Lane Johnson rejoined training camp this past week after a multi-day absence, but his return brought with it the announcement that 2026 is “probably” going to be his last NFL season. What does the prospect of the All-Pro’s retirement mean in both the short- and long-term? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Ryan Novozinsky take a look at what the Eagles can expect from Johnson in his 14th year as a pro, and who might be waiting in the wings to replace him.
00:00 Will this actually be Lane Johnson’s final hurrah, and if it is, who’s next?
13:42 An overdue discussion about about Saquon Barkley
26:10 Training camp stock report
38:12 Jeff’s mailbag: Makai Lemon’s status, and other key injuries
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season. We’re always looking for mailbag questions! Hit Jeff up on his socials, or drop a question in the comments. Jeff could answer it in a future episode!
The Eagles held the 10th practice of their 2026 training camp on Tuesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 10 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9):
Medical ward
The Eagles had no changes to their injury report. The following didn’t practice: Wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), cornerback Jonathan Jones (shoulder), receiver Johnny Wilson (knee), running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring), safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring), outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle) and receiver Danny Gray (concussion). Receiver Britain Covey (hamstring) and linebacker Chance Campbell (groin) were again limited.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said that outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard wouldn’t be back “for a couple more weeks, at least.” If “a couple” is two, than the earliest Greenard could return would be Aug. 25. Even if it’s a little later, it seems likely that he could be available by the season opener on Sept. 13.
Greenard’s level of involvement, however, would depend on his conditioning and comfort in a new defense. Fangio said as much about Jones and that he would need a ramp-up period to be “calloused” enough to play at full speed.
Vic Fangio hinted on Tuesday that the first-unit defense would play in the first preseason game, as has been customary under Fangio. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Start your engines
I don’t expect coach Nick Sirianni to reveal his plans for the first preseason game on Saturday at the Ravens, just as I don’t expect him to play the first-unit offense. There’s an argument for playing the starters considering the new scheme, but I just don’t see Sirianni taking the risk. The old-school Fangio has a different view and has been given free rein to play his starters. When I asked about his usage plans, he said, “We’ll see how that goes, but you guys have been around here.” In other words, the first defense will play some.
As for the offense, another sign that Jalen Hurts and Co. won’t play in Baltimore came with the lopsided number of practice repetitions they took over the second and third groups on Tuesday. Saquon Barkley has been getting as much work as he normally does in camp, but there was a slight uptick in his touches. He had nine carries in team drills and was targeted once as a receiver.
Barkley had some positive runs. It’s difficult to say for certain how many yards he would have gained with no tackling. But there was really only one rush when I felt he would have lost yards. He had far too many negative-yard runs last season. Obviously, there is hope the new blocking scheme will help keep defenders out of the backfield. I do wonder how Barkley will adjust to more outside zone, but he should thrive in any system.
As for the notion that he will have more opportunities as a receiver, that hasn’t been the case through most of camp. That could certainly change once the season begins. Hurts did go to his running back over the middle at one point on Tuesday, but his pass was a touch behind and Barkley couldn’t make the grab.
There have been encouraging signs in run-blocking during Sean Mannion’s first camp with the Eagles. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Blocking the run
There will be more horizontal stretching of defenses with increased outside zone runs, but Sean Mannion’s offense will have plenty of inside zone, gap schemes, and more. Guard Landon Dickerson downplayed a question about the Eagles employing more duo runs — an inside gap scheme play — this season. But it has long been a complement to the outside zone in the Shanahan offense.
We saw some of it on Tuesday with the O-linemen firing off the ball and creating double-team blocks — hence the name “duo” — that opened holes for Barkley and the other tailbacks. But we saw other concepts, too. Dickerson and tackle Jordan Mailata pulled and Barkley followed for a nice gain. And we saw tight end Johnny Mundt featured in the two-minute offense. He had successful back-to-back blocks on edge Jalyx Hunt — a wham and another at the point of the attack — that helped spring Barkley.
There were some struggles on the ground, too. Tight end Dallas Goedert couldn’t sustain a backside block on defensive tackle Jalen Carter — understandably so — and Carter caught Barkley by his jersey. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. diagnosed two outside runs during one period and center Cam Jurgens didn’t stand a chance of getting to him at the second level.
Hunt later got the stop when he got around Mailata, but it was Carter and nose tackle Jordan Davis who clogged the interior and forced Barkley to the edge.
Drew Kendall (66) has had a strong camp to date. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Drew carry more
Drew Kendall is getting closer to locking down the top interior O-line spot among the backups. He could be first off the bench at both center and guard. He more than held his own at left guard against defensive tackle Moro Ojomo in one-on-ones. And he had little trouble vs. Zion Wilson during his two repetitions at center.
Defensive tackle Byron Young got the better of Kendall at guard and sacked quarterback Andy Dalton during second-unit team drills. Later on, Kendall spelled Dickerson with the starters. Young appeared to win early with his pass rush, but Kendall recovered in time for Hurts to step up and heave a bomb.
Tyler Steen (56) was in the center of the action again on Tuesday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Point of attack
Willie Lampkin continued to shine in one-on-ones. Eagles coaches keep upping the ante. Lampkin took his first turns at center against Ojomo and locked him up pretty good. Could Carter and Davis be next? That’ll be the true test for the 5-foot-11, 290-pound Lampkin.
Guard Tyler Steen and defensive tackle Ty Robinson matched up a day after their scrum in team drills. Steen was the aggressor. Robinson tried to power through, but Steen tied him up. Rookie tackle Markel Bell made easy work of edge Joshua Weru. Edge Tarron Jackson, a former Eagles draft pick who was re-signed on Monday, used a spin move to blow by tackle Cameron Williams.
Tarron Jackson appeared in 21 games with the Eagles in 2021-22 and is back on the squad. HEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer
Edge of tomorrow
Jackson gives the Eagles some much-needed depth on the edge. With Greenard and James-Newby sidelined, the top four outside linebackers — Hunt, Nolan Smith Jr., Arnold Ebiketie, and A.J. Epenesa — have shouldered a lot of snaps. Weru and Jose Ramirez haven’t done enough to earn time with the top two units.
Epenesa had an up-and-down day. He beat Mailata on the outside for a would-be sack. He also was in position when Hurts checked down to tight end Grant Calcaterra. But he was flagged later for holding Calcaterra (!) when he tried to release into a route. A few plays later, Epenesa’s false start gave the second-unit offense a first down in the two-minute period.
Ebiketie has been relatively quiet of late, but he did have a tackle for loss at one point.
Jalen Hurts and Elijah Moore hooked up for a nice connection on Tuesday. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Bombs away
Hurts’ longest completion of the day came on the play in which Kendall recovered to block Young. Slot receiver Elijah Moore was open deep when he got safety Andre’ Sam to bite on his corner fake and Hurts hit him in stride for a walk-in touchdown. It was a beauty.
Moore and Darius Cooper have been Hurts’ go-to guys for the last week. Cooper wasn’t as active today, but as the quarterback said after practice the receiver has strong hands. Hurts was talking about the catch point, but you can also see Cooper’s strength vs. man press. Cornerback Kelee Ringo tried to lock him up at the line in one-on-ones, and Cooper simply swatted his hands away.
Dontayvion Wicks hasn’t seen the ball as much of late, but he did well to drag his feet inbounds on a Hurts pass he pulled in down by his shoelaces. Hollywood Brown has been underwhelming so far.
