Eagles practice observations: Tyler Steen vs. Ty Robinson; Darius Cooper keeps impressing; Quinyon Mitchell’s improved hands

The Eagles held the ninth practice of their 2026 training camp on Monday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 9 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8):

Wide receiver Johnny Wilson (knee), cornerback Jonathan Jones (shoulder), and running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) were added to the injury report after recent setbacks. Wilson had stacked solid practices the last few days. Last August, his season ended before it even started when he suffered knee and ankle injuries that required surgery. It’s unclear if he re-injured the same knee. Jones projects as the top reserve outside cornerback. Pierce is competing for a roster spot.

The following Eagles remained sidelined with injuries: receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring), and receiver Danny Gray (concussion). Smith and Lemon have now missed a week of camp. Receiver Britain Covey (hamstring) and linebacker Chance Campbell (groin) were limited.

The Eagles made several roster moves before practice. They signed outside linebacker Tarron Jackson, defensive tackle David Blay, and running back Ja’Quinden Jackson. They placed running back Elijah Mitchell, who left Saturday’s workout early, on injured reserve. And they waived guard Jaeden Roberts and tight end Dae’Quan Wright.

Darius Cooper might have had his best day of camp, which is saying something. The second-year receiver is making an argument that he should be given more than just a roster spot. He’s been getting a lot of repetitions with Smith and Lemon out, and quarterback Jalen Hurts clearly trusts him.

Their best connection came midway through the workout. Cooper got cornerback Riq Woolen to bite on a double move before Hurts hit him downfield. The receiver used a stutter-step to draw the corner in before beating him over top. Hurts’ throw was a touch underthrown, but the quarterback had to be careful with safety Michael Carter II crashing from over the top. Cooper simply turned back and made the grab in the air.

Earlier, Cooper shook Woolen on an out route. He was also Hurts’ favorite target during 7-on-7s and plucked a ball thrown slightly behind him with Carter in the vicinity. In an end-of-game situation, he caught a pass and stayed upright after bouncing off linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. The Eagles brought in four new receivers to help replace A.J. Brown — Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, and Elijah Moore — but a returnee is just as viable a candidate.

Lane Johnson may be nearing the end of his career, but he doesn’t appear to be slowing down. His get-off is still elite. Nolan Smith Jr. stood little chance of getting past the right tackle each time they faced off. By the time Smith was into his pass rush move, Johnson was vertically set and virtually impossible to get by.

Fred Johnson got the nod ahead of rookie Markel Bell when Lane Johnson rested during team drills. They have been rotating and switching sides throughout camp. There was one notable change on the offensive line. Drew Kendall took all the snaps at center with the second unit. Jake Majors has mostly held that role as Kendall cross-trained at guard. Kendall was still Landon Dickerson’s replacement at left guard with the first offense, but he’s back to his normal position with the twos. Majors dropped to third-team center.

We had what could definitively be labeled the first fight of camp. It came early in the first team drill period, but it had been brewing for days. I had noticed guard Tyler Steen and defensive tackle Ty Robinson mixing it up post-play a few times last week. But they went way beyond the whistle this time.

I didn’t see who started it, but apparently Robinson took exception to Steen blocking him beyond what he deemed necessary. Robinson somehow ended up at the bottom of a pile with Steen and center Cam Jurgens on top. Several tried to break the scrum up, but there was little budging as it took some time to peel off players.

Robinson has been getting occasional snaps with the first defense. But the second-year D-tackle stood out as a pass rusher with the second unit. He slipped through the interior for an early pressure. And later on, he used his patented club-swim move to beat Majors — who was at guard — for a sack. Robinson has been working on his arsenal and got Majors off balance with a bull rush on the next play.

Quinyon Mitchell notched his second interception of camp. While the first came during 7-on-7s a week ago, this one was in team drills. It came during an end-of-game scenario in which the offense trailed by four points. Hurts had to force the issue, but the turnover came on first down. Brown was the intended receiver, but Mitchell jumped his route and punted the ball after the pick in celebration.

Mitchell is still looking for his first career regular season interception. He has two in the postseason. He’s not a natural ball-catcher, but the additional JUGS work he’s been putting in may be paying off. Mitchell is already an All-Pro, but more interceptions could result in him becoming the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL next offseason.

