Latest / Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast / The DiCecco Daily: More Observations, Context From Eagles Wednesday's OTA
Transcript
- 0:07Speaker 1: Hey, what's going on?
- 0:08Speaker 2: Everybody? Welcome into another episode of The check Odaily. Andrew
- 0:11Speaker 2: de check O, Eagles beat reporter for insidethebirds dot.
- 0:14Speaker 1: Com, here with you.
- 0:15Speaker 2: And for those who didn't get a chance to catch
- 0:18Speaker 2: the podcast that I did with Jeff and Adam, go
- 0:21Speaker 2: ahead and check that out because I covered pretty much
- 0:24Speaker 2: everything that happened at Eagles OTAs and there was a
- 0:28Speaker 2: lot to glean from that, and so for those who
- 0:31Speaker 2: didn't catch it, you can still do that. But I
- 0:34Speaker 2: also want to go through some of my observations and
- 0:37Speaker 2: then maybe expand on some of them what it could
- 0:40Speaker 2: mean and the context of this period of the offseason.
- 0:44Speaker 2: So I just want to reemphasize that the OTA period
- 0:48Speaker 2: is voluntary and players come and go. It's a sixth
- 0:53Speaker 2: session OTA for the Eagles, And I have the names
- 0:58Speaker 2: of the players who weren't in attendance on Wednesday when
- 1:02Speaker 2: we were there, and it's a it's a wide receiver
- 1:05Speaker 2: Aj Brown, right tackle Lane Johnson, linebacker Jahi Campbell, wide
- 1:09Speaker 2: receiver Dontavian Wicks, and outside linebacker Joe Tryon shoe Yanka
- 1:15Speaker 2: And on Tuesday, all but one player were there, So
- 1:18Speaker 2: the Eagles had near perfect attendance. And so that's why
- 1:23Speaker 2: context is very important here when you're talking about this.
- 1:27Speaker 2: And it's not that certain players aren't participating at all.
- 1:31Speaker 2: I mean summer there for the first day and it
- 1:33Speaker 2: kind of differs from player to player and there's various
- 1:37Speaker 2: reasons for that. And present but not participating were safety
- 1:42Speaker 2: coal was Newski, dB Tucker Large, and linebacker Chandler Martin.
- 1:47Speaker 2: And again this is all from Wednesday's practice that the
- 1:51Speaker 2: media was there to observe, and.
- 1:56Speaker 1: It was seven on seven eleven on eleven work or.
- 2:00Speaker 2: For the Eagles, they had practice inside because on Wednesday
- 2:03Speaker 2: it was raining, the weather wasn't great, and it was
- 2:09Speaker 2: interesting to see the Eagles fit ninety players into that
- 2:13Speaker 2: bubble because of the condensed spacing and things like that,
- 2:16Speaker 2: and the drills were pretty close in close capacity to
- 2:22Speaker 2: one another, but no one ran into one another. The
- 2:25Speaker 2: drills didn't necessarily bleed into the other. But it was
- 2:28Speaker 2: interesting because I had never I haven't really seen that.
- 2:33Speaker 2: Even last summer in training camp, I remember a day
- 2:36Speaker 2: where it rained pretty heavily and we were out there
- 2:40Speaker 2: on the practice field. I hadn't seen ninety players fit
- 2:42Speaker 2: inside the confines of the Eagles practice bubble, but it
- 2:45Speaker 2: was interesting and they made it work. Transaction update ahead
- 2:50Speaker 2: of Wednesday's practice, the Eagles signed wide receiver Brandon Hayes.
- 2:54Speaker 2: Hayes participated in the Eagles rookie Rookie mini camp on
- 2:58Speaker 2: a tryout basis and was among the tryouts noted previously
- 3:02Speaker 2: on this podcast and on Inside the Birds dot com.
- 3:05Speaker 2: He doesn't have receiving numbers that are gonna jump off
- 3:09Speaker 2: the page, but I noted him specifically for his return
- 3:12Speaker 2: prowess and he went to Southeastern Louisiana and he thrived
- 3:16Speaker 2: there as a kick returner, returning thirty eight kickoffs for
- 3:19Speaker 2: one thousand and seventy yards and three touchdowns over two seasons.
- 3:23Speaker 2: He's wearing number forty seven. His name might come up
- 3:26Speaker 2: at a different point in this podcast now for some
- 3:31Speaker 2: of my observations and with a twist, because I'm going
- 3:35Speaker 2: to expand and maybe offer some extra insight based off
- 3:39Speaker 2: of what those players may be said on the podium
- 3:43Speaker 2: on Wednesday when they spoke after practice. But Andy Dalton
- 3:47Speaker 2: on this particular day assumed the second team quarterback reps
- 3:51Speaker 2: and Tanner McKee worked with the second group.