Will Shipley will need to show some growth in blitz pickup. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Blitz grits
The blitz remained a prominent part of team and individual drills. Barkley fared the best out of the running backs during one-on-ones. Technique has never been his biggest problem. It’s been recognizing where the extra rusher is coming from. He may have missed his assignment when Dickerson needed help with Trotter.
Tank Bigsby has been hot and cold in blitz pickup. He was ice cold when linebacker Smael Mondon cruised by him in team drills. Mondon notched another pressure when running back Will Shipley was late to block him. Shipley had a long conversation with running backs coach Jemal Singleton and O-line coach Chris Kuper after watching the video board replay.
Eli Stowers (87) made an impact with the third unit on Tuesday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
This and that
Hurts took advantage of a clean pocket at one point and fired a missile to Goedert with safety Marcus Epps in man coverage. An unblocked Hunt chased Hurts from the pocket, but the quarterback couldn’t be caught. Rookie tight end Eli Stowers logged a few more grabs despite few reps for third-unit players.
Tight end E.J. Jenkins had a nice lead block on a Bigsby run. The Eagles keep him around for a reason. I was watching practice on another field, but my colleague Jeff Neiburg reported that Dalton tossed an ill-advised pass into a crowd that cornerback Cooper DeJean intercepted when the second-unit offense faced the starting defense.
Jake Elliott was again a perfect 6-for-6 during the field goal period. He was good from 33, 38, 40, 44, 45, and 50 yards. He’s missed only one kick so far this camp. … Cooper took the first return on kickoffs. Moore, Covey, and Bigsby also had returns. Lemon and Pierce watched nearby. … The Eagles have a closed walkthrough on Wednesday and return to practice on Thursday.
The Eagles held the ninth practice of their 2026 training camp on Monday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 9 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8):
Taking attendance
Wide receiver Johnny Wilson (knee), cornerback Jonathan Jones (shoulder), and running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) were added to the injury report after recent setbacks. Wilson had stacked solid practices the last few days. Last August, his season ended before it even started when he suffered knee and ankle injuries that required surgery. It’s unclear if he reinjured the same knee. Jones projects as the top reserve outside cornerback. Pierce is competing for a roster spot.
The following Eagles remained sidelined with injuries: receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring), and receiver Danny Gray (concussion). Smith and Lemon have now missed a week of camp. Receiver Britain Covey (hamstring) and linebacker Chance Campbell (groin) were limited.
The Eagles made several roster moves before practice. They signed outside linebacker Tarron Jackson, defensive tackle David Blay, and running back Ja’Quinden Jackson. They placed running back Elijah Mitchell, who left Saturday’s workout early, on injured reserve. And they waived guard Jaeden Roberts and tight end Dae’Quan Wright.
Darius Cooper is making an early bid for a bigger role. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Super Cooper
Darius Cooper might have had his best day of camp, which is saying something. The second-year receiver is making an argument that he should be given more than just a roster spot. He’s been getting a lot of repetitions with Smith and Lemon out, and quarterback Jalen Hurts clearly trusts him.
Their best connection came midway through the workout. Cooper got cornerback Riq Woolen to bite on a double move before Hurts hit him downfield. The receiver used a stutter-step to draw the corner in before beating him over top. Hurts’ throw was a touch underthrown, but the quarterback had to be careful with safety Michael Carter II crashing from over the top. Cooper simply turned back and made the grab in the air.
Earlier, Cooper shook Woolen on an out route. He was also Hurts’ favorite target during 7-on-7s and plucked a ball thrown slightly behind him with Carter in the vicinity. In an end-of-game situation, he caught a pass and stayed upright after bouncing off linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. The Eagles brought in four new receivers to help replace A.J. Brown — Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown,and Elijah Moore — but a returnee is just as viable a candidate.
Lane Johnson was immovable in pass protection on Monday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Quick twitch
Lane Johnson may be nearing the end of his career, but he doesn’t appear to be slowing down. His get-off is still elite. Nolan Smith Jr. stood little chance of getting past the right tackle each time they faced off. By the time Smith was into his pass-rush move, Johnson was vertically set and virtually impossible to get by.
Fred Johnson got the nod ahead of rookie Markel Bell when Lane Johnson rested during team drills. They have been rotating and switching sides throughout camp. There was one notable change on the offensive line. Drew Kendall took all the snaps at center with the second unit. Jake Majors has mostly held that role as Kendall cross-trained at guard. Kendall was still Landon Dickerson’s replacement at left guard with the first offense, but he’s back to his normal position with the twos. Majors dropped to third-team center.
Ty Robinson (95) turned heads on Monday and not just because of his brawl with Tyler Steen. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Tale of the tape
We had what could definitively be labeled the first fight of camp. It came early in the first team drill period, but it had been brewing for days. I had noticed guard Tyler Steen and defensive tackle Ty Robinson mixing it up post-play a few times last week. But they went way beyond the whistle this time.
I didn’t see who started it, but apparently Robinson took exception to Steen blocking him beyond what he deemed necessary. Robinson somehow ended up at the bottom of a pile with Steen and center Cam Jurgens on top. Several players tried to break the scrum up, but there was little budging as it took some time to peel off players.
Robinson has been getting occasional snaps with the first defense. But the second-year D-tackle stood out as a pass rusher with the second unit. He slipped through the interior for an early pressure. And later on, he used his patented club-swim move to beat Majors — who was at guard — for a sack. Robinson has been working on his arsenal and got Majors off balance with a bull rush on the next play.
Quinyon Mitchell logged his second pick of camp on Monday. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Quinterception
Quinyon Mitchell notched his second interception of camp. While the first came during 7-on-7s a week ago, this one was in team drills. It came during an end-of-game scenario in which the offense trailed by four points. Hurts had to force the issue, but the turnover came on first down. Brown was the intended receiver, but Mitchell jumped his route and punted the ball after the pick in celebration.
The third-year corner is still looking for his first career regular-season interception. He has two in the postseason. He’s not a natural ball-catcher, but the additional JUGS work he’s been putting in may be paying off. Mitchell is already an All-Pro, but more interceptions could result in him becoming the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL next offseason.
To his credit, he doesn’t go hunting for interceptions. Hurts threw one pass up for grabs with tight end Dallas Goerdert in the area, but Mitchell came flying across and batted the ball to the ground.
Mac-man
Like Robinson, cornerback Mac McWilliams didn’t play much last season as a rookie. But the lightbulb could be switching on in Year 2. He’s been getting intermittent looks with the first unit and had a pass breakup on a Hurts toss to Wicks during team drills.
McWilliams’ development could make either Jakorian Bennett or Kelee Ringo expendable, especially if he can play both in the slot and outside. Bennett had a PBU of his own on a Hurts pass to Wicks.
Ringo has mostly been relegated to the third unit. With Jones out, Tariq Castro-Fields took the initial snaps at outside corner opposite Bennett. Ringo has long been a top gunner on special teams, but he’s been increasingly prone to taking penalties. Still, the Eagles may not have a better option. Sydney Brown was the other gunner last season, but he was traded in the offseason.
Elijah Moore (19) and Jalen Hurts have connected during camp.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Moore not less
Moore continued to make the most of his reps in the slot with Lemon on ice. Hurts found him alone on a short crossing route during team drills. The receiver motored into the secondary thanks in part to running back Tank Bigsby’s downfield block on Woolen.
