May 30, 2024
The Eagles allowed media members to watch practice for the second time this offseason on Thursday afternoon, and in 7-on-7 drills as well as full team drills, the secondary was the story, creating several interceptions and preventing too much offense from taking shape.
Jimmy Kempski will have a full breakdown with practice observations early Friday morning. Until then, here's a look at the result of the 21 plays run by the first-team offense, with an eye on Jalen Hurts' early spring performance.
Things kicked off with 7-on-7 drills from the Eagles' own 35 yardline.
1. A completion to Saquon Barkley, who emerged on Hurts' left from the backfield. He scampered for a few. There were no handoffs at all during practice Thursday, so this isn't necessarily a sign of how much Barkley may be featured in the passing game.
2. A Hurts pass over the middle falls incomplete. He tried to thread a needle and there wasn't much space for a completed pass.
3. A completion to A.J. Brown over the middle on a slant. When Brown is running across the middle of the field, his big body and crisp hands make him very hard to cover.
4. A completion to Dallas Goedert goes for around 25 yards down the left sideline. It was the best throw of the day for Hurts.
5. After the second and third team got a few reps, the first team returned and Hurts found Goedert over the middle for 10 more yards.
6. A play action sees Parris Campbell in motion and Brown streaking down the right sideline. A gorgeous touch pass landed right in Brown's hands.
7. Hurts hesitates before forcing a pass into traffic. It gets tipped more than once and is picked off by linebacker Zack Baun.
8. With good coverage from the secondary, Hurts dumps the ball off to Kenny Gainwell who gains a few yards.
Full 11-on-11 team drills in the red zone were next.
9. A completion to the left side to Brown gains around five yards.
10. A throw on the right side is intended to Goedert right at the goalline but it's a bit overthrown — and the tight end was covered very closely. Incomplete.
11. A slant catch and run to Brown goes for a few yards.
12. Brandon Graham breaks through and gets what would be an obvious sack and the play is whistled dead.
The lineman leave the field and the skill players revert to more 7 on 7 drills from the offense's own 30.
13. A completion over the middle finds Brown again.
14. Another slant to Brown gains 10 yards.
15. Here's an impressive play by Campbell, who was brought in to compete for the third receiver job. Hurts hurls a deep ball to the new Eagles wideout and it looks underthrown and like a clear interception with Kelee Ringo in coverage. But then Campbell turns into a defender, batting the ball out of Ringo's hands to save the play. An impressive veteran show of awareness.
16. Another pass to Brown crossing to the left sideline.
17. Head coach Nick Sirianni gives the first team a scenario — third and six from their own five yardline. Isaiah Rodgers picks off the ball and trots into the end zone. A Hurts pass was intended for a well-covered Barkley. Rodgers could be a cornerback who gets playing time and returns kicks after serving his suspension in 2023.
18. Hurts hesitates and finds Campbell over the middle. Campbell, by the way, was starting at the No. 2 WR position with DeVonta Smith not present for the voluntary practice.
19. An incomplete pass on a quick throw intended for Brown.
20. A dump off pass goes to Brown near the line of scrimmage.
21. The final play sees yet another completion to Brown, who leaps near the right sideline and grabs a jump ball with Avonte Maddox in coverage.
In all, Hurts completed 14 of 20 passes (70%) with two interceptions thrown and one sack taken. For what it's worth, the second and third team offenses also were picked off Thursday. Nine of the 14 passes completed by Hurts were caught by Brown.
The Eagles will be back at it for the media to view next week with three practices midweek during their mandatory minicamp.
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