Eagles‘ DT Jalen Carter made his training camp debut on Monday after sitting out the first three summer practices due to a previously undisclosed shoulder injury. The game-wrecking defensive tackle took the field in a limited capacity, stretching and dancing as the loudspeakers blared Kendrick Lamar.
Carter’s return was a huge boost to a dismantled defensive line looking to reshape its identity. Remember, the Eagles lost Milton Williams, Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham before trading away polarizing pass-rusher Bryce Huff.
With Carter out early in camp, third-year defensive tackle Moro Ojomo has been turning heads and sneaking some first-team reps. Ojomo is slightly undersized (6-foot-3, 292 pounds) but his engine never stops motoring.
“Strike like I’m big. Move like I’m small,” the Eagles’ defensive tackle told reporters.
The most notable name on Monday’s Eagles injury report was wide receiver DeVonta Smith who skipped the session due to back tightness. He’s not expected to miss any extended time. Here is the rest of the walking wounded:
Quinyon Mitchell Locking Down A.J. Brown
Quinyon Mitchell continues to prove that iron does indeed sharpen iron. The lockdown cornerback was all over his one-on-one matchups on Monday, leaping for a one-handed interception on a pass intended for A.J. Brown and breaking up another pass meant for Brown over the middle a few reps prior. Mitchell has been extra sticky this summer, especially when matched up against Brown. Those two competitive players started getting under each other’s skins last year, like the time Mitchell called out Brown’s “trash route.”
Meanwhile, newcomer Adoree Jackson manned the outside cornerback spot opposite Mitchell for a third straight practice. Cooper DeJean started at safety then moved to nickel cornerback, with Sydney Brown rotating in there. Rookie Andrew Mukuba was limping around on the sideline as he deals with a left knee injury.
Elijah Cooks, Jahan Dotson Making Plays
Don’t sleep on Elijah Cooks. The undrafted wide receiver made a highlight-reel catch on a jump-ball over Adoree Jackson which oohs and ahhs, including from Jackson himself who clapped in delight. The Eagles trotted out a starting outfield of Jahan Dotson, A.J. Brown, and Ainias Smith. Dotson will be a marked man throughout training camp and he’s doing everything he can to win a job, telling reporters that he traveled down to Houston to throw with Jalen Hurts: “We connected pretty much every week.”
Jalen Hurts Stealing Headlines
Everyone wants to know what is going on with the quarterback position, right? Jalen Hurts is the unquestioned starter, duh — no controversy or drama there. However, everything Hurts does is news. On Monday, it was announced that he’ll be the new face of Sprite which marks the first time an NFL player has repped the soft drink brand. Check out his commercial …
Hurts also made headlines for gifting Hall of Famer broadcaster Merrill Reese a pair of autographed cleats. Turns out, Reese has never doubted him. Prior to Monday’s practice, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni waxed poetic about how much Hurts has progressed as a quarterback.
“Jalen is a guy that continues to improve. I think that’s just how he’s built,” Sirianni told reporters. “It’s in his DNA to get better and to use the good things that he does and get better from them and use the bad things, any mistake that he has to get better. That’s what I always admire about him. I think he just improves in every way. That’s a great thing for your leader to have because that’s all your goal is, is just to continue to get better, particularly through a season.
“I think he just does a great job. I think he’s continuing to do a good job of going through his progressions and getting to the right guy with the football and getting to his third, fourth reads. As you see, the ball doesn’t hit the ground very often in practice and that’s the way you want to see it.”
Jihaad Campbell Wows … Struggles vs. The Run
The expectations for rookie Jihaad Campbell are through the roof right now. He was the first linebacker drafted by the Eagles in the first round since 1979 … and we use the term linebacker loosely with him. He’s a jack of all trades, including the ability to put his knuckles in the ground and rush the quarterback.
In a strictly run-stopping role, lined up at linebacker, Campbell seemed to struggle at Monday’s practice. Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski counted Campbell getting beat five times during one-one-one drills. He failed to stop A.J. Dillon, Will Shipley and Keilan Robinson on consecutive running plays.
After those plays, the Eagles rookie acknowledged his mishaps by getting down in the dirt and doing penatly push-ups. Now that’s the sign of a hard worker. Campbell also put on a show in individual drills …
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