Later on, the offense had one last gasp in another end-of-game situation in which they trailed by eight points. Hurts and Co. advanced into the red zone with two seconds left. With the defense rushing only three, the quarterback bought time and rolled to his right. He threw across his body and Moore elevated over cornerback Cooper DeJean for the touchdown.
Nolan Smith Jr. argued that Hurts would have been sacked — and profanely expressed his frustration — but there didn’t appear to be a defender who got near the passer. The two-point conversion failed, however, when an open Hollywood Brown slipped before Hurts’ throw arrived.
Backup plan
Quarterback Andy Dalton was first up with the second offense in 7-on-7s. It didn’t go well. He missed Moore on his first attempt and Woolen nearly had a pick. He then threw behind an open Cooper and Covey on successive plays. He did hook up with rookie tight end Eli Stowers to end the set.
Dalton had several completions during team drills, but he overthrew receiver Quez Watkins when he found tons of space on a deep corner. I wondered if Watkins’ route was precise, but Dalton waited for his receiver after the play and judging by his body language seemed to think he should have completed the throw.
Tanner McKee was a little sharper. The quarterback short-hopped an early toss to receiver Samori Toure. But he found Watkins at the second level, and later laced a downfield dart to receiver Brandon Hayes. He missed Hayes on the next play, but there was a miscommunication as McKee signaled where he wanted his receiver.
Landon Dickerson helped ignite a breakout run from Saquon Barkley on Monday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
That and this
Dickerson can still move with suddenness, as he showed on a pull block that sprung running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley’s athleticism never ceases to amaze. He got knocked to the ground after a run, did a somersault and vaulted to his feet. He could have been an Olympic gymnast.
Tight end Grant Calcaterra had a couple catches with the first offense. I don’t know if he can make the team with blocking becoming more prominent at his position. But receiving has never been the problem. Linebacker Jihaad Campbell had a tackle for loss.
Linebacker Smael Mondon got a number of opportunities to blitz. Bigsby shielded him off on one attempt, but Mondon found a few creases to McKee. Shaun Wade played some second-unit dime as the sixth defensive back.
Extra points
I’m still not sure if Cole Payton will be the third quarterback. He’s shown more so far than Kyle McCord — another third-day pick — did last camp. But he can be wild. He airmailed a pass over Hayes’ head at one point. But he showed his mobility with a zigzagging scramble during the developmental period. … During punt drills, the returners were in order: Covey, Moore and DeJean. … Long snapper Rocco Underwood’s first snap nearly went over punter Braden Mann’s head, but Mann did well to catch it. Underwood’s next few tries were a little to the right, but he finished strong. He doesn’t have the job locked up by any means. … The Eagles practice on Tuesday and will have a closed walkthrough on Wednesday.
The Eagles held the eighth practice of their 2026 training camp on Saturday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 8 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7):
Beef Jurgens
Cam Jurgens left practice early for a second straight day. He wasn’t listed on the Eagles’ injury report because he started Saturday as a full participant. But Jurgens walked off late into the workout with a medical staffer. He was dealing with some heat exhaustion, from what I understand. It’s been oppressively humid the last two days. The Eagles moved practice up 30 minutes partly due to weather conditions and a planned two-hour scrimmage. Running backs Dameon Pierce and Elijah Mitchell also departed early.
The following players remained out: wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), receiver Britain Covey (hamstring), edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring). Receiver Danny Gray was also absent after suffering a concussion on Friday. Linebacker Chance Campbell (groin) was limited.
Line ’em up
Lane Johnson was back in team drills a day after returning from a four-practice absence. The right tackle, who later announced that this season would likely be his last after 13 years, split time with rookie Markel Bell. Left guard Landon Dickerson took a few more repetitions than Johnson, but he was spelled by Drew Kendall.
Here’s how the lines looked during the scrimmage:
Kendall played center after Jurgens left and will likely be his backup when the season starts. The Eagles have had him mostly at guard in camp.
The Eagles have likewise had Willie Lampkin more at guard recently, already knowing his abilities at center.
Tackle Hollin Pierce, for whatever reason, didn’t participate in the scrimmage, as far as I could tell.
Battle royal
We got our first extended set of one-on-ones between the linemen. Here were some standouts on the offensive side:
Mailata effectively steered edge Nolan Smith beyond the pocket on an outside speed rush, and then balled him up when Smith tried to go inside on the second rep.
Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata got the best of Nolan Smith during Saturday’s one-on-ones between the offensive and defensive lines.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Bell didn’t cow to edge Jalyx Hunt. Bell handled a power move on the first rush. On the second, he got his hands quickly on Hunt, but lost his grasp. It’s early, but Bell could be the future at right tackle.
Lampkin has held up at guard despite his size disadvantage. He owned defensive tackle Gabe Hall on back-to-back reps. He later won at center vs. Zion Wilson. Lampkin’s footwork is superior.
John Ojukwu had relative success against Hunt. He got knocked off balance at the top of Hunt’s rush, but recovered. You can see why the Eagles have him ahead of projects like Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams.
Mano a mano
Here were some of the defensive line standouts in one-on-ones:
Hunt appeared to get Lane Johnson with an inside move before he faced Bell. I think we can chalk the future Hall of Famer’s apparent loss up to rust.
Defensive tackle Ty Robinson used a club-swim move to get past Kendall. He tried something similar on the next turn, but to little avail. Byron Young seemed to get the upper hand vs. Jake Majors on both attempts.
While the starters generally don’t go as hard as the backups — there’s almost an unwritten code about showing the other up in one-on-ones — I thought there was good back-and-forth between Jalen Carter and Tyler Steen, Jordan Davis and Jurgens, and Moro Ojomo and Landon Dickerson.
Smith had more success against Fred Johnson than he did against Mailata. Smith disengaged quickly from the tackle’s attempt to lock him up with his hands on their second clash.
Smith may not be the best rusher in isolated matchups, but he’s violent setting the edge, effective when he drops in coverage, and always gives effort. He notched a sack in team drills that could partially be attributed to his relentlessness.
Eagles linebacker Zach Baun intercepted Jalen Hurts during Saturday’s scrimmage. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Linebacker corps
Jihaad Campbell popped off the screen in the early portion of the scrimmage. The linebacker completely knocked Jurgens on his rear on an early run play. Later, Campbell fended off Steen at the second level and touched up running back Saquon Barkley. On the next play, he two-hand touched tight end Dallas Goedert after a sliding catch.
I counted three more run plays in which Campbell was involved during the set. He did get washed out by Jurgens at one point. And in the “backed-up” period, he hesitated on a run blitz, and Barkley simply cut to the left and ran through the vacated gap.
Zack Baun was equally impressive. He made the stop on Barkley’s first tote. He often teamed up with Campbell on other run stops. Baun also intercepted quarterback Jalen Hurts on a deflected pass in a two-minute drill. He correctly anticipated a later throw and nearly had another pick, but receiver Elijah Moore somehow escaped with the catch.
Barkley appeared to be energized by the scrimmage. It was tough sledding on the ground early on against maybe the best interior D-line in the league (more on that later), but he had his moments. He motored up field after a Goedert wham block on a split zone run. He powered inside the 10-yard line and kicked the ball forward when it was spotted shorter than he liked. On the next play, Barkley ran from Carter and into the end zone. Was it a touchdown? He celebrated like it was. Carter just laughed.
