Eagles Training Camp Observations: A Long Scrimmage Day In The Heat

Eagles training camp observations: A long scrimmage day in the heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Eagles moved up practice a half hour on Saturday to beat the heat but still had their longest and most intense session of the summer.

Practice lasted 1 hour and 58 minutes in what the Eagles call a “scrimmage day” that featured a bunch of 11-on-11 competition and no 7-on-7s.

Because of that, we’re not lacking for practice observations after this one.

The Eagles have an off day on Sunday before getting back on the practice fields on Monday and Tuesday.

Let’s get to our observations from Day 8:

1. As always, we’ll start with housekeeping:

• After leaving Friday’s practice early, center Cam Jurgens returned on Saturday and took most of the first-team reps. Jurgens did leave this practice early but right at the very end.

• Lane Johnson — who said after practice this is probably his final NFL season — returned to team drills. Johnson missed four days for a non-injury reason before returning on Friday.

• The full injury report from Saturday:

Not practicing: WR Britain Covey (hamstring), WR Danny Gray (concussion), OLB Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), WR Makai Lemon (hamstring), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), S Cole Wisniewski (hamstring)

Limited: LB Chance Campbell (groin)

• Running backs Dameon Pierce and Elijah Mitchell left this practice early.

• OLB Jonathan Greenard (pec strain) remains on the Active/PUP.

2. Depth chart notes:

• The Eagles began their day with their starting offensive line intact, although Lane Johnson, Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens didn’t play every snap.

• Markel Bell got some of the right tackle reps and Drew Kendall filled in at left guard and then later center.

Here’s a look at the O-line depth charts from Saturday:

First team: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson

Second team: Fred Johnson, Michael Jordan, Jake Majors, Willie Lampkin, John Ojukwu

Third team (from developmental): Myles Hinton, Michael Jordan, Willie Lampkin, Micah Morris, Cameron Williams

• The Eagles opened up in 12 personnel with Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Saquon Barkley as their skill players. Elijah Moore came on the field when they went to 11 personnel.

• Andy Dalton was up first with the second-team offense at quarterback, but Tanner McKee did mix in. Rookie Cole Payton didn’t get reps until the developmental period later in the day.

• No big changes on the defensive side of the ball with the first team. But we did see Michael Carter II get some safety reps later on in place of Marcus Epps. We also saw A.J. Epenesa and Ty Robinson rotate in with the first team for the first time this training camp.

3. This was a spirited practice and it ended with a really fun competitive sequence in a situational drill. The Eagles’ first-team offense got the ball on the +25 with 46 seconds left and down 8 points. After a quick incompletion on first down, Jalen Hurts drifted to his right and threw a beauty of a pass to Dallas Goedert, who was able to pull in the catch over Jihaad Campbell in the front right corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

On the ensuing 2-point conversion, Hurts had a ton of time in a really clean pocket and eventually found Elijah Moore in the end zone to finish practice on a positive note for the offense.

4. Zack Baun had a tremendous diving interception off Jalen Hurts during a 2-minute drill. Hurts tried to hit Elijah Moore in the middle of the field but Baun drove to the ball, dove and held on for the pick. Baun has mostly had an unspectacular training camp but he still flashes at times. He’s in line to have another big season.

5. Some highlights from offensive line vs. defensive line 1-on-1s:

• The No. 1 highlight was Willie Lampkin. The 5-foot-11 interior lineman has been one of the most fun players to watch in this camp and he dominated in 1-on-1s. From the guard position, he shut down defensive tackle Gabe Hall on two consecutive reps. And then a bit later, from the center position, he stonewalled Zion Wilson. Lampkin can play and he’s making a strong roster push.

• You very rarely see Lane Johnson get beat in 1-on-1s but that happened on Saturday, when Jalyx Hunt beat him on a quick inside move after getting Johnson to overset. Hunt has perhaps been the Eagles’ best defensive player in camp.

• Tyler Steen held his own on his two reps against Jalen Carter, who was a beast in team drills. (More on that soon.)

