Highlight(s) of the Day

Saturday was one for the defense. In the final team period, the Eagles focused on third-down plays, keeping score of which side of the ball won in the process.

The first-team defense won three out of five plays against the starters on offense. On the final play, defensive tackle Milton Williams looped around the tackle to "sack" quarterback Jalen Hurts to seal the win. The second-team defense bested the offense 2-1 as quarterback Kenny Pickett was under pressure as Williams again pressured up the middle while rookie edge rusher Jalyx Hunt bullrushed from the defense's left side.

Position Spotlight: Tight End

The best way to get a feel for how the Eagles plan to use the tight ends is to ask the players. Dallas Goedert is effusive in his praise for what he has seen so far and how the position could be utilized in 2024.

"I feel like it'll play in favor of the tight end, the quick game a little bit, getting back to the pivots, the sticks that I caught earlier in my career that went away a little bit," Goedert said. "I'm really excited for how he (Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore) uses the tight end and how he feels like they can be a big part of the offense and help win games."

Get the ball out quickly and take advantage of great matchups, and because Goedert has great size and speed, the Eagles almost always have a favorable matchup against him. He has had a lot of touches in the first week of Training Camp as the offense is being installed.

Moore talked about the tight ends on Saturday and said he liked the depth of the position, praising Goedert and third-year man Grant Calcaterra, who has established himself as the No. 2 player at the position to date.

There is competition, and that's exactly how the Eagles want it to be. E.J. Jenkins is a large man at 6-5, 245 pounds, runs well and has opened some eyes early in camp. Albert Okwuegbunam joined the team last season and accelerated his development, and now has to take the anticipated step forward to make an impact here.

Signed following the 2024 NFL Draft, C.J. Uzomah played seven seasons with Cincinnati, two with the New York Jets, and now he's an Eagle with great experience – 106 games played with 192 receptions and 19 touchdowns scored.

How many tight ends will the Eagles keep on the 53-man roster? Certainly two and possibly three, which means there is a lot of competition happening, just the way Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman likes it.

Fran Duffy's Key Takeaways

• In the first team period, it was apparent early that the defense would be mixing up its looks against the offense on Saturday. Just in the first handful of plays there were a variety of different player combinations, front looks, and pressure schemes thrown at Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offense. To his credit, Hurts was still able to generate completions in this period, hitting DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown on quick throws to start it off, but the defense certainly made him earn it.

• The first one-on-one sessions of the summer take place, and I spent it watching the running backs and linebackers go head-to-head in the pass game. The star of the drill was rookie running back Will Shipley, who showed off outstanding route-running skill and quickness and shake in and out of cuts to separate and win as a receiver. Saquon Barkley had a couple of nice wins against linebackers as well. The drill ended with all of the linebackers doing push-ups before moving over to the primary field. That wouldn't be the last we would see of Shipley this morning, as he took a shallow cross in a later team period and ran away from the defense for a big gain that may have scored in live action.

• While Fran watched the RB/LB 1-on-1 drills, I took in the WR/DB battles. Jalen Hurts opened the session with a perfectly thrown ball deep down the right sideline (about 40 yards) for Parris Campbell, who faked the cornerback inside and went streaking up the field. Hurts lofted the ball perfectly for Campbell, who hauled it in just before the goal line. Hurts finished with another marvelous throw, this time to DeVonta Smith down the left side. Smith created initial separation with a jab step inside at the line of scrimmage and Hurts placed the ball over Smith's shoulder at the goal line to keep the corner at bay. – Chris McPherson

• The defensive starters got the better of the offensive counterparts in the second team period, with sound coverage on the back end and a disruptive pass rush finding different ways to get home throughout the first few plays. The backups on defense had similar success, limiting Kenny Pickett and company from producing much through the air.

• The 7-on-7 action allowed more breathing room for the passing game, as Hurts found completions to DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, and Britain Covey all consecutively to start the session. Will Shipley also caught a quick out route from Hurts before the backups took the field, which resulted in one of the offensive plays of the day. Pickett dropped back and hit Covey on a beautiful slot fade down the left sideline. Rookie Quinyon Mitchell was in tight coverage on the throw but the ball was perfectly placed and Covey brought it in deep downfield.

• The next team period begins with another trio of Hurts completions to Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Brown, respectively. Defensively, Josh Jobe had the play of the period with a pass breakup on a slant route on the outside.