To his credit, he doesn’t go hunting for interceptions. Hurts threw one pass up for grabs with tight end Dallas Goerdert in the area, but Mitchell came flying across and batted the ball to the ground.

Like Robinson, cornerback Mac McWilliams didn’t play much last season as a rookie. But the lightbulb could be switching on in Year 2. He’s been getting intermittent looks with the first unit and had a pass breakup on a Hurts toss to Wicks during team drills.

McWilliams’ development could make either Jakorian Bennett or Kelee Ringo expendable, especially if he can play both in the slot and outside. Bennett had a PBU of his own on a Hurts pass to Wicks.

Ringo has mostly been relegated to the third unit. With Jones out, Tariq Castro-Fields took the initial snaps at outside corner opposite Bennett. Ringo has long been a top gunner on special teams, but he’s been increasingly prone to taking penalties. Still, the Eagles may not have a better option. Sydney Brown was the other gunner last season, but he was traded in the offseason.

Moore continued to make the most of his reps in the slot with Lemon on ice. Hurts found him alone on a short crossing route during team drills. The receiver motored into the secondary thanks in part to running back Tank Bigsby’s downfield block on Woolen.

Later on, the offense had one last gasp in another end-of-game situation in which they trailed by eight points. Hurts and Co. advanced into the red zone with two seconds left. With the defense rushing only three, the quarterback bought time and rolled to his right. He threw across his body and Moore elevated over cornerback Cooper DeJean for the touchdown.

Nolan Smith Jr. argued that Hurts would have been sacked — and profanely expressed his frustration — but there didn’t appear to be a defender who got near the passer. The two-point conversion failed, however, when an open Hollywood Brown slipped before Hurts’ throw arrived.

Quarterback Andy Dalton was first up with the second offense in 7-on-7s. It didn’t go well. He missed Moore on his first attempt and Woolen nearly had a pick. He then threw behind an open Cooper and Covey on successive plays. He did hook up with rookie tight end Eli Stowers to end the set.

Dalton had several completions during team drills, but he overthrew receiver Quez Watkins when he found tons of space on a deep corner. I wondered if Watkins’ route was precise, but Dalton waited for his receiver after the play and judging by his body language seemed to think he should have completed the throw.

Tanner McKee was a little sharper. The quarterback short-hopped an early toss to receiver Samori Toure. But he found Watkins at the second level, and later laced a downfield dart to receiver Brandon Hayes. He missed Hayes on the next play, but there was a miscommunication as McKee signaled where he wanted his receiver.

Dickerson can still move with suddenness, as he showed on a pull block that sprung running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley’s athleticism never ceases to amaze. He got knocked to the ground after a run, did a somersault and vaulted to his feet. He could have been an Olympic gymnast.

Tight end Grant Calcaterra had a couple catches with the first offense. I don’t know if he can make the team with blocking becoming more prominent at his position. But receiving has never been the problem. Linebacker Jihaad Campbell had a tackle for loss.

Linebacker Smael Mondon got a number of opportunities to blitz. Bigsby shielded him off on one attempt, but Mondon found a few creases to McKee. Shaun Wade played some second-unit dime as the sixth defensive back.

I’m still not sure if Cole Payton will be the third quarterback. He’s shown more so far than Kyle McCord — another third-day pick — did last camp. But he can be wild. He air-mailed a pass over Hayes’ head at one point. But he showed his mobility with a zig-zagging scramble during the developmental period. … During punt drills, the returners were in order: Covey, Moore and DeJean. … Long snapper Rocco Underwood’s first snap nearly went over punter Braden Mann’s head, but Mann did well to catch it. Underwood’s next few tries were a little to the right, but he finished strong. He doesn’t have the job locked up by any means. … The Eagles practice on Tuesday and will have a closed walkthrough on Wednesday.

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The Eagles are grinding their way through the second week of training camp. Some parts of the team have looked good, others remain very much a work in progress. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Jeff Neiburg assess quarterback Jalen Hurts’ play, how some of his targets are faring, and why, regardless of how the offense is coming together, the defense could be elite enough to help the Eagles contend for another title. Listen here.

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