Eagles running back Saquon made some standout plays during the scrimmage, including a touchdown run on Saturday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Tank Bigsby found daylight when he got time with the first unit. He fumbled an exchange with Hurts on one play, though. Cooper DeJean pushed him to the ground on a later rush. Bigsby pancaked cornerback Ambry Thomas with a block in the backed-up period. But on the next play, Bigsby got knocked to the ground by the blitzing Jeremiah Trotter Jr. He held onto the linebacker’s leg for dear life, but coach Nick Sirianni saw the whole thing and flagged him for holding.
Passing brass
Hurts had another solid day as a passer. While receiver Dontayvion Wicks was a favorite target early in camp, Moore has recently seen a lot of throws come his way out of the slot. I still feel the receiver has an uphill climb with Lemon assured a roster spot. It’s not like Moore can play on special teams.
Hollywood Brown had several grabs, too. Hurts found Wicks downfield on an in-breaking route. It was a good call vs. the coverage. A play later, the quarterback checked down to tight end Johnny Mundt off a naked bootleg.
Hurts rebounded from the pick to Baun. He squirted outside after the pocket collapsed and threw a jump ball that Goedert pulled in over Campbell in the end zone. On the two-point try, Hurts benefited from good pass protection and found Moore alone for the conversion.
The Eagles’ D-line, led by Jalen Carter (98) dominated at times on Saturday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Interior defense
As mentioned earlier, the D-line dominated at times. Carter has been scary good. He didn’t bite on misdirection and pressured Hurts into a throwaway. Carter later slipped Jurgens and forced an erratic throw.
Davis clogged the middle on several runs and penetrated past Steen to get to Barkley in a backed-up situation. Ojomo may have had the best day. He pressured Hurts on rushes that could have resulted in sacks.
It almost isn’t fair when Ojomo lines up with the second unit. He got to Pierce in the backfield for a loss. A few plays later, he put Michael Jordan on skates with a bull rush. He beat Majors a set later and hurried quarterback Andy Dalton out of the pocket.
This and that
Marcus Epps took most of the snaps at safety alongside Drew Mukuba, but Michael Carter II continued to get looks. Carter had an early pass breakup with the second unit. Robinson got some first-team snaps. Arnold Ebiketie has consistently rotated in with the starters, but A.J. Epenesa also got some time at edge.
Eagles rookie tight end Eli Stowers (left) had four catches on Saturday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Dalton was first up with the twos over Tanner McKee. Rookie tight end Eli Stowers had an early drop, but rebounded and finished with four catches. Receiver Darius Cooper made a diving grab near the sideline on a Dalton pass, but was ruled out. McKee found Cam Latu a few times, one time when the tight end released after initially blocking an edge. Safety J.T. Gray had a tackle for loss.
Extra points
Rookie quarterback Cole Payton tried to throw the ball away during the third-team period, but safety Maximus Pulley somehow reeled in an interception. Payton responded later by marching the offense to a touchdown when he hit running back Carson Steele out of the backfield. … The defense won the scrimmage, 54-45. … Jake Elliott was a perfect 6-for-6 on kicks ranging from about 33 to 47 yards. He’s missed just one attempt in organized periods. … Owner Jeffrey Lurie attended his first practice of the summer. … Phillies ace Zack Wheeler and his family were guests, as was former Phillie Shane Victorino. … The Eagles are off Sunday. They return to practice on Monday.
The Eagles held the seventh practice of their 2026 training camp on Friday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 7 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6):
Plenty Lane
Lane Johnson returned after an excused four-practice absence for a noninjury related reason. The right tackle will need a ramp-up period and didn’t participate in team drills. Johnson didn’t speak with reporters after practice.
The Eagles didn’t have additions to their list of players out after Wednesday’s light session and Thursday’s walkthrough. The following were sidelined: Wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), receiver Britain Covey (hamstring), outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle) and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring).
Linebacker Chance Campbell, who left early two days ago, was limited with a groin injury. Guard Micah Morris (shoulder) was also a partial participant.
Nolan Smith Jr. took part in one-on-ones at Friday’s steamy practice. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The loneliest number
Players were back in full pads for what was the hottest day of camp thus far. Eagles coaches continued to amp up the intensity with one-on-one drills between offensive and defensive linemen. Not many top-liners partook, but edges Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt had impressive pass rushes.
The former bested tackle Myles Hinton with back-to-back inside-outside moves. Hinton rebounded in a later turn. Tackle Cameron Williams flashed his hands too early vs. Hunt and never stood a chance. He held up on the next turn, though.
Center/guard Drew Kendall had a couple of strong blocks against defensive tackle Moro Ojomo. The Eagles currently have Kendall as the first guard off the bench, and it seems deserved. Could Morris push Kendall? He stood out in his two reps, although defensive tackle Ty Robinson isn’t quite in Ojomo’s class.
Willie Lampkin has shown some ability as an interior offensive lineman. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Willie praise
I’ve yet to write much about second-year offensive lineman Willie Lampkin. The Eagles signed the undrafted North Carolina product last August after camp and he spent all of last season on injured reserve. So we never got to see Lampkin practice. He’s clearly undersized at a generously-listed 5-foot-11, 290 pounds. But it’s easy to see why the team felt he was worth developing.
Lampkin stoned undrafted rookie defensive tackle Zion Wilson in one-on-ones. He lined up mostly at center in the first week of camp, but he was at right guard on Friday. He’s a technically sound run blocker. He was able to move defensive tackle Byron Young. But he also didn’t cede much ground in pass protection.
Lampkin may be too small to play guard. At center, he’d have problems against bigger nose tackles in pass pro. The Eagles would have to often slide help his way. But I’m not discounting the mauler’s chances of making the roster.
Jalen Hurts (1) had a pleasant day at the office and was serenaded by his teammates. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Birthday gifts
Birthday boy Jalen Hurts continued to show steady improvement in Sean Mannion’s new offense as the installation proceeds. The quarterback was especially sharp early in team drills. He got things rolling with what should be a staple of the scheme: a naked bootleg off under-center play action that is married with an outside zone-run fake. Elijah Moore was the target on the shallow crossing route and picked up an easy 10 yards or so — just as he did later on the same play.
Moore has been the primary slot receiver since Lemon got hurt almost a week ago. Later in the set, Hurts hit tight end Dallas Goedert on a hitch route in front of cornerback Riq Woolen. The Eagles ran more hitch routes than any team last season. The number is sure to decrease in the new system, but there’s always a time and place for an easy five yards.
Later vs. the second-unit defense, Hurts didn’t have much on the first two reads to his left. But he checked to his third outlet on the right — receiver Hollywood Brown — for a short gain underneath. That might not sound sexy, but it was a successful play considering the coverage and Hurts going through his progression reads.
Tyler Steen (56) was the only starter available on the offensive line at one point on Friday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Running lines
Markel Bell was in Johnson’s place at right tackle once again. Fred Johnson spelled left tackle Jordan Mailata on occasion as did Kendall for Landon Dickerson at left guard. When Cam Jurgens left with an unspecified injury midway though the workout, Jake Majors stepped in at center. At one point that meant that right guard Tyler Steen was the only starter on the offensive line. It showed.
I’m not sure what happened to Jurgens. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis had a would-be run stop and sack on consecutive plays early on — and beat Jurgens soundly on the second — and that was the last I saw of the center in team drills.
Moro Ojomo found himself in the opposing backfield again on Friday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Under pressure
The missing pieces up front made it more difficult on Hurts and Co. A faulty exchange between Majors and the quarterback interrupted the flow of a Saquon Barkley run. Ojomo used a swim move to penetrate into the backfield for a tackle for loss on the next Barkley carry.