• The team got together for some special teams drills, with the kickoff and kickoff return units going head-to-head in 1-on-1 battles. The member of the return team tried to block the coverage player, giving enough time for the returner to scoot by. This session was in a rapid fire-pace, so a lot of reps were taken here. Some standout players include Jobe, young veteran Patrick Johnson, and rookie pass rusher Jalyx Hunt.

Injury Report

Linebacker Oren Burks (knee) and tackle/guard Brett Toth (hamstring) were once again sidelined on Saturday.

Merrill Reese: 'I was proud to be a part of the military'

The Eagles celebrated our nation's Armed Forces on Saturday with Military Appreciation Day, presented by Dietz and Watson. Merrill Reese, the longest-tenured play-by-play announcer in the NFL, embarks on his 48th season behind the mic. Before his broadcaster career took off in earnest, Reese was a public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy (Lieutenant Senior Grade). Next Friday, Reese will be honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Pete Rozelle Award, which recognizes an individual who has dedicated their career to improving radio and television in professional football. Reese is only the third local radio play-by-play announcer to earn the prestigious honor. Reese discussed his time with the military and how he still gets nervous before each Eagles broadcast.

As someone who served in the military, what does Military Appreciation Day mean to you? "It's paying homage and showing the appreciation to the people who keep us safe and means so much to our country."

How did your service impact your life? "I think every experience you have in life contributes to who you are and that was a very good experience. For me, I was a Navy public affairs officer, so I didn't do anything heroic, but I felt a great feeling of pride. I was proud to be a part of the military. I was proud to be a Naval officer. And I grew, I gained confidence, self-confidence. There's discipline. There's a lot of things you gain from it that make you a total person, so it was a very, very meaningful part of my life."

Would you be an Eagles Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer or the recipient of the Pete Rozelle Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame if not for your military service? "I'm amazed that we have Merrill Reese, the Hall of Fame broadcaster. Regardless, I was shocked when I got the call. It was something that I never envisioned. It was one thing becoming a member of the Eagles Hall of Fame because when you're doing something for 100 years, you're bound to get some accolades along with it, but as far as the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I never thought about it. I never had it on my bucket list because I never even thought of it as a possibility. So when it happened, I was totally, totally shocked. But I'm grateful and I'm honored, but I'm honored every time I step behind the microphone and broadcast to what I believe is the most knowledgable and passionate fan base in the entire country. Eagles fans live and die with the Birds every week and for them to be able to share my love of this great sport and this team with them ... that's the greatest honor of all."

You will be in Canton, Ohio next weekend to receive the Pete Rozelle Award. How would you describe the past few weeks since you got the call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame? "First of all, I heard from all 31 of the other team announcers. I heard from each and every one of them. I heard from friends that I haven't talked to in a long time, but I mean, I had over 1,000 messages I think that day. I've heard from a lot of wonderful people.

"It's great because it's a fraternity (with the other play-by-play announcers). It's a group of guys who feel the way I do about their jobs. They love it. It's passionate and for them to say the nice things they said meant a lot. I got a beautiful handwritten note from Governor (Josh) Shapiro. I was really taken by that. And then yesterday, I was really surprised because I got a beautiful congratulatory message from somebody that I have never actually met and that was Roger Staubach, who was a great Navy quarterback and actually I have a number 12 Roger Staubach jersey up in our family room."

Have you thought about the speech that you will give when you accept the Pete Rozelle Award? "I have to tell you something. I'm more nervous before the first game against the Baltimore Ravens, the preseason game, because you're dealing with 90-man rosters. I'm nervous before every game that I broadcast, even going into my 48th year, until Joe McPeak, my producer, cues me and then I come on with the beginning of the broadcast. And from there on, I'm floating. I'm doing what I'd rather do than anything else in the world, so as far as the jitters are concerned, I'm sure I'll feel jitters getting up and speaking at the Convention Center in Canton, but it's all part of it and that gives you the energy. I'd be lost without those little jitters."

NFL Network and NFL on CBS analyst Charles Davis offers 3 takeaways from Eagles practice

What was your biggest takeaway watching the Eagles on Saturday? "If you're mired in thinking about last year's team, let it go. That's my takeaway from watching this. I've said throughout the offseason that someone's going to write the definitive story of what happened to the Eagles and why things went. I have not seen that story and I think at this point, the Eagles don't care. It just feels like, 'OK, we've turned, we're moving. We're going, but it's in a very easy direction.' It's not one of those, 'OK, let's have this big meeting. Everything's done from last year.' It's just kind of like acknowledged, move on. Enough differences. Good leadership. It just feels like it's a non-issue at this point."

