Eagles training camp observations: Will Shipley flashes his hands

After an off day on Sunday, the Eagles were back on the field Monday for a practice that lasted 1 hour and 17 minutes on a mostly overcast morning.

The Eagles were in shorts but will have their first padded practice of the summer Tuesday.

In general, this was the first day of practice that I’d give a pretty clear win to the defense. The offense looked great the first three days of camp but the defense made more plays on Monday.

Let’s get to the observations:

1. As always, housekeeping:

Did not practice: Saquon Barkley (personal), Oren Burks (knee), Lane Johnson (toe), Tyler Steen (ankle)

Limited: Brett Toth (hamstring)

The injury to Johnson isn’t considered to be serious; he’s day-to-day. Steen got injured during Saturday’s practice and will miss at least a few days. Burks has not practiced since getting hurt the first day. Toth finally got on the field after missing the first three days.

Rookie left guard Trevor Keegan also left practice early with a trainer.

2. Some offensive depth chart notes:

• The most important development from Monday’s practice was probably that Mekhi Becton worked as the first-team right guard in place of Steen. It’s even more notable that he worked there despite the absence of Johnson. The Eagles could have just plugged Becton in at right tackle but it’s pretty clear they want to see him at right guard. He could be a very legitimate threat to Steen’s starting position.

First-team offensive line: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Becton, Fred Johnson

Second-team: Anim Dankwah, Trevor Keegan, Dylan McMahon, Matt Hennessy, Darian Kinnard

Third-team: Laekin Vakalahi, Max Scharping, Dylan McMahon, Jason Poe, Darian Kinnard

It’s worth noting that McMahon took over for Hennessy as the backup center. That had been Hennessy’s job for the first three days of camp. So either McMahon has been performing well enough to take that gig or the Eagles are getting their right guard contingencies in place.

• Without Barkley, the Eagles split up the first-team reps at running back between Kenny Gainwell and Will Shipley. Gainwell got the first crack at them.

3. Defensive depth chart notes:

• For the third straight day, the Eagles began a practice with Kelee Ringo opposite Darius Slay with the first-team defense. Eventually, Isaiah Rodgers worked in but it’s notable that Ringo has been getting these reps more consistently as they battle for a starting gig.

• Quinyon Mitchell was the first nickel cornerback on the field Monday, which is a significant development for the first-round pick. For the most part, that job has been Avonte Maddox’s so far. Mitchell got some first-team reps in the dime package on Saturday but to see him out there at nickel was noteworthy.

• Devin White and Zack Baun again started the day as the top linebackers but Nakobe Dean worked in. The Eagles continue to really mix and match at linebacker.

4. Without Barkley at practice, it meant more opportunities for the other backs and rookie Will Shipley made the most of his chances. The fourth-round pick caught several passes including a wheel route down the left sideline for a gain of 20 yards in 7-on-7s. He high-pointed the ball in stride and looked smooth doing it.

5. Even though Ringo got more first-team reps on Monday, Rodgers made the play of the day in the secondary. On a free play after a defensive lineman jumped, Kenny Pickett heaved up a good-looking deep ball for Joseph Ngata who probably thought he was about to haul in a huge touchdown catch in the front right corner of the end zone. But Rodgers closed quickly and made a diving PBU. Just a perfectly timed play from the veteran who missed all of last year on suspension.

6. Like we mentioned, this day went to the defense. The biggest play on offense was a deep ball from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith over Maddox for a long touchdown but it was after Milton Williams had to hold up in pursuit of Hurts. It would have been a sack in a game.

In general, the Eagles’ defensive line really got after Hurts on Monday. They got a few “sacks” and forced some check downs to running backs. Heck, on the very first snap of team periods, Jordan Davis ended up running free at Hurts to kill the play.

7. James Bradberry made a great jump on the ball from his spot as a second-team safety. He broke on a Pickett pass for Ngata in the middle of the field and made a diving pass breakup. That was an element of Bradberry’s game that was always there at corner and it translated to the middle of the field on Monday. 

8. Nolan Smith got caught in a tough spot on a zone-read where Hurts was able to bounce it outside and run around him on the edge and then down the right sideline. But Smith made up for it.

Later in practice, the second-year edge rusher beat Fred Johnson on back-to-back plays to get after Hurts. Obviously, Lane Johnson wasn’t out there at right tackle but Fred Johnson is still an NFL veteran and it was impressive to see Smith set him up the way he did. On the first sack, Smith beat him with a speed rush and then he came back with an inside move on the next. Smith said after practice that he’s looking forward to the pads coming on.

9. Nice play from Reed Blankenship to knife into the backfield to get Hurts for a TFL on a zone-read play. Blankenship might not be an amazing athlete but he’s always in the right spot and has really good instincts.

10. On one of those passes to Will Shipley in 7-on-7s, Devin White showed good speed in pursuit and closed quickly on the young running back. Credit Shipley because he held on to the football through the ground after contact. But it was a play that made me excited to know the pads are coming on tomorrow.

Stupid Observation of the Day: Before practice each day, the Eagles’ specialists bring out a soccer ball and kick it around. Jake Elliott hit a long pass to special teams coordinator Michael Clay, who showed off his wheels catching up with it down the sideline.