The Eagles kicked off their 2018 training camp on the fields of the NovaCare Complex with a new Super Bowl champions banner hanging proudly. But these are no longer the Super Bowl champion Eagles. These are the 2018 Eagles, who will need to work incredibly hard to get back in the big game.
Those preparations took another step today.
This is championship-level stretching. pic.twitter.com/hgcbvBPQIF— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) July 26, 2018
The first practice of training camp was a little different this year, in that the entire team was there. In years past, the QBs and rookies would report earlier, but this time, the whole band was together. It was a lighter 10-10-10 practice, so there won't be any observations about who beat who on a particular play; it's too tough to determine that in these practices.
But that doesn't mean there weren't 10 other observations!
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1. We all spent a good portion of today watching Carson Wentz, and rightfully so. Wentz participated in 11-on-11 drills for the first time, a tremendous sign in his recovery (see story), but he wasn't the only one.
Jason Peters (ACL), Darren Sproles (ACL) and Jordan Hicks (Achilles) also participated in 11-on-11 drills for the first time since their respective injuries. That's huge news that got overshadowed by Wentz today. Getting those three back this season is going to be a big deal.
"It's great to see them all back in there working," head coach Doug Pederson said. "Every one of them are going to get more and more as we get going. Obviously, encouraged and like where they're at, but at the same time, we're going to be cautious and careful as we go."
I'm glad this little dude is still playing football! pic.twitter.com/8Sywoo1RFt— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) July 26, 2018
2. While we couldn't really gain much from a lot of today's practice, we did see who is getting the most run with the first teams on offense and defense.
Here's a look at the first team offense:
QB: Nick Foles
LT: Jason Peters
LG: Stefen Wisniewski
C: Jason Kelce
RG: Brandon Brooks
RT: Lane Johnson
WR: Mike Wallace
WR: Mack Hollins
Slot: Nelson Agholor
TE: Zach Ertz
RB: Jay Ajayi
It's important to note that Alshon Jeffery is on the PUP and isn't practicing; that's why Hollins was out there. Ajayi got the first reps, but others were rotated in. When the Eagles used two tight ends, Dallas Goedert got some first-team snaps.
3. Here's a look at the defense:
LCB: Jalen Mills
RCB: Ronald Darby
NCB: Sidney Jones
LDE: Chris Long
LDT: Fletcher Cox
RDT: Destiny Vaeao
LDE: Derek Barnett
MIKE: Jordan Hicks
SAM: Nigel Bradham
WILL: Corey Nelson
S: Malcolm Jenkins
S: Rodney McLeod
You'll notice that I listed 12 starters. That's because the weakside linebacker spot is technically a starter position, but the Eagles are in their nickel defense around 75 percent of the time. And there is a competition at the WILL too; Nelson and Kamu Grugier-Hill split reps, but Nelson got out there first. Jones got those nickel snaps, but we'll see how that competition goes throughout camp. The Eagles used a bunch of guys at that spot in the spring.
Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata worked with the second team defensive line today.
4. Speaking of Ngata, it was a good sign to see him work in 11-on-11 drills for the first time as an Eagle. He did it with the second team, but the 34-year-old probably doesn't need too much time in training camp. Didn't see a ton from Ngata on Day 1, but he's big and still looks pretty strong.
He's a LARGE man. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/ah0AcBlAo2— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) July 26, 2018
5. Wentz's face can turn really red. After Wentz mentioned that he did some rehab work during his honeymoon in Greece, he was asked more about it.
"I got some workouts in," Wentz said. Everyone laughed. Wentz's face turned the color of his practice jersey.
"In the fitness center!" Wentz added.
6. It's amazing, but it really doesn't look like Sproles has lost a step. He's 35 and coming off an ACL tear, but he looks just as quick and as agile as when he got to Philly back in 2014. It's really remarkable. Seeing that guy do what he does at his age has to pump up the rest of his teammates.
7. During an early portion of practice, Nick Foles' deep ball for Mike Wallace was way underthrown. Cut him! Just kidding. But it is worth noting how fast Wallace looked on the play. Wallace has always been known for his speed and as he enters his 10th NFL season, it looks like he still has it.
8. The Eagles finally used Isaac Seumalo as their second-team center today, something they weren't doing at spring practices, but it didn't go well. He had at least two snaps go way over the quarterback's head. One of them sailed over Nate Sudfeld, who is listed at 6-foot-6.
Seumalo was a third-round pick just a few years ago, but his career is not going to plan. It was this time last year that the Eagles handed him the starting left guard job. He lost that one early in the season and now he is struggling as a backup. The Eagles love Seumalo's versatility, but that only goes so far.
9. Signed just yesterday, veteran receiver Kamar Aiken practiced for the first time as an Eagle. It wasn't a great first showing, dropping a couple balls, but let's let the guy get a little settled before passing judgement.
Kamar Aiken is wearing 81 pic.twitter.com/6ZmDQBXZZl— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) July 26, 2018
Aiken is wearing No. 81, which was vacant last year after the Eagles traded Jordan Matthews in the preseason. It's been a productive number for the Eagles in recent years. Before Matthews had it: Jason Avant and Terrell Owens.
10. I don't know much about punters, but Cameron Johnston absolutely crushed one ball today. It had to go like 70-75 yards in the air and 90 with a big few bounces. The problem with him seems like consistency, which is probably the most common problem with any young punter. Our Andrew Kulp brought up a good point to me, though: With how aggressive Doug Pederson is going for it on fourth downs, it's probably less important to have a directional punter to pin teams deep and more important to have a guy who can flip the field.
Hopefully this is the last punter ob for a while.
Stupid Observation of the Day: A big group of reporters were sitting in the media tent waiting for Pederson after practice, when we heard a LOUD "E-A-G-L-E-S!" chant. At first, I just thought the dude had a set of pipes on him. Apparently, he had some leverage too.
Dude climbs the fence at Eagles training camp and gives a hearty E-A-G-L-E-S chant, as one does. pic.twitter.com/4ZrbhSkNDV— Kyle Scott (@CrossingBroad) July 26, 2018
