PHILADELPHIA - Eli Stowers is starting to show something, and for the Eagles that matters. The rookie tight end finally got on the board in Sunday night’s loss to the Commanders, catching the first three passes of his NFL career and giving Philadelphia at least a glimpse of what he can do when he’s healthy enough to stay on the field.
The production wasn’t all empty calories, either. Two of those grabs came late, sure, but Stowers still finished with three catches on three targets for 53 yards. His biggest play of the night was a 34-yard reception, the Eagles’ most explosive snap in a 27-10 loss.
“It's always good to get the first one out of the way,” he said. “I think it was a good first step for me.”
That first step took a while to arrive. Stowers landed on injured reserve just 48 hours before the season opener on Sept. 13 while dealing with a quad injury, and his hamstring wasn’t fully right either.
He needed five games before making his debut, which came against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. That night brought only one target.
A week later, against Washington, the workload and the results both jumped.
What stood out to Stowers was not just the catches, but the way his body responded.
He said he was encouraged by moving around without pain or hesitation, and offensive coordinator Sean Mannion said the rookie has handled the mental side of the job well.
“He's been working his tail off to get healthy,” said offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. “He's mentally really, really sharp, especially at that position where there are a lot of different things that we're going to ask of you.
His mental preparation's been outstanding. I think getting a chance for him to get into the games a little bit and kind of generate some more confidence while he's out there, I think will ultimately serve him well moving forward.”
There’s still a learning curve here, and it’s a big one. This is only the third year Stowers has played tight end after growing up as a quarterback, and the jump to the NFL has forced him to absorb a new position at the highest level.
“I think that there's a lot of carryover mentally from the quarterback standpoint,” he said, “but physically, there's a lot of nuances in technique at the tight end position that I've never done before, like fine-tuning the techniques and the blocking and route running, hand placement, catching the ball, all that kind of stuff.”
The grind has been nonstop from the combine to the pro day to the draft, then rookie camp, OTAs, minicamp and training camp. Even the six-week stretch between minicamp and training camp comes with its own demands, with constant workouts and playbook study. That kind of pace can wear on a rookie, and it can lead to injury.
For Stowers, the six-week stay on IR may end up serving as a reset.
“I'd say anytime you go up a level, it's gonna be more detailed, so I think here it's just the skills that I learned in college, fine-tune them even more so that at this level you can be competitive," he said. “My goal every single day is the same-put my best foot forward, work as hard as I can, and whatever my job is week-to-week, to attack that with the best of my ability.”
In Other News...
Nolan Smith Jr. Suddenly Holds The Key To Eagles Season
With the Eagles sitting at 2-6 and staring at a pivotal Week 9 meeting with the Giants, the defense has spent most of the season searching for answers. One of the few constants has been Nolan Smith Jr., who has emerged as the most productive player on that side of the ball and a rare source of disruption for a unit that has otherwise struggled to make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks.
Philadelphia does not need to reinvent everything to stay alive in this one, but it does need its best pass rusher to keep setting the tone. The Giants have given up plenty of sacks this season, which makes Smiths presence even more important as the Eagles try to steal a win and keep their season from slipping further away. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Still Have One Big Question About Drew Mukuba
Drew Mukuba has already given the Eagles a few reasons to like the rookie safety, and the coaching staff has not been shy about saying so. Nick Sirianni and Vic Fangio have both pointed to his upside this season, with Mukuba flashing the kind of playmaking ability that can change a game, including an interception and a forced fumble through nine weeks.
The bigger issue is whether that production can come with steadier work in the run game and in coverage. Mukuba has had his moments, but the missed tackles and uneven coverage have kept him from looking fully settled, which leaves Philadelphia still sorting out how quickly he can become a dependable piece on the back end. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts has returned to the facility for meetings as he continues recovering from blood clots in his lungs, though he will miss the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Quinyon Mitchell Is Making One Eagles Debate Impossible To Ignore
Quinyon Mitchell has been one of the few bright spots on a Philadelphia defense that has had a hard time finding its footing this season. While the unit has lagged in several major categories, Mitchells individual work at cornerback has kept him in the middle of a conversation the Eagles probably hoped to avoid this early, because his play has been steady enough to stand out even when the rest of the defense has not.
The contrast is what makes his year so notable: Mitchell has brought production in the form of tackles, pass breakups and an interception, and he has done it while the defense around him continues to search for answers. Even so, one rough moment against Washington served as a reminder that the margin for error is thin, and it has only sharpened the debate over how much of Philadelphias defensive future should already be built around him. [Read more 🡒]