Smith split Fred Johnson and Kendall and notched a sack. Edge Arnold Ebiketie pressured Hurts out of the pocket. Ojomo jumped offside at one point. But Jalen Carter batted a Hurts pass after Ebiketie beat Bell once again from the outside.
I asked coach Nick Sirianni who he liked from his receiver group on contested balls. The subtext there could have been that the Eagles lost one of the strongest catch-point receivers in the NFL when A.J. Brown was traded. But they do have candidates beyond DeVonta Smith, who won in the air differently than Brown, who can pull in Hurts’ best throws.
Sirianni mentioned Darius Cooper first before getting to Dontayvion Wicks, Lemon and Smith. Cooper probably is the closest to Brown in terms of his body shape. It wasn’t exactly a 50-50 ball, but Cooper hauled in a Hurts pass over the middle with cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in close quarters. The second-year receiver caught another pass near the hashes after Hurts escaped the pocket and threw across his body.
Johnny Wilson is among those who could give the Eagles some size and help mitigate the departure of A.J. Brown. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Johnny Wilson wasn’t mentioned by Sirianni, but he has obvious size traits that should aid him on contested balls. The 6-6 receiver caught a deep pass from quarterback Andy Dalton after beating and boxing out cornerback Mac McWilliams. Wilson’s best moment of camp came when quarterback Tanner McKee went to him on a corner route in the end zone. He went up and over cornerback Jonathan Jones and got both feet inbounds.
Tanner day
McKee had maybe his best day in Mannion’s offense. He was first up with the second unit offense and connected on his first three passes — the best a pinpoint toss to receiver Danny Gray just out of corner Kelee Ringo’s reach. McKee would have gone 4 for 4 had receiver Erik Ezukanma not dropped one in his bread basket.
In a later period, McKee found Cooper on a hitch route. He threw wide of Gray near the sideline, but had better luck with the same route when Cooper beat McWilliams and late-arriving safety Michael Carter II.
Andy Dalton was solid Friday but might have seen Tanner McKee close the gap in their QB2 competition. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Still good Dalton
Dalton didn’t necessarily have a bad day, but McKee may have closed the gap in the backup competition. Dalton heaved a pass to Samori Toure in traffic, but Carter ran step for step with the receiver and was awarded with a pass breakup. Tight end Eli Stowers was the check down on a few occasions.
Dalton exposed Ambry Thomas when he completed back-to-back sideline tosses to Ezukanma and Brandon Hayes after each receiver turned the cornerback around. Rookie quarterback Cole Payton hasn’t gotten as many snaps over the last few practices. He nearly tossed another interception when Ringo jumped a route.
Extra points
Running back blocking has been sharp of late. Barkley, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley all had successful blitz pickups. … Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. drew a false start when he feigned a blitz pre-snap. … Linebacker Smael Mondon tipped a ball at the line when he rushed. … Linebacker Deontae Lawson ripped the ball from tight end E.J. Jenkins for a fumble. … The Eagles sang “Happy Birthday” to the 28-year-old Hurts during the post-practice team huddle. … There was a Boston flavor to VIP guests at practice. Former Red Sox (and Cubs) general manager Theo Epstein, who is a friend of Eagles GM Howie Roseman, took in the action. New 76er (and former Celtic) Jaylen Brown showed up to the delight of many in attendance. … The Eagles return to practice on Saturday and will be off on Sunday.
The Eagles are grinding their way through the second week of training camp. Some parts of the team have looked good, others remain very much a work in progress. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Jeff Neiburg assess quarterback Jalen Hurts’ play, how some of his targets are faring, and why, regardless of how the offense is coming together, the defense could be elite enough to help the Eagles contend for another title.
00:00 Jalen Hurts’ so-so start to training camp in Sean Mannion’s new offense
14:51 The importance of and questions about the offensive line
26:20 Why this defense could be good enough to position the Eagles for Super Bowl contention
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season.
We’re always looking for mailbag questions! Hit Jeff up on his socials, or drop a question in the comments. Jeff could answer it in a future episode!
The Eagles held the sixth practice of their 2026 training camp on Wednesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 6 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5):
Roll call
Tackle Lane Johnson missed a fourth straight practice for an excused noninjury related reason. He’s expected to return soon, from what I understand. Landon Dickerson took a non-injury-related rest day. The Eagles will be careful with their oft-injured left guard. Dickerson was spotted jogging midway through practice with a sleeve on his left leg.
Wide receiver Britain Covey was a new addition to the injury list. He left Tuesday’s practice with a hamstring injury. The following remained injured and out: receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), edge Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle) and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring).
Rookie guards Micah Morris (shoulder) and Jaeden Roberts (calf contusion) returned to practice, but were limited.
Vic Fangio noted that defense has traditionally had the upper hand early in Eagles training camp. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Vic’s secret
After two straight days in full pads, coach Nick Sirianni dialed the intensity back. Players wore only shells for a 75-minute session — the shortest of camp thus far. Sean Mannion’s offense, overall, executed better after a difficult Tuesday vs. Vic Fangio’s defense.
“I told him, we obviously got the best of yesterday’s practice by a long shot,” Fangio said when asked about Mannion’s play-calling. “But that’s the way it’s been the last two years in training camp. The defense has gotten the best of the offense. So, not to be too concerned.”
I don’t think Fangio was puffing his chest out or anything. He was just being the truth teller that he can often be. He was also adding context. Defenses are traditionally ahead early in camp, especially when the offense is new. But I’m not so sure about his last comment. I’d be concerned if there were any similarities to last year’s offense.
Michael Carter II got some run with the first unit on Wednesday. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Cast and crew
Mannion’s first unit likely benefitted from four key defensive starters — linebacker Zack Baun, defensive back Cooper DeJean and cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen — being held out of team drills. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Michael Carter II, Jonathan Jones and Kelee Ringo played in their spots.
With the offense down three starters, it might have made sense to even the playing field. Rookie Markel Bell and second-year offensive lineman Drew Kendall filled in for Johnson and Dickerson at right tackle and left guard, respectively.
It’s been a by-committee approach at receiver, especially with the bona fide No. 1 sidelined. Dontayvion Wicks has thus far made the best case to be Smith’s No. 2. He may have a leg up on the others, having played in the Kyle Shanahan-style scheme Mannion brought with him from Green Bay. But there has also been obvious rapport between quarterback Jalen Hurts and the former Packers receiver. Hurts delivered a 20-yardish strike to Wicks just ahead of arriving safety Andre’ Sam in seven-on-sevens on Wednesday.
Darius Cooper has looked good early in camp. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
If the receiver competition was based on the first week alone, Darius Cooper would have the edge on the other combatants. I said this to someone the other day: “If Lemon was having the camp Cooper was having, every reporter would be hyping the first-round rookie.” The Eagles have to take everything into account, of course. Veterans Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore have been unspectacular in camp, but also have proven track records, even if both have seen their numbers decline in recent years.
Cooper should be a lock for the roster, though. I know some have viewed the fifth receiver spot as a toss-up between him and Johnny Wilson. But Cooper has more upside, despite Wilson’s size and Sirianni’s appreciation for his blocking. Cooper didn’t make any splash catches on Wednesday. Hurts dropped a beauty to him in the back corner of the end zone, but the receiver couldn’t stick the landing after he dove for the ball.
