Cole Payton has already shown the Eagles exactly what comes with his game: the arm talent that makes you lean in, and the rookie mistakes that come right alongside it.
The fifth-round quarterback from North Dakota State has spent the first eight training camp practices flashing real ability, but he’s also tossed five interceptions in a limited workload. That includes a rough Day 2 session when he threw three picks in one practice, a reminder that NFL windows are a different animal.
Payton isn’t backing away from the aggression, though. He’s been open about the challenge of learning when to attack and when to settle down.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in throwing the football,” Payton said. “But in the NFL, these windows are a lot tighter and so I’ve got to take care of the football.
I’ve thrown a few picks. But there’s that balance of knowing when to strike and knowing when to take the check-downs.
Going through those growing pains but taking the ups and the downs.”
The message after that three-interception practice came from offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, who told Payton he’d been in that spot before. The point was simple: limited reps don’t mean every snap needs to be a gamble. Sometimes the smart play is the one that keeps the drive alive.
Payton knows the league is asking him to adjust fast.
“I think guys are just bigger, stronger, faster in the NFL,” Payton said. “So that’s why those windows are a lot tighter. It’s about knowing when to fit them in and not.”
Even with the turnovers, there’s been plenty for the Eagles to like. Payton has hit some impressive throws, and the fact that he’s getting real work at all says plenty about how the team views his future. With three legitimate NFL quarterbacks ahead of him, the developmental reps he’s earning are meaningful.
Mannion has seen the progress up close.
“He's done a really nice job,” Mannion said. “Obviously, there've been a couple days where [he's got] to protect the football a little bit better, but I'm very, very happy with where Cole's at in his development.
There's kind of some growing pains to any young quarterback. This is his first exposure to NFL football and NFL defenses.
With that, you take some bumps and bruises along the way, but he's made tremendous improvement in terms of timing, rhythm, accuracy.
“He's really, really sharp, which doesn't always maybe show to you guys on the practice field, but he's super engaged at practice, understands the play calls, understands the footwork. The challenge for him is you don't get as many reps as you might like, but he's doing everything he can post-practice in the meeting to maximize his opportunity. Day by day, as you guys have seen, he's gotten better and better with that.”
That extra work has become part of Payton’s routine. After practices, he stays on the field with quarterbacks coach Parks Frazier, Mannion and others.
On off days, he’ll throw to receivers. He’s also leaned into virtual reality to squeeze out more mental reps.
Frazier introduced him to the VR setup, and Payton says it has been useful for getting more exposure without live snaps.
“You can pick whichever stadium you want and it feels like you’re in the Linc for example,” Payton explained. “And then you’ve got play calls, you’re breaking the huddle and you’re getting a mental rep.
It’s not like live footage. It’s animated but it’s a really good tool to visualize and see things.”
It’s helpful, but it’s not the same as real preseason football. That chance is coming soon, with the Eagles set to open preseason play in less than a week. For Payton, that means his first NFL game action is almost here.
And based on what he’s shown in camp, it could be a fun one to watch. The picks are part of the package, but so is the confidence.
“I think it just goes back to how hard I’ve worked and the work put in before camp, throughout the summer, in college, since I was a young kid,” Payton said. “I think also playing the quarterback position, you need a lot of confidence. But there’s a balance in the time and the place of knowing when to strike and knowing when to take the check-down.”
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