- 3:56Speaker 1: Or Tanner McKee worked with the third group.
- 3:57Speaker 2: Excuse me, but on Tuesday Tanner Rick Heyt was the
- 4:01Speaker 2: second team quarterback and Andy Dalton was the third team,
- 4:03Speaker 2: so there they rotated. It's commonplace for this period of
- 4:07Speaker 2: the offseason. You'll see a lot of mixing and matching
- 4:10Speaker 2: and things of that nature as coaches are trying to
- 4:12Speaker 2: learn their personnel and give certain players opportunities with different
- 4:17Speaker 2: different you know, second, third team and all that, so
- 4:20Speaker 2: they're kind of just mixing it up. It is worth
- 4:24Speaker 2: noting that rookie quarterback Cole Payton, who is fourth on
- 4:27Speaker 2: the depth chart, he did see a handful of reps
- 4:29Speaker 2: in Wednesday's practice, which should be viewed as a positive.
- 4:32Speaker 2: And with the way practices are constructed, this is why
- 4:35Speaker 2: I'm saying it's a positive. There aren't typically reps for
- 4:38Speaker 2: the fourth quarterback, whether it's pulling a quarterback from years past,
- 4:43Speaker 2: Reed Sinat or Carson Strong, or the quarterback from last season.
- 4:55Speaker 2: Dorian Thompson Robinson. Yeah, I think I think I have
- 4:59Speaker 2: that all right. But the point is is that the
- 5:02Speaker 2: fact that Eagles were able to find some reps for
- 5:05Speaker 2: Cole Payton, I thought was notable, and Cole Payton actually
- 5:08Speaker 2: threw the ball fairly well in the session. A couple
- 5:14Speaker 2: players who really stood out to me in terms of
- 5:18Speaker 2: looking as if they are bulked up noticeably compared to
- 5:22Speaker 2: last season. And this happens every year at this time.
- 5:24Speaker 2: You always see a few They either stand out to
- 5:27Speaker 2: you because they look more explosive or they look like
- 5:31Speaker 2: they've spent some time in the gym well.
- 5:34Speaker 1: To me.
- 5:35Speaker 2: Outside linebacker Nolan Smith, dB Cooper Dejane, defensive tackle Ty Robinson,
- 5:40Speaker 2: running back Tank Bigsby looked to a bulked up during
- 5:43Speaker 2: the offseason months. Rieke Wohen is every bit of his
- 5:47Speaker 2: six' four billing and that's a typical length for the,
- 5:51Speaker 2: position but the twenty seven year old truly stands apart
- 5:54Speaker 2: when he's on the. Field the six foot four cornerback
- 5:58Speaker 2: towers over every defensive. Back his length came into play
- 6:02Speaker 2: on one occasion where he was Defending Davonte smith down the.
- 6:06Speaker 2: Sideline davante had a, step but the ball was, underthrown
- 6:10Speaker 2: AND i think this was more reactionary than anything From Rike.
- 6:13Speaker 2: Wollen it's almost like he Read davante's body, language or
- 6:17Speaker 2: maybe he saw his eyes get big as if the
- 6:19Speaker 2: ball was coming his, way but he got his body
- 6:22Speaker 2: in position to negate the. Pass so that's just one
- 6:27Speaker 2: example of how that length can be a weapon for
- 6:30Speaker 2: This eagles. Defense wide Receiver Johnny wilson And drew mccuba
- 6:35Speaker 2: were out there on the practice field running. Around Johnny
- 6:39Speaker 2: wilson had a season ending, injury suffered a knee ankle
- 6:41Speaker 2: injury in training. Camp drew mccuba had the fractured ankle
- 6:45Speaker 2: after eleven, games and they were both out. There Johnny,
- 6:49Speaker 2: wilson by the, way saw some first team reps Because
- 6:53Speaker 2: Dantavian wicks wasn't present On, wednesday so it was good
- 6:57Speaker 2: to See Johnny wilson back out there moving. Around he
- 7:01Speaker 2: came on a little bit in the second half of
- 7:03Speaker 2: training camp last. Summer perhaps he can build on that
- 7:06Speaker 2: and latch on as perhaps the final wide.
- 7:09Speaker 1: Receiver and Then drew, mccooba we've.
- 7:11Speaker 2: Talked plenty about there's a lot of expectations for him
- 7:14Speaker 2: going into year or, two but it was good to
- 7:16Speaker 2: see him moving around and covering some ground that he
- 7:19Speaker 2: did in the way that he.