Dallas Goedert and the tight ends were heavily featured on Wednesday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Tighter ends
On cue, Dallas Goedert and the tight ends were featured in the passing game a day after I noted that they’ve been relatively quiet in that regard. Hurts went to tight ends on his first two dropbacks in seven-on-sevens. Goedert hauled in the first on a slant, while E.J. Jenkins couldn’t on a similar route from the other side of the formation.
Goedert caught another pass during the period on a short buttonhook and he was again Hurts’ first target in team drills. The tight end hung on despite linebacker Jihaad Campbell being in close quarters. Campbell later reached out and broke up a pass to receiver Samori Toure.
With Johnny Mundt often the second blocking tight end in under-center scenarios, Grant Calcaterra has gotten receiving opportunities on third downs. He appeared to short-arm a toss from Hurts with Ringo in the vicinity.
Even Cam Latu has seen more passes thrown his way than rookie tight end Eli Stowers. The Eagles are clearly not rushing their second-round draft pick. He’s low on the depth chart and has mostly run with the third offense. Stowers is a relative newcomer to the position. He switched from quarterback to tight end just three years ago and he wasn’t asked to block a ton at Vanderbilt.
Eli Stowers’ (87) acclimation to NFL-style blocking technique has been slow. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
So he has a lot to digest, beyond just the Xs and Os of a new scheme. Stowers is on the smaller side so learning the proper technique in blocking will be crucial. It could be some time before he’s placed in those circumstances. But he could get on the field on obvious passing downs. I found it interesting that he was split wide in the development period. The ball came his way, but cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields was on his hip and broke up a pass that was thrown slightly behind.
Running on empty
There was a fair amount of run game activity. Saquon Barkley didn’t have much room to operate on his carries. Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo knifed past Kendall on one Barkley carry. Outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt set the edge and helped contain the running back on an outside zone run. Nose tackle Jordan Davis easily defeated center Cam Jurgens one-on-one and picked up a tackle for loss.
Linebacker Jalyx Hunt defended the run well on Wednesday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
I hesitate to mention Jurgens in the negative because he’s otherwise had a strong start to camp. He’s poised to bounce back from last season’s setback. Tank Bigsby had a few touches out of the backfield, as well, but he’s been featured more as a receiver than Barkley. He got Campbell to commit pass interference with a double move in the open field.
Running back Will Shipley had a shaky start to camp, but I thought he showed up on Day 6, particularly in the run game. He had two strong rushes up the middle when he got skinny through his blocks. He also picked up Trotter’s blitz later on.
On the bubble
Michael Carter II got a strong endorsement from Fangio before practice. I’m not sure if he’ll beat out Marcus Epps for the nickel safety spot, but he could have the sixth defensive back role in dime personnel locked down. Speaking of locking down, he ran step for step with receiver Danny Gray on a corner route into the end zone. When he ball sailed out of reach, Carter popped up and gave Gray a double thumbs-down.
Fangio said not to sleep on linebacker Chance Campbell’s chances of making the 53-man roster. Tackle Cam Williams took Campbell out at the second level on the run play and that was the last I saw the linebacker until he was walking with a trainer to the medical tent. He seemed fine later on, but didn’t return to play.
Tanner McKee (16) has not looked sharp at times while working in the new offense. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Quarterbacking up
Tanner McKee was first up with the second unit offense in seven-on-sevens, but Andy Dalton took more team repetitions. The quarterbacks continue to slug it out for the backup spot. Dalton found Wilson open on a crossing route. He hit Quez Watkins on a short pass and the receiver hit the afterburners when cornerback Ambry Thomas took a bad angle. Defensive tackle Ty Robinson pressured Dalton into a throwaway.
McKee just hasn’t looked as sharp as he did last camp. He doesn’t have the luxury of working with the same unit as he did a year ago. That’s no excuse, but he has struggled to throw the ball downfield, especially with the third unit. He finally found an open man down the seam, but tight end Stone Smartt dropped the ball like he had hands of brick.
Extra points
Hurts had a couple dashes into space on the ground — once when he kept the ball on a run-pass option and another on a scramble when his receivers were tied up in man coverage. … Tempers flared for a second straight day. Linebacker Smael Mondon and tackle John Ojukwu got into a brief altercation, as did tackle Fred Johnson and edge A.J. Epenesa. … Gunslinger Cole Payton tossed another interception when he heaved a pass into a crowded area and the ball deflected to Castro-Fields. … Former Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin attended camp. He said it was the first time he’s been back at the practice facility since he was a player. … The Eagles have a closed walkthrough on Thursday before returning to practice on Friday.
The Eagles held the fifth practice of their 2026 training camp on Tuesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 5 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3 and 4):
Receiving line
The Eagles were without wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon due to hamstring injuries. Lemon left Monday’s practice early, while Smith appeared to finish the workout. The team doesn’t expect either player to be out for an extended period. Both receivers were present Tuesday, which was a positive sign.
I wouldn’t be worried about Smith. He might have tweaked something, but the educated guess here is that the Eagles shut him down for the time being. They’ve been careful with him before, just as they were with A.J. Brown last year at camp. Smith is far and away the best receiver on the team and the Eagles can’t afford a needless injury with the drop-off relatively steep.
Lemon is another story. The rookie needs the reps. It also doesn’t help that he suffered a hamstring strain in the spring. While it’s unclear if he hurt the same one, two soft tissue injuries in the span of six weeks isn’t likely how he wants to start his career. Lemon has been quiet in the early going. He’s yet to make a play that screams “first round draft pick,” but it’s also very early.
Lane Johnson speaks with reporters during the first day of training camp on July 29. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Paving the Lane
Lane Johnson missed a third straight practice for an excused non-injury-related reason. The Eagles have declined to offer more detail on their right tackle’s absence. Johnson’s only other extended absences that didn’t involve injury came in 2014 and 2016 when he was suspended for performance-enhancing drug use and in 2021 when the team granted him a leave to address his mental health.
The following Eagles remained injured and out: outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), guard Micah Morris (shoulder), guard Jaeden Roberts (calf contusion) and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring). Tackle Cameron Williams (knee contusion) was back to full participation. Receiver Britain Covey walked off the field with trainers late in the workout.
Sean Mannion (center) did not oversee a sharp day from his offensive unit. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Offensive offense
It was a tough day for Sean Mannion’s offense after it appeared to make strides in the bubble on a rainy Monday. The Eagles were in full pads for a second straight day and the outside environment and intensity seemed to benefit the defense. It’s long been understood that NFL defenses are typically ahead in the early portion of camp. Coordinator Vic Fangio’s seasoned unit is also facing an offense that is still learning a new system.
As I’ve written here since the spring, there are going to be growing pains. It’s better to fail now rather than later. It also didn’t help that Smith was out. But I don’t think there was an offensive position group that could be happy about its performance on Tuesday, especially the O-line. Chris Kuper was without Johnson again, and the O-line coach juggled his units some, but there was too much sloppiness up front.
We also had our first few skirmishes of camp. Guard Tyler Steen and defensive tackle Ty Robinson got into a brief skirmish after several plays of facing each other. Safety Andrew Mukuba and receiver Dontayvion Wicks mixed it up after the former didn’t appreciate the latter’s downfield run blocking. There’s nothing wrong with a little extra fire between teammates, as long as no one gets burnt.
