Eagles News: Encouraging signs from Cam Jurgens

Let’s move on to the Philadelphia Eagles connections …

Eagles practice observations: Jalen Hurts a positive in running game; Cam Jurgens in space; conditioning at the forefront – Inquirer
When Hurts bursts into a scrimmage and charges through the secondary, he may elicit oohs and ahhs from fans in camp, but his red jersey gives him the comfort to run without fear. But there was one designed run that justified the excitement because it showcased a shooting Cam Jurgens. The Eagles have seen that athleticism from the center since his rookie camp when then-starter Jason Kelce was sidelined after elbow surgery in 2022. But it must be nice to know that the “put Kelce in space with a head of steam” plays won’t have to go away after he retires. Jurgens intercepted a defender to open the lane for Hurts, as did left tackle Jordan Mailata. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland calls it his “pizza theory” with linemen dividing blocks like slices of pizza. Later, Jurgens jumped in front of Saquon Barkley and as they walked into the second level, the running back grabbed his center and they ran together arm in arm.

Eagles training camp notes: Depth chart and position battle updates – BGN
UPDATE ON JALEN HURTS: Hurts did a lot more of the same on Day 1, which is important. You have to stack those good days. Hurts was very efficient; the ball rarely touched the ground. He was very decisive as a passer and a runner. Hurts’ average time to throw sped up from 2021 to 2022, but then regressed to pre-2022 levels in 2023, so it’s nice to see him making quicker decisions and not holding onto the ball forever. Now presumably healthier than last year, Hurts looks much quicker than the last time we saw him play. That was evident when he ran away from pressure and also when he was pulled off the field. Hurts’ most notable accomplishment came at 7-on-7 when he dropped the ball to AJ Brown for an over-the-shoulder reception along the right sideline with Darius Slay in coverage.

Training Camp Day 2 Practice Debrief with ESP and BLG – Go Birds Podcast
Eliot Shorr-Parks and special guest Brandon Lee Gowton sit down after day two of Eagles training camp to talk about what they saw on the field.

6 Takeaways From Eagles DC Vic Fangio’s Interesting Thursday Press Conference – PhillyVoice
#JimmySays: The Eagles signed Huff this offseason to a massive three-year, $51.1 million deal (over $17 million per season). That’s a lot of money for a player the defensive coordinator doesn’t think is ready to play on run downs yet. Still, Huff had double-digit sacks in 2023, and he looked impressive doing it. PFF has Huff down to an astronomical 67 pressures on just 334 pass rush snaps in 2023. Pressure on the quarterback is by far the most important skill for an edge rusher, and Huff can do it. But obviously, it’s concerning if he can’t be a three-down player at his price point.

Eight big questions facing NFL teams heading into training camp – The Ringer
What can Kellen Moore do to fix the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive woes? While all the whining in Philadelphia about head coach Nick Sirianni’s job security at the end of last season seems overblown to me, there’s no denying that the collapse that ended 2023 was profound and that Sirianni faces considerable pressure this season. Sirianni is on his third coordinator group in as many seasons, and all of these changes put even more pressure on quarterback Jalen Hurts, who will lead a new offense under Kellen Moore. There are some things Moore shouldn’t change, like using Hurts as a designated runner or taking multiple shots downfield to receiver AJ Brown. What I’ll be watching throughout camp and the preseason is how Hurts can handle adjusting protections and getting the ball out quickly and effectively against blitzes — things that were key in the offenses Moore previously ran with Dak Prescott in Dallas and Justin Herbert in Los Angeles. If Hurts can find the answer to pressure in this offense, expect a big year for slot receiver DeVonta Smith. When Moore was calling the offense for the Chargers last season, receiver Keenan Allen was second in slot targets and third in yards against blitzing defenses. The year before in Dallas, with Moore as the play-caller, CeeDee Lamb was second in both categories.

