What Eagles fans should watch during open practice
· Yahoo Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles will give fans an opportunity to watch the team work at Lincoln Financial Field as preparations continue for Friday’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. With most of Philadelphia’s established starters unlikely to play Friday, the open practice could provide the best remaining look at Jalen Hurts and the first-team units before the regular-season opener against the Washington Commanders.
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Here are the biggest storylines Eagles fans should follow.
The starting wide receivers
Philadelphia is trending toward having its top three receivers available for Week 1. DeVonta Smith and rookie Makai Lemon were full participants Monday, while Dontayvion Wicks has continued working with the starting offense.
The open practice should offer another opportunity to evaluate their timing with Hurts. Lemon missed valuable time with a hamstring injury, making every rep important as he adjusts to the offense and builds chemistry with Philadelphia’s starting quarterback.
Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton
The Eagles continue listing Dalton and McKee together behind Hurts, but their preseason production has been significantly different. McKee completed 16 of 22 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns against New England. Dalton has struggled to generate consistent offense during his preseason opportunities. Philadelphia’s coaches have stressed that the decision will be based on the complete body of work. How the repetitions are divided during open practice could offer another clue about the competition.
Cooper DeJean’s defensive role
DeJean is listed at both nickel cornerback and safety on Philadelphia’s depth chart. That reflects his versatility rather than uncertainty about whether he will have a role. Fans should watch where DeJean lines up, how often he moves around the formation and which defensive backs join him in different personnel packages. Riq Woolen and Quinyon Mitchell remain the starting outside cornerbacks.
Ty Robinson’s continued rise
Few Eagles have improved their standing more than Robinson. The second-year defensive tackle recorded two sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits against the Patriots after also producing a sack in the preseason opener. Robinson is listed behind Jordan Davis, but his recent production could earn him a meaningful place in Philadelphia’s defensive line rotation.
Philadelphia’s reserve offensive line
Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall and Markel Bell have helped turn offensive line depth into an encouraging development. Lampkin’s versatility at guard and center has been particularly valuable. With roster cuts approaching, the Eagles must determine how many reserve linemen they can keep. Their performance against Philadelphia’s defensive front should be one of the most competitive parts of practice.
Return responsibilities
Britain Covey remains listed as the primary punt returner, followed by Lemon and Elijah Moore. Will Shipley leads the kickoff return group ahead of Dameon Pierce and Tank Bigsby. Special teams responsibilities could influence several roster decisions. Every return period, coverage rep and blocking assignment will matter for players near the bottom of the depth chart.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: What Eagles fans should watch during open practice