Landon Dickerson is among the offensive linemen trying to adjust to a new blocking scheme. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Blocking it out
The new wide-zone run blocking scheme will require an adjustment period for a starting group that had done it a different way under former O-line coach Jeff Stoutland. Johnson and left tackle Jordan Mailata shouldn’t be that affected. They could thrive in any system. Center Cam Jurgens and Steen should, theoretically, benefit because of their athleticism.
Left guard Landon Dickerson, though, could struggle the most. He’s not as nimble as the others and has had well-documented series of injuries that have put his future in question. Whenever he’s been asked to work to the perimeter on outside zone runs, it’s apparent he just doesn’t have the motor he once did.
That doesn’t mean he can’t get by or even flourish if healthy. But staying healthy has been an obvious issue, and he admitted earlier this week that he’s had to reconsider how he’s previously played through injury. That could place a greater emphasis on the backup guard spot. Drew Kendall appears to be the leading candidate right now. He took some first-team reps at left guard on Tuesday.
The Eagles know Kendall can play center. He’s Jurgens’ likely backup. But can he hold up in the interior at 308 pounds? He seemed to hold his ground against defensive tackle Moro Ojomo when he was with the starters. And he did well to pick up a Jeremiah Trotter Jr. blitz later with the second unit. But the tests will keep coming.
Jalen Hurts (1) did not have his best day of camp. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Hurting for certain
Objectively, Jalen Hurts was sharp on Monday. The opposite could be written a day later. The O-line problems didn’t help, and neither did occasionally poor pass catching. I thought Hurts threw a catchable deep ball to Quez Watkins, but the route wasn’t crisp and the receiver’s dive came up short. Hurts then floated a dime to Will Shipley after he was schemed wide-open on a wheel route. But the running back stone-cold dropped a would-be explosive play.
Hurts made some head-scratching decisions on throws downfield, though, some of them vs. the second defense. There was a heave to a double-covered Hollywood Brown that safety Michael Carter II intercepted after surviving a collision with the ground and a slight bobble. There was a tight-window toss to Wicks on the next play that cornerback Jakorian Bennett got his hands on.
Hurts later chucked another one up for grabs to Wicks that was only slightly overthrown past a few pursuing defenders. In the red zone, he hitched off play-action and still threw to a covered Wicks. Mukuba was in Wicks’ pocket, but cornerback Quinyon Mitchell came over and got a hand on the ball.
There were some good moments, too. Hurts had Brown alone in the end zone after a scissor route concept caught cornerback Jonathan Jones sleeping. Wicks shook cornerback Riq Woolen on an outside release and the ball arrived in time. Hurts had excellent ball placement on a pass to Wicks that required he throw it away from the lurking Mitchell.
But there just wasn’t much rhythm to the passing offense — not to mention the run game. Hurts, on several occasions, had no one open and had to either eat the ball or throw it away. During one pass play, after he went through his reads and the pocket collapsed, he simply dropped the ball to the ground.
Moro Ojomo (97) was among those who excelled on defense Tuesday. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
D-light
The good news is that the defense could be dominant this season, barring significant injuries. Cornerback Cooper DeJean briefly ran off the field after dinging his left hand — a reminder that the game can take anyone — but he appeared fine after getting checked out by trainers.
Fangio has new faces on his side of the ball, but the biggest upgrade to last season’s very-good-but-not-great defense could be a 100% Jalen Carter. He seems to make a few eye-popping plays every practice. He bested Steen on back-to-back reps. Carter gave him the finger wag after stopping a Saquon Barkley run near the line, and then clubbed him to the helmet on the way to a would-be sack.
Moro Ojomo was a menace at defensive tackle as well. He jetted past Dickerson and might have caused Barkley to bobble a pitch that resulted in little gain. The Eagles’ depth at D-tackle allows Ojomo to face the second unit at times, and it can be unfair. He made quick work of tackle John Ojukwu and notched a run stop near the line.
And then there were missed blocks that gifted the front four. Carter was mind-bogglingly granted a free pass to Shipley on one rush. Defensive end Jalyx Hunt notched a unblocked sack when left tackle Fred Johnson appeared to have his eyes in the wrong spot.
Jihaad Campbell is making his presence felt at linebacker. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Back off
The off-ball linebacker group is pretty good, too. Jihaad Campbell still has lots to prove, but his talent is evident. He jacked running back Tank Bigsby onto his back and blew up a Barkley inside zone run near the goal line. Zack Baun lined up on the edge at one point and beat Ojukwu with an outside rush to record a sack. He also broke up a pass to tight end Dallas Goedert.
Trotter blitzed once and steamrolled Shipley. Smael Mondon had maybe his best practice of camp and made multiple tackles, including a run stop after he shook the pulling to Williams.
Dallas Goedert (88) and the tight ends have not been much of a factor in the passing game thus far in camp. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Tight lies
I mentioned recently here that the tight ends haven’t been featured as much as the receivers and that trend continued. I recall past years when Goedert would be Hurts’ favorite target, but that has yet to happen. It could certainly change. But tight ends have more blocking responsibilities in the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay scheme.
New guy Johnny Mundt will be key, with more need to block defensive ends at the point of attack. Goedert isn’t the blocker he once was, but he has the wherewithal, even as he enters his ninth season. Cameron Latu may have a roster spot based on his special teams capabilities. He trucked receiver Darius Cooper during kick return drills. But he’s a physical blocker and displayed as much when he wham blocked Hunt out of a run play.
Neither Tanner McKee (16) nor Andy Dalton (14) got much of a leg up on Tuesday. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Under center
In the backup quarterback competition, it was a relative draw in which neither Andy Dalton nor Tanner McKee was very consistent. As with Hurts, they were hardly all to blame for the offensive inefficiency.
Dalton did find tight end Grant Calcaterra for a nice pickup after a naked bootleg fooled the first unit defense. And Cooper made a splendid one-handed grab on one of Dalton’s red zone throws. But the receiver was unable to get both feet in the back of the end zone. Later on, Cooper ran an in-breaking route when Dalton’s ball went outside to an empty space.
McKee had a couple hookups with receiver Samori Toure. But like Hurts, he took sacks or simply ate the ball when the clock ran out on a fruitless play.
Jake Elliott (4) was perfect on Tuesday. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Extra points
I’ve written a fair amount about rookie defensive tackle Uar Bernard’s trials and tribulations as he tries to make it in the NFL. But there’s another neophyte from Africa in camp: undrafted edge Joshua Weru. He plays a different position than Bernard, but he’s looked more fluid. He still has a ways to go, but there’s some potential there. He had a pressure during the developmental period. … Jake Elliott was a perfect 6-for-6 during the kicking period. He was good from 33, 38, 42, 44, 50 and 52 yards. He also split the uprights from 44 yards out later during team drills. … The Eagles practice again on Wednesday and have a closed walkthrough on Thursday.
The Eagles held the fourth practice of their 2026 training camp on Monday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 4 (and links to Days 1, 2 and 3):
Lane’s whereabouts
As expected, there were new names on the injury list. Outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), guard Micah Morris (shoulder) and guard Jaeden Roberts (calf contusion) — all of whom suffered injuries on Saturday — didn’t practice. Each was in attendance. It was mildly shocking to see an upright Roberts, who had to be carted off the the field after his leg was bent back. I would have needed an amputation.
Safety Cole Wisniewski remained out with a hamstring strain. Tackle Cam Williams (left knee contusion) was a limited participant. Linebacker Jihaad Campbell and wide receiver Elijah Moore returned after being excused from Saturday’s workout.