- 7:20Speaker 1: Does that's a big skill set of. His so they
- 7:23Speaker 1: seem to.
- 7:25Speaker 2: They seem to, be you, know fully returned compared to
- 7:30Speaker 2: their you, know compared to where they. WERE i guess
- 7:33Speaker 2: where they were last summer Without Lane johnson at right.
- 7:37Speaker 2: Tackle The eagles first team offensive line left to right
- 7:40Speaker 2: left Tackled, jordanilata left, Guard Landon, dickerson, Center Camp, jurgens right,
- 7:44Speaker 2: Guard Tyler, stein right Tackle Markel. Bell Markel bell did
- 7:48Speaker 2: play left tackle With, miami but if you think back
- 7:51Speaker 2: to his media availability maybe a few weeks, ago he
- 7:55Speaker 2: Credited hurricanes' offensive line Coach Rick's mirraball for training the
- 7:59Speaker 2: tech to play both, sides and he mentioned in that
- 8:02Speaker 2: session that he's grown accustom the training that way since
- 8:05Speaker 2: his day's At. Miami second team offensive Line Fred johnson left,
- 8:09Speaker 2: tackle left, Guard Miles hinton, Center Jake major's right, Guard
- 8:13Speaker 2: Drew kendall right Tackle John ojukwill who was a future.
- 8:16Speaker 2: Signing while The eagles put together some different looks in
- 8:21Speaker 2: the stage of the, game that's pretty much commonplace to.
- 8:26Speaker 2: Me it was notable that the team did Give Drew
- 8:29Speaker 2: kendall some work at, guard and that makes sense because
- 8:32Speaker 2: if you're viewing him through the lens of being the
- 8:36Speaker 2: successor To Brett, toth who played center en guard on game,
- 8:39Speaker 2: days he offered that. Versatility you want to Give kendall
- 8:42Speaker 2: the opportunity to showcase that he can do that and
- 8:44Speaker 2: get him some experience. There he's the backup, center but
- 8:48Speaker 2: this gives him some more experience playing another position that's
- 8:53Speaker 2: ultimately going to help The, eagles especially on game. Day
- 8:57Speaker 2: third Team Holland, Pierce Jayden, Roberts William, Lampkin Michael, morris
- 9:01Speaker 2: And Cameron. Williams Cameron williams was interesting BECAUSE i thought
- 9:06Speaker 2: he played, well he fared well in the season, finale
- 9:09Speaker 2: And i'm certainly surprised that he was third team.
- 9:13Speaker 1: Right tackle above Below John.
- 9:16Speaker 2: Ujokuu but again it's OTAs you never want to make
- 9:20Speaker 2: too much of.
- 9:20Speaker 1: It if this trend continues.
- 9:22Speaker 2: In the training, camp well that's a little bit more
- 9:25Speaker 2: of an eyebrow. Raise but it's worth noting That Willy,
- 9:28Speaker 2: lampkin WHO i get asked about a, Lot Willy lampkin
- 9:31Speaker 2: is a really fun player to, watch AND i enjoy my.
- 9:35Speaker 2: CHATS i have enjoyed the chests That i've had With
- 9:37Speaker 2: willie last. Season, well he snapped a ground ball on one. Occasion,
- 9:43Speaker 2: again it's just a blip on the, radar, perhaps but
- 9:45Speaker 2: it is something to keep an eye, on AND i
- 9:47Speaker 2: also am curious to see if The eagles will eventually
- 9:50Speaker 2: Give Willi lampkin an opportunity to moonlight at, guard to
- 9:53Speaker 2: give him a decent shot at clawing onto the clawing
- 9:58Speaker 2: on to the roster if there's a crowded house there
- 10:00Speaker 2: of young offensive. Lineman But William lampkin is a really
- 10:04Speaker 2: interesting player WHO i can't wait to watch when the
- 10:06Speaker 2: pads come. On at safety Was Marcus epps up first
- 10:11Speaker 2: Alongside drew mccogl when The eagles went to seven on sevens
- 10:14Speaker 2: and then again in team. Drills no, Surprise Cooper dejan
- 10:17Speaker 2: moved to safety when The eagles were in base And
- 10:21Speaker 2: epps briefly remained at safety once the second team came,
- 10:24Speaker 2: on but then eventually he came off and joined mccoogle
- 10:28Speaker 2: on the. Sideline and then it Was Michael carter the
- 10:30Speaker 2: second who teamed With Andre. Sam But Michael carter was
- 10:34Speaker 2: the first safety in with that second, group and Then
- 10:37Speaker 2: Andre sam came on.
- 10:39Speaker 1: Once epps came.