Why Devin White Started a Group Chat With Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown – NBCSP
As Devin White prepared to return to Philadelphia for his first training camp with the Eagles, he sent a text message to new teammates Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown. White titled the group chat “Accountability.” “I just texted them an empty glass, a picture of an empty glass,” White said after Thursday’s practice. “And before they could text back, I just said, ‘Hey, let’s pour into it every day.’ One day at a time, let’s just pour into it. That’s kind of how we started, and then everybody pitched in and gave a little bit of knowledge food and we went from there.” White, 26, is starting a new chapter in the NFL after spending the first five years of his career with the Buccaneers. After the Bucs drafted him No. 5 overall in 2019, White had plenty of highs in Tampa, including a Pro Bowl appearance and a Super Bowl victory, but he also had plenty of lows, including a fall from grace and a benching last season. For White, his one-year deal with the Eagles offers a chance for a fresh start in a new city.

Eagles training camp log: May the best players win – PE.com
Kickoff drills then took place, as the team huddled at midfield to review coverage responsibilities and work on tackling technique (where two defenders converge on a running back at the same time). Later in the drill, the team stepped up their efforts and accelerated with full-speed play as they moved downfield. Guess who was the first cover guy to reach the running back? Josh Jobe. The young corner has made a name for himself on special teams in his first two seasons with the Eagles, and that should continue here in 2024. Another team session begins and another young defensive lineman enters the fray as second-year pass rusher Nolan Smith reaches Hurts twice on one play. A quick pressure early forced Hurts out of his spot, then as he rolled right, Smith’s persistence showed in his pursuit. Like Carter, I’m excited to see Smith’s development during his second year in Philadelphia.

Ranking the best NFL prospects: The best unsung players – ESPN+
Honorable mentions: Sydney Brown, SS, Philadelphia Eagles.

Dak Prescott Says He Wants To Be With Cowboys But ‘All The Other Great QBs Played For Other Teams’ – Blogging The Boys
Peyton Manning felt like the first. Of course, he didn’t literally, but he felt like one. Seeing a quarterback who seems to “belong” to a franchise in a different uniform is never a good time. Sure, Manning ended up winning a Super Bowl with his second team, the Denver Broncos (it never felt good to see DeMarcus Ware in that position, either) and Tom Brady hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They may be exceptions, but looking around the NFL, it’s not hard to find other longtime quarterbacks in similar boats. Aaron Rodgers, of course, plays for the New York Jets. To a different degree, Russell Wilson is now on his third team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s strange to get used to seeing Kirk Cousins with the Atlanta Falcons, also his third team. You get the idea. Quarterbacks can change teams and life goes on, which seems to be a sentiment Dak Prescott isn’t afraid to embrace.

New York Giants Training Camp, Day 2 Takeaways: ‘Mad Scientist’ Changes Offense – Big Blue View
When I asked him about Daboll after practice, tight end Lawrence Cager called the head coach a “mad scientist” when it came to concocting offensive schemes. The mad scientist has been plotting like crazy for the first two days of training camp. We’ve seen all sorts of moves from the Giants’ receivers and running backs. We’ve seen a plethora of overthrows and jet sweeps. We’ve seen a direct snap to a back on Thursday. We’ve even seen an unbalanced line with left tackle Andrew Thomas moving to the other side of the line next to Ezeudu at right tackle. I remember Daboll, as a first-year head coach, talking about having to remind himself that while he’s been in the system that’s been in place for several years, his players obviously haven’t. He now has a quarterback in his third year on offense, as well as a number of other players who have been there since Daboll began his tenure as head coach. I asked Daboll Thursday if some of the “bells and whistles” we’re seeing are because the offense is no longer new to his quarterback and many other players.

NFL training camp: Najee Harris, Jack Conklin among veterans who could lose starting roles in 2024 – NFL.com
GARDNER MINSHEW: There simply aren’t many true quarterback battles in the NFL before camp, with the majority of contests featuring bridge QBs trying to contain rookies. In Las Vegas, however, we have a true matchup between two interesting but flawed quarterbacks: Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Now, Minshew is the newcomer to this equation as an offseason rookie, and if he emerges as a starter, he would effectively replace O’Connell, who started 10 games for the Raiders as a rookie last season. But Minshew is still the more established veteran, and backing up O’Connell would be a big step down after he started 13 games (and earned a Pro Bowl nod) for the Colts in 2023. Not to mention, Vegas gave him a nice chunk of money on a two-year, $25 million deal. Minshew is clearly the better performer as a pro, with 37 NFL starts over five seasons. He’s actually playing well, generally keeping his interceptions low, showing some running ability, and keeping plays alive with his relentless approach. But this seems more like the model of a higher-quality backup than a full-season starter.

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