Landon Dickerson knows the comparisons are going to lurk in the shadows like a feisty bat in Bruce Wayne’s mansion. They will linger in the cave, ready to take shape after every pancake block and eager to criticize after every miscommunication.
Dickerson will be right next to that shadow, perched at left guard while Cam Jurgens slides in as the Eagles’ starting center. Jurgens will be trying to carve out his own legacy following the retirement of everyone’s favorite legend Jason Kelce. There might be no job in football under more scrutiny in 2024. So far, so good.
“It’s going to be tough for him because the comparison’s always going to be Kels,” Dickerson told reporters on July 29. “It’s not about trying to replace Kels. Cam’s going to make his own legacy, his own path, his own destiny. He’s going to be Cam Jurgens. His name’s not Jason Kelce. He’s not going to try to be 62. He’s going to do what Cam Jurgens does.”
Jurgens was out on the Eagles’ practice field giving maximum effort on Monday, working with the first-team unit alongside Dickerson at left guard and Mekhi Becton at right guard. Tyler Steen is dealing with an ankle injury and out for an undisclosed amount of time.
Everyone on the Eagles’ offensive line has been expected to step up and not skip a beat. According to Dickerson, Jurgens has been “conducting the orchestra” of the offensive line in perfect harmony over the first few days of training camp.
“Communication’s been good and you never know what’s going to happen when guys get hurt,” Dickerson said. “You’re rotating guys in, we got Mekhi coming in, and guys stepping in at different tackles, changing up the positions. And just the way he’s been able to handle the communication and different guys get out there, you never know what’s going to happen. So, I think he’s done a tremendous job so far of just clear communication with everybody, setting the standard of how things are supposed to be done in the huddle when we get to the ball, and handling it overall great.”
Violent Eagles Defense Ready to Put the Pads On
The Eagles will put the pads on for the first time on Tuesday. That’s a date many players have circled on the calendar, especially on the defensive side of the ball where new coordinator Vic Fangio has promised to bring the boom.
“I’m glad we’re getting pads tomorrow because this T-shirt and shorts is cute, but you know we play football in pads,” linebacker Nakobe Dean told reporters. “And we get in pads tomorrow, so I feel like the intensity and, I told the linebackers group this, we need to set the precedent in the violence that’s going to come tomorrow on the first day in pads.”
Speaking of Fangio, the 65-year-old football lifer has breathed life into a deader than a doornail unit. He’s not afraid to check egos and tell guys they stink if it’s warranted, according to Dean.
“He’s old school. I feel like everybody loves him,” Dean said. “Everybody loves his kind of straightforward attitude, how he kind of tells you just straight up if he liked that or if he didn’t like it. It’s not too much gray area with him if you ask him a question. That’s what I like and I just kind of been honing in, taking all his teaching [because] he’s been coaching longer than I been alive.”
Avonte Maddox Seeing More Motion on Offense
Meanwhile, Avonte Maddox has been seeing reps at both nickel cornerback and safety as he battles for a starting spot with the Eagles’ defense. His main competition right now appears to be James Bradberry as rookie Cooper DeJean continues to battle a bad hamstring. The biggest thing for Maddox is staying healthy, something he focused all his attention on in the offseason after missing 21 games over the past two seasons.
“Getting my mental right,” Maddox said of the biggest thing he worked on. “Making sure I stayed in a positive mindset … and from the physical standpoint, getting a lot more sleep, eating better, doing the little things … tweaks, lifting heavier in the weightroom, working on little muscles that I can tweak up and tune up, to help me last a full season.”
Maddox entered camp at full health — “definitely 100-percent,” he said — which wasn’t the case a year ago. He feels lighter, faster, twitchier, and he needs every single extra advantage he can “tweak up and tune up” to slow down what should be one of the most explosive offenses in football. The Eagles are already using more motion, including plenty of mismatch plays where DeVonta Smith lines up in the slot.
“I noticed they’re moving the guys around a lot,” Maddox said. “I’m seeing a lot more faces around. Smitty’s been fun [to watch]. He’s been having a terrific camp so far, and Jalen’s been throwing the ball very well so far. And I’m just excited to see what that offense can do this year with all those great players they got over there. It’ll be fun to watch.”
AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