• Jordan Mailata shut down Nolan Smith on their two reps. Smith later had a great push-pull to get through Fred Johnson.

• Moro Ojomo was able to slip past Landon Dickerson on their first rep but then Dickerson had an aggressive punch on the next rep to win early.

• Ty Robinson got past Drew Kendall with his club move but tried it again on the next rep and it didn’t work.

• Markel Bell had a nice rep against Jalyx Hunt before Hunt got around him on their second rep. Still, Bell is so big, it’s not easy to get around him.

• Byron Young had back-to-back wins against Jake Majors. One with a finesse swim move and another with a bullrush.

6. Jalen Carter was again a menace at times in this practice. His best play of the day came when he used a swim move to cut through Cam Jurgens into the backfield and then batted down a Jalen Hurts pass. Carter has at least four batted passes already in camp.

7. The Eagles’ first-team offense needed just four plays to get into the end zone in a red zone period that started at the +20. Barkley ran on first down and then Hurts moved the chains on a QB draw through a gaping hole. Barkley ran two more times and the second time he took it up the gut into the end zone. 

After the play, there was some extra jawing between Barkley and some of the defenders. It didn’t seem truly heated but Barkley was fired up. He jawed with Cooper DeJean and then there were some shoves with Quinyon Mitchell. It was a fun sequence.

8. Both Tank Bigsby and Carson Steele had impressive reps in pass protection. Bigsby pancaked cornerback Ambry Thomas on a blitz and Steele had a nice blitz pickup against Jeremiah Trotter Jr. A couple plays after that Bigsby pancake, Trotter blitzed and Bigsby had to hold to slow him down.

9. It wasn’t a perfect day of practice for Jihaad Campbell but the starting middle linebacker got off to an incredible start. He was very violent in the run game and was able to get Cam Jurgens off balance to toss him. It was a heck of a play.

10. Some odds and ends from Saturday:

• Michael Carter II had an excellent pass breakup against E.J. Jenkins. From safety depth, Carter timed his charge perfectly to knock loose a pass against a tight end who has 8 inches on him.

• Dontayvion Wicks has been good all camp and that continued today. It’s clear Jalen Hurts has a lot of trust in him. Hurts hit him for a big gain early on a slant in front of Riq Woolen.

• Elijah Moore made a great play to come back for a football to make a catch. Moore isn’t a very big receiver but he played big on a pass that Hurts lofted a bit.

• Darius Cooper nearly had a highlight reel catch on the right sideline from Andy Dalton but was unable to get both feet inbounds. Some of the coaches wanted it to count but the refs on the field ruled him out.

• Eli Stowers had a bad drop on a pass from Dalton early in team drills but Dalton went back to him a few plays later and Stowers made up for it with a nice gain on a crosser.

• Cole Payton’s first pass came in the developmental period toward the end of practice and he was promptly picked off by Maximus Pulley. This was just a poor decision. Payton has now thrown five interceptions in camp — the most of any Eagles quarterback, despite his limited reps. Payton has a ton of confidence in his arm talent but he needs to be reined in a bit.

• Tyler Steen sideswiped Moro Ojomo, who was engaged in a block with Drew Kendall. Offensive linemen are always told to find extra work and that’s what Steen did. Ojomo appreciated the effort and dapped up Steen after he collected himself off the ground.

• Byron Young had a “sack” in team drills. He’s still the Eagles’ fourth defensive tackle but will see the field in 2026.

• Tariq Castro-Fields had a pass breakup on Elijah Moore. TCF isn’t going to make the roster but he’s had a sneaky good training camp.

• Jake Elliott went 6/6 on his field goals early in practice.

• Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler and former Phillies outfield Shane Victorino were guests at Saturday’s practice.

Stupid Observation of the Day: Before practice began, the Eagles’ in-house DJ walked by with his digital turntable and Roob asked for some Tom Petty. A few minutes later, we heard “Free Fallin” playing out of the speakers. Talk about pull.