Friday's practice marks two weeks until the Eagles first preseason contest on August 12th against the New York Jets. Here's what the team said following their second practice of Training Camp.
Jason Kelce
"We have to get better right now."
Entering his 12th season, he knows from experience. Regardless of the talent on the team, there is always work to be done.
"The only way we're going to be any good this season is if we come out here and we work and everybody comes out with the mentality to get better each and every day," Kelce said.
"Nobody here is so good that they can't get better."
A tenured leader on the team, Kelce is already aware of who's eager to make the necessary effort to improve – even during walkthroughs.
Although he hasn't seen many reps during practice just yet – Kelce's taken notice to spry rookies on the other end of the line, like first-round draft pick defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
Kelce says it all comes down to the look in his eyes.
"Whenever you see an eye, and the guy's got bug eyes, that means his senses are on alert, right? He's taking everything in," Kelce said.
"That tells me that he's willing to grow and he's trying to improve his craft. Those are the guys that when you combine that with the physical skill set he has, it's very good to see."
Lane Johnson
Johnson's entering his 10th season as an Eagle, and he's feeling much better than last.
The 2021 season wasn't an easy one for him. Despite the hurdles, he led NFL offensive tackles with his 0.2% knockdown percentage, allowing zero sacks and just one hit in 413 pass-blocking opportunities. His efforts contributed to an offensive line that helped the Eagles lead the league in rushing offense and rushing touchdowns, establishing single-season franchise records in both.
At times last year, Johnson wasn't sure he could play because he couldn't push off his left foot. He says he could feel it on every play.
"You'll see from the tape really at the beginning of last year I couldn't really block the way I'm used to," Johnson said.
But now, after an offseason spent training in a converted horse barn on his property that now stands as a state-of-the-art workout facility, fondly known among its patrons as "The Bro Barn," he's blocking like himself again.
"I'm in a good headspace now. I'm comfortable and I'm glad to be back, man."
Haason Reddick
"It's amazing, man. I've been excited ever since I decided I wanted to come here. To be honest, it still really hasn't settled in yet."
Haason Reddick is preparing for his first appearance as a Philadelphia Eagle, but the game will hold more meaning than just his introductory outing with a new team.
It will mark his triumphant return to Philadelphia as he reclaims the Linc as his home turf; it's the field where he transformed from a zero-star recruit from Camden to a walk-on who made American Athletic Conference history playing for Temple University.
He'll sport No. 7, the same single-digit jersey number he was awarded by his teammates as a senior. Per Temple tradition, any jersey under 10 goes only to the toughest players on the roster.
At Temple, he recorded 150 tackles, 46 tackles for loss (the second most ever recorded from an AAC player), 18 sacks, five forced fumbles, four passes defensed, one interception, and one fumble recovered.
Since he was drafted in 2018, Reddick has emerged as one of the league's most effective pass rushers. He's produced the fifth-most sacks in the NFL since 2020 and he's tied for the fourth-most tackles for loss.
Motivated to build off of his success, Reddick says he's gained a substantial amount of muscle in the offseason. On Friday morning, he weighed in at his target of 247 pounds - that's 12 heavier than he was at the close of his 2021 campaign as a Panther.
"Adding on some more weight, adding on some more strength, that way I can utilize moves like my bull rush a little bit more effectively. I started doing it last year toward the end of the season and I kind of liked the way I was knocking back the tackles," Reddick said.