- 10:40Speaker 2: Off the third team safety group was comprised of second
- 10:43Speaker 2: year Pro Brandon, johnson an undrafted Rookie Maximus. Pulley Remember
- 10:48Speaker 2: weznsky did not practice.
- 10:52Speaker 1: Without.
- 10:53Speaker 2: Campbell The eagles Pair Jeremiah trotter junior With Zach bonnett
- 10:56Speaker 2: linebacker And Smile modin And Chance campbell worked with the
- 10:59Speaker 2: second un. It campbell had a nice pass breakup on
- 11:03Speaker 2: a Short dalton throw over the middle to running Back Bill.
- 11:05Speaker 2: Shipley speaking Of, Saquon barkley.
- 11:09Speaker 1: Had some nice receptions this.
- 11:10Speaker 2: Year and this is Where i'm deviating a little bit
- 11:13Speaker 2: from the observations BECAUSE i want to add this to
- 11:16Speaker 2: illustrate my thought. Here saquon caught a few, passes including
- 11:21Speaker 2: a nice one along the sideline With Nolan smith in
- 11:24Speaker 2: coverage where he extended it was he caught it. Cleanly
- 11:27Speaker 2: he wasn't fighting the. Ball he's not a natural pass.
- 11:30Speaker 2: CATCHER i think that's fair to. Say but WHAT i
- 11:32Speaker 2: will add is That shipley caught Some there's a lot
- 11:36Speaker 2: of underneath throws in this, session at least on this particular,
- 11:40Speaker 2: day AND i can't help but wonder in an offense
- 11:42Speaker 2: that's going to be predicated on getting rid of the
- 11:44Speaker 2: ball quickly and making those split, decisions if you're going
- 11:48Speaker 2: to see more passes and to the running backs as,
- 11:52Speaker 2: outlets if you're going to see that more incorporated into
- 11:56Speaker 2: the offense because we often see it in the spring
- 11:58Speaker 2: in the, summer but then when the regular season rolls,
- 12:01Speaker 2: around it's sort of a. Nonentity it's not a part
- 12:04Speaker 2: of their. Offense but perhaps that changes now with the
- 12:07Speaker 2: new philosophical shift.
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- 13:09Speaker 1: Up Jalen. Hurts.
- 13:11Speaker 2: Look Jalen hurts was under center for a considerable amount of.
- 13:15Speaker 1: SNAPS i thought that was notable and it should be.
- 13:19Speaker 2: Expected that's going to be a hallmark of this new,
- 13:22Speaker 2: offense and you want to start that process now to
- 13:26Speaker 2: get familiar and get comfortable with.
- 13:28Speaker 1: It he made some quick decision throws underneath.
- 13:31Speaker 2: That his best throw of the afternoon came on her
- 13:33Speaker 2: pass rifled in To Dallas.
- 13:35Speaker 1: Goddard where there was coverage.
- 13:38Speaker 2: Swarming there was a little bit of congestion, there but
- 13:41Speaker 2: he fit the ball. In hurts and God her to
- 13:44Speaker 2: state the obvious have struck up quite the rapport over the.
- 13:46Speaker 2: Years and as for the number two tight, end it
- 13:50Speaker 2: Was Johnny munt who got some first team reps. There
- 13:53Speaker 2: even caught a, pass which is a rarity For Johnny,
- 13:56Speaker 2: munt who has largely served as a blocking. Specialist first
- 14:01Speaker 2: round wide receiver Mackay lemon was involved. Early he was
- 14:05Speaker 2: working with the first. Team he snared a bullet From
- 14:08Speaker 2: hurts over the middle with coverage conversion and then in another,
- 14:11Speaker 2: instance he shook free and there wasn't a defender in,
- 14:17Speaker 2: sight but he was unable to come up with a short.
- 14:19Speaker 2: Crosser eagles were out with Don Tavian, wick So Lemon
- 14:22Speaker 2: wilson And.
- 14:23Speaker 1: Devonte smith led the way with the first.
- 14:25Speaker 2: Unit i've talked about And i've written THAT i believe
- 14:31Speaker 2: That Jonathan jones will potentially qualify as the eagles most
- 14:34Speaker 2: valuable under the radar signing due to his experience and
- 14:36Speaker 2: that positional. Versatility but during team, drills he Intercepted Andy.
- 14:41Speaker 2: Dalton he returned it for a. Touchdown the defense joined
- 14:44Speaker 2: him in the end zone in, elation but he also
- 14:47Speaker 2: had a pass. Breakup so nice day For Jonathan. Jones
- 14:51Speaker 2: that's what you want to, see just a pros. Pro
- 14:53Speaker 2: he looked at he moved like it is not his first.