You spent time with Jalen Hurts after practice. What are your impressions of him coming into 2024? "You meet Jalen Hurts for the first time, you walk away impressed. You meet him a second time and it gets cemented. You just keep meeting him every time and it's always the same. You've got a young man who really understands who he is, understands what he's about, what the team's about, what the goal and aspirations are starting with getting to a Super Bowl, and then all the individual stuff falls under that, which doesn't ever seem to come to his focus. But he's been through enough tings, change, transition, all that is like second nature to him and he handles it so easily, carries that responsibility lightly on his shoulders. But as I said, you meet him once. You're impressed. Second time, it's cemented. How can it get any better? And now, you can tell this is a fully seasoned veteran in full control of who he is and where he's trying to get to."

The Eagles invested heavily in the defensive back position this offseason. What are your initial thoughts on the group as a whole? "There's a reason that these kids went when they went. It's a surprise to me that Cooper DeJean doesn't go in the first round, but so who cares? He goes to the right place. I know he's not practicing right now, but I've seen him on tape and when he gets back I know the different ways he'll be utilized. It's just fun to watch these guys go about their business. And you have veterans helping, you've got kids who can be versatile, you've got veterans who can be versatile. You see (James) Bradberry lining up at safety. You just see all of these different things. It's a lot of fun. We always talk about cross-training offensive linemen just in case. I think cross-training defensive backs is a good idea, too. You never know if you get into certain positions, plus, when formations change and you can change strength of coverage and all without everything being declared that this guy is the force player and this guy is the boundary player, it's a world of difference for what you're trying to do versus an offense. I think the Eagles have those capabilities."

Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore likes what he has seen from quarterback Jalen Hurts early in Training Camp: "Jalen's been really smooth the first couple of days. He's been excellent. Just his operation, you can just tell he's in command. He's in control. He's doing an excellent job at the line of scrimmage with the little nuances, little adjustments that he has to his disposal. It's been really good."

James Bradberry explained on Saturday that he approached the team about making the transition to safety. He identified the biggest change moving from cornerback: "I think the difficulty for a corner because as a corner on the outside, you're not required to talk a whole lot. And really, you're not required to learn every other position. At safety, you have to learn everyone, mainly the inside guys' pieces as far as the blitzes and stuff because you have to make sure that the safety rolls. You always have to have somebody post whenever you're blitzing somebody, so you got to listen because then you have to cover for him and roll down and replace him. (You have) the information part, the communication part, and, of course, it's more tackling. You're going to be in the box a lot more."

Reed Blankenship loves being reunited with C.J. Gardner-Johnson the back end of the defense: "Our communication's been really good. It's getting to the point where we just know what each other is doing and just ended up in the right spot at the right time. That's what duo safeties are really good at now in the league, just knowing what our job description is and that goes back to our coaches and what the scheme is like right now and just knowing the defense. I believe that me and C.J. make a pretty good couple. I had a lot of playing time with him when he was here in '22 and I feel like his playing style and his communication hasn't changed. I feel like we go good together in the back end."

Parris Campbell grateful for opportunity with Eagles: "When the (2023) season ended, I didn't know what was going to come, you know what I mean? I was a guy that came in on my fourth year, it's going (upward trajectory) and in New York I kind of plateaued. I didn't know what to expect from the offseason, free agency. ... My mind was flustered because I was scared. I didn't know, like maybe this was it. I didn't know what to focus on next. When the Eagles called, we talked and I got the offer and I was like, 'Alright, I got another shot,' and at the end of the day I think that's what a lot of people take for granted. There's so many people who play ball, so many people who want to be where I'm at. Whether I'm at the top of the totem pole or at the bottom of the totem pole, you got an opportunity and it's all about what you're going to do with it."

Cornerback Kelee Ringo on what he learned as a rookie and how that's helped his development entering Year 2: "I definitely see the difference from college to the league is a huge difference and definitely last year helped me to see that. Coming into this year, I know what to expect and how to prepare myself for games. I feel like the experience will definitely help you do better. Having experience and just knowing what things look like and the pace of the game and the schemes coming at you."