Eagles practice observations: Jalen Hurts and offense strikes back; rookie setbacks; Riq Woolen excels again

The Eagles held their second and final practice of minicamp on Wednesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations:

Markel Bell was the most notable addition to the Eagles’ injured list. The rookie tackle, who repped with the starters in Lane Johnson’s absence during organized team activities, watched practice. Bell joined the following who continued to sit out with injuries: linebacker Jihaad Campbell (shoulder), wide receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), tight end Grant Calcaterra, receiver Britain Covey, fullback Carson Steele, linebacker Chandler Martin (who was later released), and safety Tucker Large.

The Eagles had several players who were limited to varying degrees. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter and edge Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) sat out team drills again. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni declined to say whether Carter’s reduced workload was due to his health or ongoing contract negotiations. The Eagles seem intent on getting one of their more important players who dealt with shoulder woes all last season to training camp 100%. Receiver Darius Cooper was also limited.

Receiver DeVonta Smith was excused for a personal reason. Edge Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was missing again.

» READ MORE: Jalen Hurts pushes back on ESPN report suggesting his resistance to change: ‘I’m always open to growth’

Eli Stowers was in full uniform, but he didn’t partake in most drills. The rookie tight end wore a sleeve on his right leg. I mentioned on Tuesday that he had been relatively quiet during the competitive periods that reporters witnessed this spring, but it seems likely he’s been held back by injury. Sirianni had glowing things to say when I asked about the second-round pick before practice, but conceded that he has plenty to learn. The Eagles aren’t sounding the alarms, but it wasn’t ideal to have all three of their top draft picks — Lemon, Stowers, and Bell — injured during minicamp.

Saquon Barkley got dinged up during seven-on-seven drills. The running back stretched out for a Jalen Hurts pass he couldn’t haul in near the sideline and landed awkwardly. He got checked out by trainers and returned.

I’m going to lead with the first-unit offense because I thought it had its best set of the four open practices during team drills. The first three plays came with Hurts under center and two were well executed. On the first play, the offense was in 13 personnel with all three tight ends with their hands in the ground. Hurts’ play-action fake and a deep post route by receiver Hollywood Brown seemingly created space for tight end Dallas Goedert on a crossing route. Hurts hit him in stride. On the second, Barkley bounced outside through a gaping hole and was off to the races. There was also a successful pass play out of shotgun with Hurts layering a throw over the outstretched hand of a defender to receiver Dontayvion Wicks.

» READ MORE: Lane Johnson’s season-ending injury motivated him to return. The veteran tackle is eager for a less ‘stagnant’ offense.

The first-team defense rebounded during the next team period. Riq Woolen has a been a clear standout. He added to his spring resumé with a sack on a corner blitz and followed with an interception on the very next play. Hurts’ pass went right to the cornerback. There had to be a miscommunication between the quarterback and intended target Goedert.

There was also some confusion on where to line up so the offense had to re-huddle a play later. Hurts’ last two attempts fell incomplete: a dropped checkdown by tight end E.J. Jenkins and a throw wide of receiver Danny Gray on a comeback route.

Spring workouts offer the chance to glean early information on new players and schemes, but the Eagles won’t get a better sense of where they’re at until full pads are on in training camp. It’s difficult to put stock in competitive portions when plays are prescripted, but the first-unit offense didn’t get much going downfield in the four open workouts.

Hurts, despite being without Smith, went deep twice during seven-on-sevens. Both passes weren’t close to being completed. The first went to receiver Elijah Moore. He might have had a half step on Woolen, but the cornerback accelerated and muzzled Moore from making a play on the ball. Hurts also heaved one to Quez Watkins. But safety Michael Carter was in prime position and the ball floated out of the back of the end zone.

» READ MORE: After myriad injuries, Eagles center Cam Jurgens is ready to implement a new offense

If I was asked to give a short list of players trending up after watching four spring practices, I’d rank them:

Sirianni confirmed that Tanner McKee is no longer the unquestioned backup quarterback. He said that Andy Dalton and McKee were rotating at the No. 2 spot and declined to make any further declarations about the depth chart. While Dalton had gotten more snaps with the second offense in the open sessions, McKee ran with the twos on Wednesday. It was mostly checkdown city during seven-on-sevens, which might have been all that was there.

But the quarterback didn’t get much going during team drills either. McKee one-hopped a throw to Watkins off play-action, although his receiver could have run a better route. He got sacked by a blitzing Campbell. And McKee had a play effectively blown dead when he dropped and seemingly had nothing.

There’s a lot of new from Sean Mannion’s scheme if you look close enough. There’s been more under-center and play-action passes. There’s been more motion. But I think the biggest changes will come once we see more of the run game. The wide zone blocking scheme employed in the Shanahan-McVay system is completely foreign to some Eagles offensive linemen. I asked center Cam Jurgens if he had any prior experience with it — maybe in college? — and he said only in watching.

We should see more bunched sets in the Mannion offense. Wicks got wide open out of a three-by-one formation and Hurts found him in stride on a short crossing route. I think we’ll see more diversity in the screen game, too. Mannion dialed up back-to-back screens with the second unit in team drills. Bigsby knifed through a crowd of bodies on the first. Jenkins had two blockers and space on the second.

Dalton got just one set under center with the third-team offense in team drills. His first throw was late and cornerback Ambry Thomas jumped the out route for an interception. Rookie quarterback Cole Payton had more success with the group. He completed back-to-back throws with the second going to tryout receiver Joaquin Davis on a second-level dig route.

» READ MORE: Eagles add A.J. Epenesa to its edge rusher corps

Defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, who was drafted by the Eagles in the 2021 and played three seasons in Philly, was a tryout participant. … The Eagles had Family Day on the last day of minicamp. It was the first time I recall that happening. … The spring program is over. The Eagles will reconvene sometime in late July for the start of training camp. The official schedule has not yet been released.

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