The Philadelphia Eagles are using their training camp practices to round into game form for the regular season and on Sunday, the defense looked to be in midseason form without the bulk of their starters. With two practices this week before the team flies to Jacksonville for Thursday night’s preseason game against the Jaguars, here are four takeaways from Sunday’s practice.
1. Corey Clement has his burst back
Clement returned to team drills on Saturday, as the Eagles look to be slowly working him back into the rotation. Clement looked good considering his shredded his knee, showing that burst that made him a dynamic back for the Eagles during the 2017 season. Clement looks to be back to normal speed wise.
2. Eagles to ease injured stars back into the rotation
The Birds injury list is loaded with important names, but several of the Eagles key figures appear to be getting the load management treatment during training camp as they eye the regular-season opener. The injury report for Sunday was as noted: Out: DE Vinny Curry (illness), S Blake Countess (hamstring), QB Nate Sudfeld (wrist), WR Shelton Gibson (ankle), TE Dallas Goedert (calf), RT Lane Johnson (knee), DE Daeshon Hall (shoulder), DT Hassan Ridgeway(concussion), WR DeAndre Thompkins (shoulder), LB Kamu Grugier-Hill (knee), CB Jalen Mills (foot), TE Richard Rodgers (foot), CB Cre’Von LeBlanc (foot)
Limited: RB Boston Scott (ankle), RG Brandon Brooks (Achilles), DE Derek Barnett (shoulder), DT Fletcher Cox (foot), RB Corey Clement (knee), LB Nigel Bradham (hand/toe), CB Ronald Darby (knee), WR Mack Hollins (hip), Paul Worrilow (knee)
Darby got in 7-on-7 reps and looked fluid while doing so, along with Derek Barnett who took first-team reps at right defensive end on Sunday as they ease him back in as well.
3. Alshon Jeffery looks primed for a huge year
The theme of training camp has been to ease certain players back in with a light load of work as the team focuses on opening the regular season up healthy. We’ve focused on DeSean Jackson, JJ Arcega-Whiteside and other young wideouts during the first two weeks of camp, but on Sunday the glue that keeps the passing game together returned and looked to be in tune with Carson Wentz throughout the morning. Jeffrey hauled in six targets from Wentz on Sunday and made several highlight-reel catches using his big body to corral catches along the sidelines. With both Wentz and Jeffrey healthy at the same time, look for big on the horizon.