Lane Johnson was excused for a second straight practice for a non-injury-related reason. The Eagles declined to offer more information.
Makai Lemon’s (9) injury is not believed to be serious. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Lemon aid
Makai Lemon was suited up and spotted in the early portion of practice, but he was missing during team drills. The Eagles didn’t offer an update, but I was later told he didn’t suffer a significant injury. The rookie wide receiver got knocked down a few times on Saturday, but spoke with reporters afterward and seemed fine. Lemon had a relatively quiet first few days of camp. It’s nothing to be alarmed by, but further time missed — after a hamstring sidelined him for June’s minicamp — wouldn’t be ideal.
With Lemon out, Moore got extensive work in the slot with the first unit offense. Jalen Hurts targeted him several times in the first practice in full pads. A “hi-lo” route concept gave Moore second-level space and his quarterback hit him in stride. Hurts went back to the receiver on the first play of 7-on-7s, but an apparent miscommunication at least partly contributed to cornerback Quinyon Mitchell jumping the route for a would-be pick six.
The pair rebounded to hook up several plays later after Moore beat safety Marcus Epps on a post route. Hurts threaded his pass through the middle of the defense and Moore — despite a slight bobble — hung on ahead of deep safety help.
Jalen Hurts looked comfortable in the Sean Mannion offense on Monday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Hurts so good
Hurts had probably his best day as a passer thus far, with Sean Mannion’s scheme seemingly providing him with more middle-field opportunities. He found receiver Dontayvion Wicks on a deep crosser during team drills. In 7-on-7s, he hit tight end Johnny Mundt on a pop pass concept that has long been featured in the Shanahan offense. Hurts also connected with a diving Darius Cooper after the receiver broke under cornerback Riq Woolen.
The first unit offense had a strong showing in the red zone period. Hurts took advantage of Jonathan Jones spelling Woolen and went to receiver DeVonta Smith for a quick out touchdown just inside the pylon. On the next play, Hurts stepped away from pressure and threw across his body to a re-routed Smith for another score.
Later on in an empty set, Hurts ran a draw and waltzed into the end zone. Tackle Jordan Mailata and guard Landon Dickerson celebrated by forming a London Bridge for guard Tyler Steen to limbo under.
The second unit defense had its revenge a set later when Byron Young stopped running back Tank Bigsby in the backfield. Young and fellow defensive tackle Gabe Hall mimicked the O-line’s bridge celebration but were lacking a third reveler as the ferry boat.
While the offense overall may have been better through the air, it felt like Vic Fangio’s run defense had the edge on this day. Saquon Barkley and Bigsby converted in a few short yardage situations, but yards were hard to come by on early downs. Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo got to Barkley from behind after the tailback ran into a wall up the middle. Linebacker Zack Baun slashed to the sideline to cut off Bigsby on the outside zone run at one point.
Hurts did have a decent pickup on a designed run with tight end Dallas Goedert as his lead blocker.
Jalen Carter has had a strong training camp thus far. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
For the defense
Another day, another Jalen Carter highlight. The defensive tackle did his damage against the second offense this time around. It looked like he steamrolled guard Drew Kendall into tackle Myles Hinton, who ended up on his back. Carter nearly had an interception, but a Hurts pass sailed through his hands and still found its way to receiver Hollywood Brown.
Edge Nolan Smith had what appeared to be his first sack of the summer. He beat tackle Fred Johnson on the outside and Hurts had nowhere to run after the pocket collapsed. Arnold Ebiketie dropped into coverage and impressively broke up an Andy Dalton attempt to rookie tight end Eli Stowers.
Bell works
Johnson started in place of Lane Johnson, but rookie Markel Bell also took repetitions at right tackle. Campbell returned to his spot with the first defense, but Jeremiah Trotter Jr. took snaps alongside Baun, as well. I noted a couple run stops for Campbell with each unit.
Epps is still the primary safety opposite Andrew Mukuba in nickel personnel. Dalton was again first up under center with the second offense. Tanner McKee got work with the second group, but he hasn’t been as sharp as his competitor for the backup spot to Hurts. At least not yet.
Andy Dalton (14) is making his case for the primary backup job. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Dandy Andy
The 38-year-old Dalton has been exposed to many systems, but it’s not as if he has a ton of experience in Shanahan-style offenses. He’s as new to Mannion as the other quarterbacks. But he’s still hanging around for good reason and one of them is that he can sling it. He threw a dart to receiver Johnny Wilson in rhythm and over the middle on a prototypical Shanahan play-action pass.
During 7-on-7s, Dalton was a perfect 4 for 4 on his dropbacks with two completions to receiver Britain Covey. He was about as successful in the red zone as Hurts. He located a wide open Will Shipley for a walk-in touchdown after a busted coverage. And Dalton went to the opposite side on a quick out to Brown after he beat corner Ambry Thomas.
It’s still too early in camp to call any positional competition. I’d imagine either backup quarterback could be available to trade considering the circumstances. McKee has previously shown that he can execute an under-center offense. But this is a whole new bag and he doesn’t have the luxury of taking all the second-unit snaps like he did last summer before breaking a finger.
The offense struggled during his red-zone set. He appeared to throw wide of receiver Quez Watkins in the post. A play later, McKee had nothing after his first reads were taken away and eventually threw the ball out of the back of the end zone. Rookie safety Maximus Pulley still managed to catch the ball but was out of bounds.
McKee did well to find Shipley on a swing pass and with plenty of green ahead of the tailback. But he short-hopped a heave to an open Wilson a few plays later.
Mac McWilliams (22, with Riq Woolen) has had an up-and-down first few days of camp. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Draft letter
While there’s a lot of intrigue about the incoming rookies, the 2025 draft class is far from a finished product. Campbell and Mukuba are slated to start again after promising first seasons, but injuries and expected inconsistencies mean that the jury is still very much out on their futures. The rest of the group is full of unknowns.
The next two picks from that class — fourth-round defensive tackle Ty Robinson and fifth-round corner Mac McWilliams — enter their second seasons with a lot of unanswered questions. Robinson flashed for a second straight practice when he shot into the backfield to touch up Barkley when the second defense faced the first offense.
McWilliams followed an up-and-down practice with another. He was the corner that trailed Wicks early on. But he played sticky man coverage when quarterback Cole Payton took a sack during the developmental period.
Extra points
Rookie defensive tackle Uar Bernard was credited with that sack. He might have benefited more from the back seven than his pass rush prowess, but any step forward for the newcomer to football can be deemed a positive. … Payton has no fear. He might have tossed a deep pass over the middle with four defenders in the area, but the ball still hit receiver Erik Ezukanma in the hands before Pulley swatted it to the ground. … Ezukanma later pulled in a deflected pass from Payton for a touchdown. … Taylor Swift brother-in-law Jason Kelce was at practice. … The Eagles are back to work Tuesday and Wednesday and will have a walkthrough on Thursday.
The first two days of Eagles training camp practice in South Philadelphia are in the books. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner check in with key observations and highlight emerging early storylines to kick off unCovering the Birds’ coverage of the 2026 season.
00:00 How Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense has looked under new coordinator Sean Mannion
15:10 Why the Eagles felt Jalen Carter was worthy of a new contract, and whether he’s worth it
31:21 New segment alert! Jeff’s mailbag!
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season.
We’re always looking for mailbag questions! Hit Jeff up on his socials, or drop a question in the comments. Jeff could answer it in a future episode!
