Eagles practice observations: Dontayvion Wicks likely WR2; Truth-telling Vic Fangio; Eli Stowers’ education

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

Tackle Lane Johnson missed a fourth straight practice for an excused non-injury related reason. He’s expected to return soon, from what I understand. Landon Dickerson took a non-injury-related rest day. The Eagles will be careful with their oft-injured left guard. Dickerson was spotted jogging midway through practice with a sleeve on his left leg.

Wide receiver Britain Covey was a new addition to the injury list. He left Tuesday’s practice with a hamstring injury. The following remained injured and out: receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), edge Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle) and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring).

Rookie guards Micah Morris (shoulder) and Jaeden Roberts (calf contusion) returned to practice, but were limited.

After two straight days in full pads, coach Nick Sirianni dialed the intensity back. Players wore only shells for a 75-minute session — the shortest of camp thus far. Sean Mannion’s offense, overall, executed better after a difficult Tuesday vs. Vic Fangio’s defense.

“I told him, we obviously got the best of yesterday’s practice by a long shot,” Fangio said when asked about Mannion’s play-calling. “But that’s the way it’s been the last two years in training camp. The defense has gotten the best of the offense. So, not to be too concerned.”

I don’t think Fangio was puffing his chest out or anything. He was just being the truth teller that he can often be. He was also adding context. Defenses are traditionally ahead early in camp, especially when the offense is new. But I’m not so sure about his last comment. I’d be concerned if there were any similarities to last year’s offense.

Mannion’s first unit likely benefitted from four key defensive starters — linebacker Zack Baun, defensive back Cooper DeJean and cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen — being held out of team drills. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Michael Carter II, Jonathan Jones and Kelee Ringo played in their spots.

With the offense down three starters, it might have made sense to even the playing field. Rookie Markel Bell and second-year offensive lineman Drew Kendell filled in for Johnson and Dickerson at right tackle and left guard, respectively.

It’s been a by-committee approach at receiver, especially with the bona fide No. 1 sidelined. Dontayvion Wicks has thus far made the best case to be Smith’s No. 2. He may have a leg up on the others, having played in the Kyle Shanahan-style scheme Mannion brought with him from Green Bay. But there has also been obvious rapport between quarterback Jalen Hurts and the former Packers receiver. Hurts delivered a 20-yardish strike to Wicks just ahead of arriving safety Andre Sam in 7-on-7s on Wednesday.

If the receiver competition was based on the first week alone, Darius Cooper would have the edge on the other combatants. I said this to someone the other day: “If Lemon was having the camp Cooper was having, every reporter would be hyping the first-round rookie.” The Eagles have to take everything into account, of course. Veterans Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore have been unspectacular in camp, but they also have proven track records, even if both have seen their numbers decline in recent years.

Cooper should be a lock for the roster, though. I know some have viewed the fifth receiver spot as a toss-up between him and Johnny Wilson. But Cooper has more upside, despite Wilson’s size and Sirianni’s appreciation for his blocking. Cooper didn’t make any splash catches on Wednesday. Hurts dropped a beauty to him in the back corner of the end zone, but the receiver couldn’t stick the landing after he dove for the ball.

On cue, Dallas Goedert and the tight ends were featured in the passing game a day after I noted that they’ve been relatively quiet in that regard. Hurts went to tight ends on his first two dropbacks in 7-on-7s. Goedert hauled in the first on a slant, while E.J. Jenkins couldn’t on a similar route from the other side of the formation.

Goedert caught another pass during the period on a short buttonhook and he was again Hurts’ first target in team drills. The tight end hung on despite linebacker Jihaad Campbell being in close quarters. Campbell later reached out and broke up a pass to receiver Samori Toure.

With Johnny Mundt often the second blocking tight end in under-center scenarios, Grant Calcaterra has gotten receiving opportunities on third downs. He appeared to shortarm a toss from Hurts with Ringo in the vicinity.

Even Cam Latu has seen more passes thrown his way than rookie tight end Eli Stowers. The Eagles are clearly not rushing their second-round draft pick. He’s low on the depth chart and has mostly run with the third offense. Stowers is a relative newcomer to the position. He switched from quarterback to tight end just three years ago and he wasn’t asked to block a ton at Vanderbilt.

So he has a lot to digest, beyond just the Xs and Os of a new scheme. Stowers is on the smaller side so learning the proper technique in blocking will be crucial. It could be some time before he’s placed in those circumstances. But he could get on the field on obvious passing downs. I found it interesting that he was split wide in the development period. The ball came his way, but cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields was on his hip and broke up a pass that was was thrown slightly behind.

There was a fair amount of run game activity. Saquon Barkley didn’t have much room to operate on his carries. Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo knifed past Kendell on one Barkley carry. Outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt set the edge and helped contain the running back on an outside zone run. Nose tackle Jordan Davis easily defeated center Cam Jurgens one-on-one and picked up a tackle for loss.

I hesitate to mention Jurgens in the negative because he’s otherwise had a strong start to camp. He’s poised to bounce back from last season’s setback. Tank Bigsby had a few touches out of the backfield, as well, but he’s been featured more as a receiver than Barkley. He got Campbell to commit pass interference with a double move in the open field.

Running back Will Shipley had a shaky first several practices, but I thought he showed up on Day 6, particularly in the run game. He had two strong rushes up the middle when he got skinny through his blocks. He also picked up Trotter’s blitz later on.

Michael Carter II got a strong endorsement from Fangio before practice. I’m not sure if he’ll beat out Marcus Epps for the nickel safety spot, but he could have the sixth defensive back role in dime personnel locked down. Speaking of locking down, he ran step for step with receiver Danny Gray on a corner route into the end zone. When he ball sailed out of reach, Carter popped up and gave Gray a double thumbs-down.

Fangio said not to sleep on linebacker Chance Campbell’s chances of making the 53-man roster. Tackle Cam Williams took Campbell out at the second level on the run play and that was the last I saw the linebacker until he was walking with a trainer to the medical tent. He seemed fine later on, but didn’t return to play.

Tanner McKee was first up with the second unit offense in 7 on 7s, but Andy Dalton took more team repetitions. The quarterbacks continue to slug it out for the backup spot. Dalton found Wilson open on a crossing route. He hit Quez Watkins on a short pass and the receiver hit the afterburners when cornerback Ambry Thomas took a bad angle. Defensive tackle Ty Robinson pressured Dalton into a throwaway.

McKee just hasn’t looked as sharp as he did last camp. He doesn’t have the luxury of working with the same unit as he did a year ago. That’s no excuse, but he has struggled to throw the ball downfield, especially with the third unit. He finally found an open man down the seam, but tight end Stone Smartt dropped the ball like he had hands of brick.

Hurts had a couple dashes into space on the ground — once when he kept the ball on a run-pass-run option and another on a scramble when his receivers were tied up in man coverage. … Tempers flared for a second straight day. Linebacker Smael Mondon and tackle John Ojukwu got into a brief altercation, as did tackle Fred Johnson and edge A.J. Epenesa. … Gunslinger Cole Payton tossed another interception when he heaved a pass into a crowded area and the ball deflected to Castro-Fields. … Former Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin attended camp. He said it was the first time he’s been back at the practice facility since he was a player. … The Eagles have a closed walkthrough on Thursday before returning to practice on Friday.

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The first days of Eagles training camp practice in South Philadelphia are in the books. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner check in with key observations and highlight emerging early storylines to kick off unCovering the Birds’ coverage of the 2026 season.  unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season. We're always looking for mailbag questions! Hit Jeff up on his socials, or drop a question in the comments. Jeff could answer it in a future episode! Listen here.

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