Eagles Camp Day 14: Offensive Angst and Long-Drive Drills

The Eagles' offense was a little frustrated during a scrimmage-like environment.

Eagles S C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned to team drills on Sunday. Aug. 18, 2024 / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles went nearly two hours on Sunday at the NovaCare Complex during a "green" practice designed to work on the game day coaching operations.

The assistants typically upstairs during games, including defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, were stationed on the balcony of the complex to mimic the game-day communication between the staff.

That meant the practice was less scripted than usual and essentially an intrasquad scrimmage with old-school long-drive drills.

"These long practices, we had some 12-play drives, I think, 13 plays, nine, 10. When you start working these long-play drives, it really kind of helps you figure out where you are, how much more condition you need if you’re really ready to play the full game." tight end Dallas Goedert said. "The other thing is if you get tired when it’s hot like it was today, you get into the ninth, 10th, 11th plays, when you’re tired it’s hard to focus, so you have to make sure you can focus on the details that matter on each and every play.

"When you get tired, those things seem to slip, so working these long days helps us prepare for the long drives in games."

For the second consecutive day, the defense dominated the practice.

During one red-zone period, a few Eagles’ offensive players even voiced their frustration with how the red-zone package was operating.

Of larger injury note, right guard Mekhi Becton left the practice shortly into team drills, walking slowly into the building with a slight limp. He never returned. Becton wears a large brace on his right knee and that seemed to be the leg he was favoring. 

Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson was also struggling physically with a banged-up knee and a toe that was stepped on Saturday but finished the session.

Brett Toth took the right guard reps in Becton’s absence, inside of Fred Johnson, who was in for All-Pro Lane Johnson, who was given a veteran’s day.

On-field the highlight was a pick-six by Parry Nickerson that went for about 95 yards the other way. The veteran slot corner victimized Tanner McKee, who felt hurried with the blitz bearing down.

McKee, who notably got second-team reps in place of the struggling Kenny Pickett for two periods, also was intercepted by linebacker Ben VanSumeren.

The highlight for the offense was a deep slot fade from Jalen Hurts where DeVonta Smith got the better of rookie Quinyon Mitchell. Smith also got the No. 22 overall pick with an Allen-Iverson-like crossover move in the middle of the field.

The defense also typically struggles when trying to stop A.J. Brown but that’s to be expected.

-The injury list remains long with DTs Moro Ojomo (hip), and Gabe Hall (hamstring), O-Linemen Matt Hennessy (back) and Tyler Steen (ankle), tight ends EJ Jenkins (knee), and Albert Okwuegbunam (abdomen), receivers Joseph Ngata (ankle), John Ross (concussion) and Johnny Wilson (concussion) and safety Caden Sterns (knee) out.

The good news is that S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (shoulder) returned to team drills despite being listed as limited. CB Cooper DeJean (hamstring) and TE Grant Calcaterra (shoulder) are also limited but working in team drills although the former is on a pitch count. LB Oren Burks (knee) is limited and only working in individual drills.

Burks spoke after practice and noted his injury pre-dated camp and he tested it on Day 1 but had to scale back.

-Linebacker Nakobe Dean continued his strong summer with another excellent practice. Of note was a PBU on a Hurts pass in the flat, a tackle for loss on Saquon Barkley, and a sack of the QB1.

Dean has been the Eagles' best linebacker for the past 10 days or so even though Fangio continues to allow Devin White and Zack Baun to start practice. There is plenty of rotation, however.

-Although McKee struggled today, backup Kenny Pickett didn’t take advantage of that and was far too inaccurate on too many throws. At least three Pickett throws were also deflected and he kept missing throws to the outside shoulder inside. Britain Covey hauled in one because DeJean didn't get his eyes on the football in time and a big play down the field to Austin Watkins was missed.

The biggest Pickett play was an underthrow hauled in by Ainias Smith.

-For those who believe Brandon Graham will be slowing down in Year 15, today was no indication of that as the Eagles’ offense had a really difficult time trying to handle No. 55. Josh Sweat alos had a productive pass-rushing day. The context is that Lane Johnson was sitting.

-It was an excellent day for the linebackers in coverage with Dean recording a PBU on DeVonta Smith, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. knocking a pass down intended for Britain Covey, and the rangy Brandon Smith also getting in the way of a McKee throw. 

-Veteran CB Darius Slay was excellent in the red zone today, with top-tier coverage on both a fade and a corner route to Brown.

-The Eagles went live for one set of downs with the third-teamers on the field. The set of plays featured a big stick by safety Tristin McCollum on rookie RB Kendall Milton. 

-The Eagles’ LBs in red-zone defense were Dean and Zack Baun.

-Goedert had a productive practice catching out routes. 

-Some of the Eagles’ tweaks in the red zone were showing orbit motion as the prelude to inside zone and Brown clearing out for an underneath throw to Saquon Barkley.  

-Backup DT Thomas Booker shined during 1-on-1 pass-rushing drills, ringing up three consecutive solid reps.

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