Saquon Barkley did not leave much room for debate after the Eagles wrapped up joint practices with the New England Patriots this week. The star running back made it clear he is not sold on the preseason tradition.
Asked about the value of joint practices, Barkley came right out with it: "I'm the wrong guy to ask because I hate joint practices, to be honest. I think one day is good," Barkley replied when asked about the benefits of joint practices.
He didn’t stop there. Barkley said the sessions can go sideways fast once the real work gives way to all the extra noise.
"More times than not nothing good comes out of it. When you have the work it's good, but then you get the pushing, the shoving and someone says this about you and it's 'I don't know about that but you're this.'
It's immature when you get to that level. I have to do a better job, too, because I'm a little troublemaker sometimes, but I was good this week."
That view, though, is not one the Eagles all share. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio sees joint practices from the other side of the fence and likes what they can reveal.
"I love doing these things. I think these things are great.
I wish we would do another one. It's great to go against a new team, new schemes, new players," Fangio said.
He added, "You learn things. You're going to get unscouted looks and plays and see how people react. These things are tremendous and can't get enough of it."
That split is easy to understand. Players may bristle at the extra scrapping and chatter, but coaches get a real chance to measure their group against someone else instead of the same familiar bodies every day.
For Barkley, though, the answer remains the same: one day is enough. For the rest of the league, joint practices look like they’re here to stay.
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Cooper DeJean Practice Clip Has Eagles Fans Talking For The Wrong Reason
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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
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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 🡒]