Eagles Camp Day 10: Hurts’ Birthday Bash And More LB Churn

The Eagles finished up a four-day run of training camp practices with the preseason opener at Baltimore looming.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts / John McMullen/Eagles on Si

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles finished up a string of four consecutive practices on Wednesday with a 75-minute session under overcast skies. 

There were no pads for Philadelphia with Friday’s preseason opener at Baltimore looming. The Eagles will have a walkthrough on Thursday in advance of the game.

The session was highlighted by several sharp throws, none more so than a layered seam route from Jalen Hurts to Grant Calcaterra with Devin White trailing and safety Reed Blankenship unable to close quickly enough. 

There was also a 20-yard touchdown pass from Hurts to Dallas Goedert with Dean in coverage, although the play could have been waived off for being a bit late due to a strong pass rush. 

Hurts celebrated his 26th birthday by reaching double-digits in ball security, He still has not thrown an interception through 10 practices this summer.

Third-string QB Tanner McKee, who is getting more second-team reps, also threw a strike on a post route to Austin Watkins at the back line of the end zone for a TD in red zone work. Josh Jobe was the CB in coverage.

-The injury list was largely the same with linebackers Oren Burks (knee) and Brandon Smith (concussion), receiver Parris Campbell (groin), and safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson (shoulder) and Mekhi Garner (hamstring) remaining out.

-In depth chart notes, Avonte Maddox took most of the first-team reps next to Blankenship in place of Gardner-Johnson. Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers remained the outside cornerbacks with Quinyon Mitchell in the slot.

Mekhi Becton took all the first-team reps at right guard with Tyler Steen working with the second team. Before the practice, Nick Sirianni was unwilling to say Becton has surpassed Steen, who missed just over a week with an ankle injury.

The vast majority of White’s reps have been with the starters, alongside either Zack Baun or Dean. So it was notable that during one team period on Wednesday, Dean was paired with Baun, and then White came on alongside rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. with the second group.

Baun also got a few reps with Trotter and White with Ben VanSumeren so it’s clear Vic Fangio is mixing and matching to find the best duo.

On the Eagles’ first unofficial depth chart they listed White/Dean as essentially even at Mike LB and the same for Baun/Trotter at Will. The most first-team reps have gone to White, Baun, Dean, VanSumeren, and Trotter in that order.

-McKee had a nice play-action throw coming out from under center in the red zone to running back Lew Nichols in the flat that Trotter was able to chase down before Nichols scored. Baun raced over to the rookie to praise him for keeping his eye discipline on the play.  

-A.J. Brown nearly pulled in a one-handed circus catch over the wrong shoulder but was unable to finish it.

-The Eagles’ worked on kickoff returns with a host of different duos back deep with Rodgers and Kenny Gainwell being the first followed by Britain Covey and Will Shipley. Rodgers also took a rep with Shipley and Ainias Smith was also involved with Gainwell and Covey.

Among the Eagles’ first-team blockers were Tyler Hall, Patrick Johnson, VanSumeren, Kelee Ringo, Jobe, Jalyx Hunt, Calcaterra, Baun, andTristin McCollum.

There are two players allowed off the front line and that was Johnson and Calcaterra.

-The Eagles closed with a period of situational work and took a shot on one short conversion with a go route to Joseph Ngata but Slay had the young receiver blanketed. The offense ran it again and converted easily with a Brown comeback route on Rodgers.

Ngata got more first-team reps than he has since the early days of camp. 

-Brandon Graham and VanSumeren looked like they were credited with sacks today.

-There was a Super Bowl tint to practice. Stars of the Eagles' Super Bowl XV team -- quarterback ron Jaworski and running back Wilbert Montgomery were on hand. Super Bowl LII defensive linemen Chris Long and Beau Allen were also among the guests at practice.

Chris Long and Beau Allen holding court. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/G2gKkRFU6S

— John McMullen (@JFMcMullen) August 7, 2024

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