Philadelphia Eagles

Ten takeaways from day one of Eagles Training camp

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Rookies and selected veterans reported for duty at the NovaCare Complex today, meaning football season is finally upon us once again. There are two more practices before all 90 players currently on the roster are present..but here’s what we learned from a relatively quiet opening day:

Gotta go Fa…slow?

We grew so accustomed to seeing a very intense practice under Chip Kelly that Pederson’s more relaxed approach feels a little strange.

Pederson is doing things his way in Philly..and it’s an effect that cannot be underestimated or emphasized enough. From an intent to practice with pads three days in a row before a one day practice without them, to the much calmer overall atmosphere..Pederson is taking every step to ensure this is his era.

 

Early 7-on-7’s see Bradford replicate Smith
This is probably a comparison made way too early, but today it was reported that Bradford looked consistent in 7-on7’s. But what caught my attention was the pattern of Bradford’s passes.

 

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For those who have been following my analysis of Doug Pederson’s play-calling, you’ll know how much he likes the “Boxing” effect.  Quick throws over the middle and short check downs move the chains before a lethal pass down the field asserts Offensive dominance and puts the Chiefs in scoring position.

In 7-on-7’s, it’s not as if there’s any play-calling from Pederson or even any schematic plan..but Bradford following the same tendencies as Alex Smith is somewhat encouraging..even if it is on the first day of camp with only rookies and select veterans in attendance.

 

Byron Marshall comes out swinging:
The only player in Pac-12 history to both rush and receive for 1,000 yards in a single season wasted no time getting settled with the Eagles.

Marshall is one of the most exciting rookie prospects at Training camp this year due to how versatile he can be..meaning we will likely see him lined up all over the place. So far, so good considering he missed all of Spring workouts due to exams.

 

Jalen Mills picks up where he left off:
There’s plenty of hype surrounding the newly nicknamed “Green Goblin”. Mills is coming off of an impressive spring..and has wasted no time in turning heads once again.

Mills has picked up exactly where he left off in the Spring and seems primed for the big camp many predicted him to have.

 

Isaac Seumalo at Center?!:
Depth during 7-on-7’s appeared to be pretty low considering that there were only 38 players present on the opening day. This meant that third round pick Isaac Seumalo had a chance to show his versatility, playing as a Center during the scrimmages.

Like Marshall, Seumalo missed all of the spring workouts due to exams..but has fit in immediately.  With positional battles set to emerge all over the line, the more positions you can play efficiently..the better. Seumalo is making the right impression early on and this could have a bigger impact than you might think when the rest of the roster show up on Wednesday.

 

Mixed day for Cayleb Jones:
Rookie Cayleb Jones seemed to attract a lot of attention today..but it wasn’t all positive.

The battle at Wide receiver is set to be one of the most intense on the roster..so for Jones to come out of the gate strong is encouraging, but he’s going to need to work on those drops if he stands a chance of making the final 53-man roster.

 

The gunslinger:
While Sam Bradford may be finding his rhythm with check-down completions, rookie Carson Wentz has approached Training Camp with a surge of confidence.

It’s encouraging to see the rookie airing it out deep down the field and having success as well. Wentz is naturally going to attract plenty of attention as Camp rolls on..but he’s came into this week with the right mindset. Go out there and show the world what you can do. He already appears to be more aggressive than Bradford and showed some of his athleticism on a scramble earlier in the day..the bar has been set for the NDSU star.

 

MBT is not the GOAT:
It’s heartbreaking to read..I know, but recently re-signed quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson has apparently taken on the G.J Kinne role of 2016..and isn’t exactly setting the world on fire.

The lack of depth with only 38 players present meant that MBT was lining up as a TE and WR at times..but even so, it’s impressive that he’s still willing to try and make some plays..doing whatever it takes to make an impression.

 

Against all odds:
Undrafted rookie Myke Tavarres may be one of the underdogs to make the final 53-man roster, but he’s made his presence known on the opening day of Camp.

It’s this kind of aggression that could prove to be critical in the battle between himself and fellow rookies for one of those final LB roster spots. A strong start for a Linebacker who has all the right fundamentals to be a threat under Jim Schwartz.

 

Let the cornerback competition commence:
Doug Pederson met with the media after practice to take some questions..and one of the inevitable enquiries was addressing the cornerback situation.

Pederson also mentioned Jalen Mills before Rowe which was a little interesting. Is Eric Rowe sliding down the depth chart? There’s an abundance of hungry rookies looking to cement their place on the roster this Training Camp and if Rowe is struggling to adapt to the aggressive Schwartz Defense, Camp could take a very interesting turn.

 

 

Photo credit: Matt Rourke/AP

About the Author

Liam Jenkins

Liam is a 29-year old sports journalist from the UK and founder of the Philly Sports Network. Having now ran PSN for a decade, Liam’s focus remains on building a platform containing the most complete coverage of ALL of Philadelphia’s sports teams.

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