The Eagles come off an off-day on Friday and opened camp Saturday with a myriad of injuries. Jordan Mailata, Andre Dillard, DeVonta Smith, and others on the offense have been out of practice since Thursday due to injuries.
Still, a currently hobbled offense isn’t enough to hold off practice. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from Saturday’s practice.
Pass Rush Stands Out Again
Over the last two practices, the defensive line has dominated and gotten to the quarterback multiple times. Derek Barnett has reportedly played well throughout, and it helps they are getting one of the best camps from Brandon Graham.
That’s the good news. Now here comes the context.
With the starting left tackle, and backup tackle option both out with concussions, it’s easy to see how and why the defensive line is getting home easier. When Mailata and Dillard were both playing in practice, the defensive line was far quieter.
It’s no accident as to why they’ve been more active recently.
Britain Covey – Camp Darling
The camp darling for the Eagles has been the undrafted return specialist from Utah. Britain Covey has turned heads as a slot receiver and return specialist that could offer consistency to the return game that the team hasn’t had since Darren Sproles.
Today, because of injuries, Covey actually ran with the ones today and continued to shine as a disciplined route-runner and quick receiver.
Some have gone to throw around Wes Welker’s name when compared to Covey. While that is absolutely premature, it’s nice to see an undrafted player making headway with the Eagles already.
I think with Reagor having a nice practice, the team might look to get Covey on the roster even if it means keeping six receivers.
Injuries Mount
Nick Sirianni should be commended for keeping the load minimal for the team early in camp. That doesn’t mean the team hasn’t been banged up over the last few practices. We’ve already mentioned Dillard, Smith, and Mailata, but there are even other names that have crept up on the injury report.
Boston Scott is a noteworthy name to keep an eye on. The good news is that none of these injuries are expected to be lasting and will most likely mean all the players are expected to be ready for the season opener in Detroit.
With under a week before the team’s first preseason game, it’s noteworthy that the offense has been going up against one of the top defensive units in the league. With the Jets lined up for Friday, it’s a good opportunity to see just how good this Eagles team looks when they go up against another team.
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