Tanner McKee, who was solid but not as sharp. Dalton has clearly been getting the first look with the second unit, and a strong Day 2 along with a good preseason game this week could seal the job.
And then there’s Bell, who has been one of the better stories of the summer. He’s been strong in one-on-ones and got a real test against an opposing pass rush on Wednesday.
The Patriots won some of those team-drill reps, but that kind of work is part of the process. If Bell can clean up his arm placement against edge rushers, he looks well on his way to locking down the No. 3 tackle job.
In Other News...
Cooper DeJean Practice Clip Has Eagles Fans Talking For The Wrong Reason
Joint practices usually provide the cleanest snapshot of where a roster stands before the games start counting, and one of the most watched matchups on the field Thursday in New England came with Cooper DeJean lined up across from DeMario Douglas. The Eagles defensive back entered the offseason with plenty of momentum after earning first-team All-Pro honors as a slot defender last season, so every rep against a quick, elusive receiver was going to draw attention from fans looking for clues about how Philadelphias secondary is coming together.
Douglas made the most of the spotlight, winning all three of their 1-on-1 reps by snapping off sharp cuts and exploding into separation, and the clip moved quickly through social media as Eagles followers reacted to what they saw. It is still only a practice setting, of course, but when a player with DeJeans reputation looks out of sync in a widely shared drill, it is the kind of thing that tends to linger until the pads come on and the matchup gets another chance to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Bubble Players Suddenly Feel Like Real Trade Candidates
With roster cutdown day looming on Aug. 30, the Eagles are at the point in camp where the back end of the roster starts to matter as much as the headline names. The usual churn of preseason competition has turned into a real evaluation of who can help Philadelphia now, who has a future here, and who might bring back something useful if the front office decides to move a player instead of simply waive him.
That is why a few bubble cases suddenly carry more trade intrigue than they did a week ago. Andy Dalton, Smael Mondon Jr., Hollywood Brown, Jakorian Bennett and Fred Johnson all sit in different spots on the depth chart, but each comes with a mix of team need, contract situation and performance questions that could make them attractive to another club before the deadline. Nothing is settled yet, but this is the part of camp when a player can go from fighting for a roster spot to being discussed as a legitimate trade chip. [Read more 🡒]
Former Penn State Standout Sees Strong Eagles Camp Cut Short
Tariq Castro-Fields had been one of the more intriguing names in Eagles camp, trying to turn a strong summer into a legitimate push for a 53-man roster spot while working back from a heel injury. The former Penn State standout brought enough familiarity and upside to make him worth watching in a secondary that always seems to have room for another corner to force the issue.
Instead, Philadelphia moved Castro-Fields to injured reserve, which ends his training camp and likely his season before the real evaluation could even finish. The Eagles also waived/injured wide receiver Johnny Wilson while adding center Zeke Correll and wide receiver Brandon Hayes, a reminder of how quickly roster opportunities can shift at this stage of camp, especially for players trying to survive on the margins. [Read more 🡒]