Round 1 of the Eagles-Patriots joint practice belonged to New England, but Philadelphia still came away with a clear snapshot of where things stand. The Eagles were competitive for most of the day, then the Patriots finished stronger. It doesn’t count in the standings, but it did give a useful look at how the Eagles stack up against one of the NFL’s best teams from last season.
There were still plenty of individual bright spots for Philadelphia, and a few players made sure they stood out in a practice that exposed both strengths and concerns. Some helped themselves. Others had a tougher time keeping up.
Elijah Moore was one of the biggest winners. He opened 11-on-11 work with the first-team offense and may have delivered the play of the day on offense, hauling in a deep ball from Jalen Hurts that traveled 40+ yards.
Hurts dropped the pass in perfectly over Patriots safety Kevin Byard, and Moore is now getting the kind of downfield chances Hollywood Brown used to see. He kept finding space, too, and should be on the roster by Week 1 if he keeps this up.
Saquon Barkley also turned in a strong day. There’s already plenty of evidence that he’s set for a big season behind a fully healthy offensive line, and he showed that speed and burst against New England with several big runs that kept the Patriots defense on its heels. The Eagles want him heavily involved in outside zone looks and more active in the passing game, and Wednesday offered another reminder that Barkley and the line are the engine of this offense.
Will Shipley made his case as well. He benefited from the same kind of holes Barkley was getting, ripped off a few runs, and added value as a receiver.
Shipley had several gains in the passing game and scored on a wheel route touchdown. He may have already had the RB3 job nearly locked up, and this kind of outing only helped.
Jalyx Hunt was everywhere. He continued a stretch in which he’s looked like one of the best players on the field, controlling Will Campbell in 1-on-1s and adding a sack during team drills.
The Eagles’ defensive line as a whole was disruptive, and Hunt’s showing was another sign that the pass rush is deeper and better than it was a year ago. Even without Jonathan Greenard available, Hunt is making a strong case at right end.
Quinyon Mitchell had a strong answer when the Patriots tested him early. They went deep down the left sideline right away, and Mitchell got a hand in to knock the ball away from A.J.
Brown at the last moment. Brown had a step, but Mitchell made the play.
Brown won some battles as the practice went on, but he didn’t run roughshod over Mitchell. That’s part of why Mitchell carries elite status at his position.
Dontayvion Wicks also helped himself in a practice where the Eagles’ receivers as a group didn’t shine. He showed clean route running in 1-on-1s and moved quickly to the ball when the Eagles sped things up. With two of the top three wideouts sidelined, Wicks found ways to get open underneath and give Hurts some easy completions in an uneven practice.
Not everyone had that kind of day. Tariq Woolen was beaten by Brown and Romeo Doubs, and there was even discussion about Brown being out of bounds on one of those reps.
The bigger issue was the overall inconsistency in Woolen’s coverage. He gave up too many catches, and while the practice offered a worthwhile test, the performance needs to be cleaner.
Jonathan Greenard’s status remains unsettled. Vic Fangio said he didn’t know when Greenard would return to practice, which is a concern for a pass rusher who has not practiced all summer because of a torn pectoral muscle.
The Eagles have handled his absence well so far, including in the joint practice, but this still isn’t a Super Bowl-caliber defense without a healthy Greenard. The team downplayed the issue three weeks ago, but it now sounds like his return could take time.
Ty Robinson’s standing under Fangio also raised questions. Fangio openly said Robinson had been on "life support" since arriving, though he added that Robinson "came to life."
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement from a defensive coach known for demanding trust. Robinson has played well over the past week and should make the 53-man roster, but his snap count may remain limited.
Tanner McKee lost a little ground in the QB2 battle. Andy Dalton had the better day, showing accuracy on short throws and connecting on a few passes of 10+ yards. McKee didn’t do much to separate himself, which leaves Dalton with a clearer lead for now, even if the race is far from over.
Myles Hinton also had a rough showing. The Eagles essentially used last season to redshirt him, but he hasn’t shown enough progress to change the outlook.
He struggled at left tackle in both 1-on-1s and team work, and there are simply other players who look more deserving of roster spots. The move to guard hasn’t taken hold, and at this point his chances are slipping.
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