The Birds had a well deserved day off today before returning to Camp shortly ahead of their fixture against the Falcons in a couple of weeks. The opening three training sessions have seen a fair share of big performances, but we decided to rank the top three hottest properties in the Eagles camp heading into the short break.
3. Zach Ertz
One of the Eagles brightest projected stars, Zach Ertz had a lot of attention coming into Camp..and demanded even more by making huge plays constantly. From a play that saw him jump over Mychal Kendricks to bring in the ball to drawing out huge rounds of applause from those in attendance at the Linc yesterday, Ertz has very much been a focal point of Camp. He’s seeing plenty of action in terms of receiving and will continue to be now the pads are on. What people are looking out for now is his blocking ability. We know his route running is ace but if he wants more playing time his blocking needs to improve. His constant action has seen him become a very hot property in camp and as we prepare to watch how his blocking has increased, he’s gone from spicy to Vindaloo very quickly.
2. Jordan Matthews
From plays like the one below to showing one of the most impressive work rates on the team, Matthews has had a sensational camp. He seemed to dominate whichever player he came up against in the opening two days, play after play after play he would make the catch. Matthews is beginning to build up a really solid relationship with Sam Bradford..something that’s beyond encouraging. In such a demanding Offense with so many plays being run, fatigue is key and Matthews seemingly has the stamina of a marathon runner. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles view the situation. Is Matthews burning CB’s into toast because he’s the toaster or because the CB’s are no competition? Only time will tell..but he’s certainly exciting to watch!
1. Byron Maxwell
For me, the former Seahawk has been the hottest player in Training Camp so far in terms of performance. After being thrust into a leadership role, it’s been intriguing to see how he handles it..and so far so good. After swatting down an Agholor reception at the last second, he’s shown he can already hang with the fastest receiver on the roster..(watch out DJax). And showing the fans at the Linc that he’s excited to be a part of the team with some waves and autographs is always a good sign. He’s also shown said fans just how ready he is to break out of the Sherman Shadow and become a top 5 corner. There have been no real mistakes, no worries. Just consistent high pressure, pressing, shut down play from the man set to single handedly turn this Defense around..keep an eye out for him in the remaining training sessions and expect some big plays.
