Philadelphia Eagles

Everything you need to know from the penultimate day of Eagles’ Mandatory Minicamp

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With just one more practice until the dreaded wait for Training Camp, there is still much to be decided for the defending World Champions. Minicamp has opened up various new talking points however and several of those were discussed once again in the team’s penultimate practice. Here’s everything you need to know from Wednesday’s session.

 

The bromance is real:
The duo may not be able to practice fully, but that hasn’t stopped Carson Wentz and Alshon Jeffery from putting in some less stressful work on the sideline.

Jeffery became one of the Eagles’ most dynamic playmakers last year and as his rapport with Wentz grows, that danger will only enlarge for opposing teams.

 

Bausby shines….again:
Surprised? Me neither. DeVante Bausby at this stage has become the standout of the offseason so far. There hasn’t been a practice where his name hasn’t come into conversation and it’s always been due to glowing reasons.

The race for the nickel spot is well underway and just a few short months ago, Bausby was considered a long shot to even make the roster. Today, he’s in the shortlist to not only do that, but potentially have a much bigger impact too.

 

Shepherd’s warning:
While the world has become besotted with the improvements of Dallas Goedert (especially in comparison to what we’re seeing from Mike Gesicki in Miami), Billy Brown has still been making plays under the radar. Today however, saw a much more prominent sighting.

The Shepherd product was considered a candidate to become the team’s TE3 prior to the NFL Draft, but now faces an uphill battle to snatch that spot from Richard Rodgers. There’s a long wait until Training Camp, but Brown still remains the underdog at tight end.

 

Back in the fray:
After watching from the sidelines yesterday, ‘the little engine that could’ was active in practice once again.

It’s a breath of fresh air to see Darren Sproles out on the field once again, working on special teams and working with the offense. His participation levels should increase by the time Training Camp arrives, which is something worth noting. Josh Adams is yet to take part in a team practice, meaning that the running back rotation when Camp opens could be set for a shakeup.

 

Pulling the ‘trigga’:
Bryce Treggs has clung on to the Eagles roster (with a small stint in Cleveland) for some time now and with the team still craving that reliable deep threat, is once again looking to make his presence felt.

The early signs are encouraging, but Treggs, like several other wideouts, faces stiff competition. It will be interesting to see how Treggs develops under his third wide receiver coach since joining the Eagles as an undrafted free agent and if Brewer can potentially unlock any elements of his game that were previously hidden away.

 

 

‘Finger wag’ swag:
The Green Goblin is back, wagging fingers and making plays. Now entering his third offseason with the Eagles, it’s safe to say that Mills has come on leaps and bounds since being drafted in the seventh round and he won’t want to relinquish his starting role anytime soon.

If he continues to make ‘finger wag’ worthy plays, that shouldn’t be a possibility either.

 

A ‘Gerry’ nice day:
The former Nebraska Safety has bulked up since last offseason but that doesn’t mean he’s lost any athletic prowess. The Eagles linebacker flashed in today’s practice, dropping back and picking off a stray Nick Foles pass.

A frontrunner for the starting WILL spot along with Kamu Grugier-Hill, the second-year linebacker will need plenty more plays like this if he is to secure that role and earn even more defensive snaps, continuing his climb up the depth chart.

 

Another weapon in the arsenal:
Special teams are everything to the Eagles…which is likely why their unit is regarded as one of the best in the NFL. With that in mind, carving out a role in Fipp’s prestigious unit goes a long way for rookies or those slightly lower down the depth chart.

For Jeremy Reaves and Avonte Maddox, proving that they have what it takes to stick onto the special teams unit now, could make all the difference come judgement day in late August.

 

A new name to be aware of:
The rotation at nickel cornerback has been thrilling to watch over the last few weeks, but the fun is only just beginning.

Enter DJ Killings, a former UCF cornerback with plenty of burst at his disposal, who saw some first team reps at the position today. It must be difficult for Cory Undlin, who is watching all of his corners do exceptionally well inside…it hardly makes the selection process any easier! But that’s what Training Camp is for, right?

 

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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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