Eagles Discuss Weight & Conditioning as Rookie Minicamp Begins

Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said nobody is in football shape right now, including Jalen Carter, who struggled with conditioning during his pro day. But Sirianni clarified that's normal this time of year.

PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Carter’s conditioning will be questioned until the gassers begin, perhaps in the OTAs that are coming later this month or once the dog days of training camp arrive in August.

It was the first day of rookie minicamp for the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, and Carter’s conditioning was a topic.

It’s his fault, really, for a pro day that left him too winded to complete all the drills. This could be thanks in part to the nine pounds he had gained in just a couple of weeks due quite possibly to the stress and strain of having to plead no contest to his involvement regarding a traffic accident that left a Georgia teammate and staffer dead.

Carter was asked between two short Friday practices about what sort of shape he was in.

“I made sure my condition levels are higher,” he said.

So far, it would seem that Carter, who was issued uniform No. 98, is doing the best he can to make a good impression and leave the past behind. He was the first first-round pick to come to terms on a contract, doing so on Thursday.

“It was very important, but I wasn’t really looking at the contract," he said about his new deal that is worth a fully-guaranteed $21.8 million.

"I was focused on being here and getting to know everybody. I knew my agent was going to handle that.”

As for the conditioning stuff, coach Nick Sirianni shut it down. This wasn't just with Carter, but with all 43 players who showed up for the weekend head start for newcomers and invited second-year players such as receiver Devon Allen, who was in attendance after spending all of last year on the practice squad.

“We’re trying to get everybody back in shape, football-playing shape,” Sirianni said. “These guys have been in hotels, they’ve been on 30 visits, they’ve been getting ready for pro days, they’ve been getting ready for the combine, so to say any of them are in really good football shape and they’re ready to play a game tomorrow, I would say that’s inaccurate.

“None of those guys are. (Friday) was not about finding out what their conditioning level was.”

The players arrived on Thursday, and that was the time for Sirianni to preach his five core principles: connect, compete, accountability, football IQ, and fundamentals. Friday was about setting the tone for how the team practices and all the details that come with that.

“Nobody out there is in the shape they need to be in, but we’re working in that direction,” said Sirianni. “(Carter) looks good. He looked good out there, but like I said, (Friday) wasn’t about finding out who was ready conditioning-wise because to be quite frank none of them are.”

There will come a time when conditioning will matter, of course, and that's where Sirianni’s rules come into play, one of which, he said, is “be the weight you’re supposed to be.”

Weight, the coach said, is something his staff tracks closely.

"We didn’t do gassers out there or anything. I can tell you exactly how somebody’s conditioning is after that, but none of them are in good enough shape to go out there and have a full practice, that’s why practice was cut down, that’s why we took time in between a rep."

“...We'll get (Carter) at what he’s supposed to play at, and I have no doubt in my mind that he’ll do whatever he needs to do to be the player he needs to be."

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Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.

Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.

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