Eagles Training Camp Observations Day 7: Saquon Puts On A Show

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles’ second fully-padded practice of the summer lasted nearly two hours in a much cooler environment with the temperatures in the high 60s on Friday.

The session was set up like a game simulation and became the “Saquon Barkley Show.”

The Eagles’ All-Pro running back was dominating on the ground and in the passing game while having quite a bit of fun trash-talking the defense along the way.

The highlight was punching in a touchdown run in the red zone and following that with a two-point conversion on similar inside-zone runs, leaving a deflated Eagles’ defense wondering what hit them.

Barkley was giving it to second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr, and jawing back and forth with safety Reed Blankenship during the practice while also having fun with Jalen Carter at one point.

For a player who had 482 touches last year, Barkley has been surprisingly active in training camp and has had a much better summer than last year, when he ended up setting an NFL record with 2,504 rushing yards (including the postseason).

That’s got to be a scary proposition for the Eagles’ opponents.

Off the field, the biggest news was Nick Sirianni missing his scheduled pre-practice press conference due to an illness. The head coach did make it out for practice, however, with the help of trainers.

On the injury front, a couple of new names were added to the list of players not practicing after getting banged up on Thursday: fullback Ben VanSumeren (ankle) and rookie cornerback Mac McWilliams (quad).

Linebacker Zack Baun (back contusion), wide receiver DeVonta Smith (back tightness), edge defender Nolan Smith (concussion), WR Terrace Marshall (knee), and tight end EJ Jenkins (hamstring) were also sidelined.

LB Jihaad Campbell (shoulder), Carter (shoulder), left guard Landon Dickerson (ribs), center Cam Jurgens (back), and safety Andrew Mukuba (shoulder) were limited.

Mukuba was in shells and only did individual drills after missing two practices.

In practice, WR A.J. Brown was held out of team drills for the second hour or so of the practic,e and rookie RB Montrell Johnson walked off with a trainer and went into the injury tent.

NEWS AND NOTES:

-The Eagles’ top kick-returning duo was Avery Williams and Ainias Smith, followed by Keilan Robinson and Johnson, and Robinson and Taylor Morin.

In the developmental period late in the practice, Morin made the reception of the day, adjusting to a Kyle McCord throw over the wrong shoulder mid-route to haul in the pass. 

-Kelee Ringo was opposite Quinyon Mitchell at CB to start on Friday but Ringo was on the left side and Mitchell on the right. The Eagles have focused on their top four outside CBs (Mitchell, Ringo, Adoree’ Jackson, and Eli Ricks) all getting reps on each side, an indication that the team is getting ready for Mitchell potentially shadowing some top receivers in the regular season.  

If you’re first snap record keeping, Jackson is now ahead of Ringo by a slim 4-3 margin.

Ringo was flagged for DPI down the field against WR Jahan Dotson when he made contact without looking back at the football. Secondary coach Christian Parker spent some time on the sideline correcting Ringo’s technique error.

-Without Baun and the rehabbing Nakobe Dean, the Eagles’ top linebackers were again Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and rookie first-round pick Jihaad Campbell. Fellow rookie Smael Mondon Jr. did rotate in with the ones as well, with Campbell still on a rep count after March labrum surgery.

Mondon had one of the defensive plays of the day, handling Barkley on a wheel route down the left sideline and recording a PBU that prevented a TD. 

Campbell, however, was beaten badly by second-year RB Will Shipley on a wheel route on the other side of the field earlier in the practice for a 20-yard TD from Jalen Hurts.

-Reed Blankenship and Cooper DeJean were the safeties in the base package, and Sydney Brown was next to Blankenship in the nickel. 

-The Eagles started in a 50 front of Jalyx Hunt, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Azeez Ojulari from left to right.

• With Jurgens and Dickerson both limited, rookie Drew Kendall got some first-team reps at OC while Brett Toth handled LG when  Dickerson was out.

-The cross-training Trevor Keegan had a really difficult time snapping the football with second-team reps and it was an adventure for backup QB Tanner McKee. At one point, Keegan was pulled like a baseball reliever with Kendall entering to rescue reps.  

-Tyler Steen has now taken every first-team rep at right guard through seven practices, while Matt Pryor and Darian Kinnard continue to flip-flop between RG and RT on the second team. 

-There was a nice little back and forth between Brown and Mitchell again when the All-Pro WR got the ascending second-year corner on a slant route before Mitchell’s tight coverage on the next rep resulted in a rare A.J. drop.

Mitchell also had a chance for an interception in the end zone when he peeled off his coverage to spoil a Hurts pass to Barkley.

-Ojomo’s strong summer continued with a strip sack of Hurts and an impressive rep in one-on-ones to beat Dickerson with a swim move.

Dickerson was able to rebound using his power to snatch and push Ojomo to the ground.

Ojulari got the best of Jordan Mailata on one rep by dipping his shoulder and showing impressive bend.

-The Eagles went live with the threes late on the practice, with the highlight being undersized RB ShunDerrick Powell plowing into the end zone on a stretch play.

-There were a couple of batted balls today from rookie Ty Robinson, who has a knack for it, and edge rusher Ochaun Mathis.

-Safety Lewis Cine had significant second-team reps for the first time.

-Former Eagles WR Torrey Smith was at practice as a SiriusXM Radio host.

-The Eagles’ players are off Saturday and will be back on the practice field Sunday morning with the preseason opener looming against Cincinnati on August 7.