The NovaCare Complex opened its doors to the media once more on Monday, allowing reporters to take a peek inside another OTA practice. Here is everything you need to know.
Attendance update
The Eagles were still without several players who are recovering from injuries. Miles Sanders was absent despite Penn State HC James Franklin attending practice, which was a shame, but he wasn’t alone. Nelson Agholor wasn’t at the NovaCare Complex on Monday, joining Brandon Brooks, Derek Barnett, Fletcher Cox, and Nigel Bradham, and Jason Peters.
Safety Rodney McLeod was at practice, but only for warmups, while Mack Hollins had a wild sighting of working on sprints in the distance with Josh Adams. Both of whom were predictably absent. Ronald Darby and Corey Clement were joined by UDFA Carlton Agudosi in doing some limited work away from the heart of the action. This was likely some light rehab work to get back into the swing of things.
Meanwhile, newly-signed LB Zach Brown joined the team’s practice for the first time.
Malcolm Jenkins posted a video of him working out privately, away from the NovaCare, so that’s a positive. Lane Johnson and Alshon Jeffery were also absent, but were present at Carson Wentz’s AO1 softball game for Charity, that raised north of $500,000 on Friday.
A storm is brewing…
We all know that Jordan Howard is on a one-year deal and the stakes are high, but there’s still a massive misconception that Eagles RB Jordan Howard is one dimensional.
He had his fair share of drops during his first two years in the league, but his drops ‘dropped’ from 6 in 2017 to just 1 in 2018. We know that the Eagles love versatility and seeing Howard used in the screen game could catch defenses off guard. Don’t sleep on Howard hurting unsuspecting coordinators and defenders next year as a receiver.
Wentz looks great
Are you surprised? No? Good. Carson Wentz is proving that his impressive workout during last week’s OTA was much more than just a flash in the pan. The Eagles signal-caller seems to be getting better and better with each practice that the media is able to attend.
The chemistry with DeSean Jackson only seems to be getting hotter, too.
This is something that will have Eagles fans salivating. The Birds’ have been without a legitimate deep threat for quite some time, but Jackson returns home and within weeks, already has a handshake with Carson Wentz. That’s the content we like to see. This could be one lethal partnership heading into 2019.
Defensive ends show up
It was a big day for the Eagles defensive ends, especially Vinny Curry, who is back from the ‘one-year hiatus’ as he worded it last week. The Super Bowl 52 champion has wasted little time in getting re-acclimated in this defense.
The Eagles lost a lot of firepower in Chris Long and Michael Bennett this offseason, and they’ll need some of the younger guys to step up into bigger roles, especially given how much Schwartz relies on the ‘EDGE4’ role.
The two main candidates here are Josh Sweat and rookie Shareef Miller. With James Franklin in attendance, Miller showed out in front of his former Head Coach, while Sweat’s road to breaking out of the shadows appears to be a little more visible. The progress of both players will be clinical this offseason and will be worth keeping a very close eye on.
Underdogs bite back
For many, OTA’s is the fast-track to making a positive impression. With starters missing across the board, for numerous different reasons, this is absolutely the case in Philadelphia right now. Whether it’s familiar faces like Greg Ward Jr. who spent time with the team last year before a stint in the AAF, or former draft picks like Donnell Pumphrey who have something to prove, this is an important time for many.
This is really encouraging. Undrafted free agents have played pivotal roles for the Eagles over the last few years and that doesn’t look like it will change any time soon. Keep an eye on names like Joey Alfieri and Jay Liggins as the program continues.
Mailata’s development
A lot of people have been asking about Jordan Mailata this offseason, and with good reason. Last year’s seventh-round selection stunned with his preseason performances last year, but just how much difference does a year make?
That tough coaching is still present, which is a really strong sign. Mailata seems to be held accountable for errors, just as every other lineman is. Taking him out of the drill for jumping offsides sets a very firm tone. Mailata’s development will be under the microscope this season, as Jeff Stoutland’s project lineman takes another step forward.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