- 14:57Speaker 2: Rodeo during team, Period tanner McKee threw a, nice well
- 15:04Speaker 2: placed ball down the field to undrafted tight End Taekwon.
- 15:08Speaker 2: Wright must have been twenty five thirty. Yards The eagles
- 15:11Speaker 2: have a very very crowded room at the tight end,
- 15:16Speaker 2: position but Maybe wright can.
- 15:18Speaker 1: Make some things.
- 15:19Speaker 2: Interesting it's gonna be, tough but he's definitely gonna be
- 15:21Speaker 2: a name to. REMEMBER i Mentioned Brandon hayes to, start
- 15:27Speaker 2: BUT i want to add in that there was a
- 15:30Speaker 2: pass That Cole payton threw his.
- 15:32Speaker 1: Way it was.
- 15:33Speaker 2: Underthrown mac McWilliams was, converging but it fell. Incomplete but
- 15:38Speaker 2: then he helped. Himself late in the, session he was striding.
- 15:41Speaker 2: Downfield the rookie elevated Over Keely ringo to make a leaping.
- 15:45Speaker 2: Grab it was a good ball From peyton and a
- 15:47Speaker 2: good first day for The eagles rookie wide. Receiver just
- 15:52Speaker 2: to expand on some things That Saquon barkley had to,
- 15:55Speaker 2: say AND i wrote a story About. Saquon you can
- 15:57Speaker 2: find that On inside The birds dot. Com And i'm
- 16:00Speaker 2: talking About saquon's willingness to find different ways to, improve
- 16:09Speaker 2: whether that's combing over film or whether that's watching film
- 16:15Speaker 2: of running backs that he believes are the best in the,
- 16:17Speaker 2: game or seeking out someone Like Todd gurley or seeking
- 16:21Speaker 2: out his.
- 16:21Speaker 1: Tape and that's someone who has had a lot of.
- 16:24Speaker 2: Success in the in this style of what The eagles
- 16:28Speaker 2: are going to be doing from a run game, standpoint and,
- 16:31Speaker 2: Look saquon shoulders a lot of the. Burden he never
- 16:35Speaker 2: points out. Whard he always points the finger inward whenever
- 16:40Speaker 2: the conversations of last season come up or whenever and
- 16:43Speaker 2: when they were in the midst of. It he was
- 16:45Speaker 2: never one to pass the. Buck he took a, lot
- 16:49Speaker 2: he took ownership of. It he's totally, accountable AND i
- 16:54Speaker 2: think that's one of the qualities that he has that
- 16:57Speaker 2: doesn't get talked about. Enough but he is the clint essential.
- 17:01Speaker 2: Leader he's what every team should strive, for to strive
- 17:05Speaker 2: to have in their locker. Room and you'll see in
- 17:08Speaker 2: the quotes that you, know he spoke about what he
- 17:11Speaker 2: could have done. Better but there are so many reasons
- 17:14Speaker 2: why the run game didn't. Work but there's going to be.
- 17:17Speaker 2: Change AND i wrote about that and What saquon's sort
- 17:20Speaker 2: of doing and his perspective on the advantages between inside,
- 17:25Speaker 2: zone outside zone and just that acclamation.
- 17:28Speaker 1: Process But.
- 17:30Speaker 2: Saquon mentioned the advantage of running under, center where your
- 17:34Speaker 2: shoulders need to be more, square but you get downhill
- 17:38Speaker 2: faster and things like. That the scheme is, new so
- 17:45Speaker 2: they're still trying to establish that. Foundation you're not going
- 17:47Speaker 2: to have a lot of radical changes right now or
- 17:50Speaker 2: anything to really sink your teeth into so this is
- 17:54Speaker 2: more of the introductory phase where you're installing and familiarizing
- 17:59Speaker 2: yourself with your, coordinator the coordinator with the, players and, so,
- 18:04Speaker 2: YEAH i Thought saquon was really impressive at the. Podium
- 18:08Speaker 2: every Time saquon speaks seemingly he really leaves you thinking
- 18:14Speaker 2: or gives you a different viewpoint on a certain topic
- 18:18Speaker 2: and gives you some thought provoking. Answers and SO i
- 18:22Speaker 2: decided to write about, him and you can find my
- 18:25Speaker 2: observations on inside The birds dot com as. WELL egals coverage,
- 18:29Speaker 2: continues and make sure you keep it right here on
- 18:32Speaker 2: the inside of The birds platform and.
- 18:34Speaker 1: Right here on The Checko. Daily I'm andrew To. Checko
- 18:37Speaker 1: we'll catch you all on the next. One