Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 8/4/23.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Why does Nick Sirianni keep singling out running back Trey Sermon? - NBCSP
“I’m really pleased with the new guys, D’Andre and Rashaad,” Sirianni said. “Kenny and Boston have been productive the last two years and have made a lot of plays for us the past two years not only in the season, but in the playoffs. Then I can’t say enough about Trey.” Why would Sirianni include a guy who got two rushing attempts all last year? Because this genuinely is a five-man competition, and the Eagles are going to give Sermon every opportunity to win a roster spot. “We were really excited to get him last year,” Sirianni said. “He was able to get some game reps (and) we really liked him in practice. … “When guys get drafted, sometimes you bang the table and are, like, ‘Shoot, you know, you can’t get everybody,’ so we were really excited to get him when we got him last year.” Sermon was a beast in college. He had a big sophomore year at Oklahoma – 947 rushing yards, a 5.8 average and 13 TDs – before finishing at Ohio State, where he ran for 870 yards with a 7.5 average as a senior in 2020. His 6.5 average from 2017 through 2020 was seventh-highest in the BCS, just below Swift’s 6.6. The 49ers selected the 6-foot, 215-pound Sermon in the third round in 2021 – he was the fourth running back taken – but after he rushed for 167 yards and a 4.1 average in nine games, they cut him last summer. The Eagles claimed him and kept him on the 53-man roster all year, although he was buried behind Miles Sanders, Boston Scott and Kenny Gainwell and only played eight snaps all year.

Eagles camp report: Depth chart movement, 1-on-1 sessions and a running back to watch - The Athletic
It’s worth mentioning Trey Sermon here. Perhaps it’s confirmation bias because I made a note to watch him, but he continues mixing in with the top unit and Sirianni boasts about him whenever he gets the chance. He looks the part (in practice at least) and was even split wide at one point on Thursday. A 2021 third-round pick who was a big-time college runner, Sermon is a player the Eagles clearly like considering they carried him on the roster all of last season. Maybe they showcase him this summer or maybe he jumps one of the more established running backs on the roster. Just remember his name, because he’s certainly in the mix in a crowded group that appears now to be a committee. (Newcomer Swift has received most of the attention in camp, and I still expect him to be the No. 1 back, but the Eagles are mixing different running backs in with the top unit.) “We really liked Trey coming out of Ohio State,” Sirianni said. “We were really excited to get him when we got him last year. … We saw it every day in practice, the consistency, the athleticism, his quickness, his physicality. He’s a big, good-looking guy. And we really value that style of run he has. … He showed a lot to us last year.” Also of note at running back: Rashaad Penny working with the kickoff returners. This does not mean he’ll be the kickoff returner — A.J. Brown was in the mix at practice and he assuredly will not return kicks — but I point out Penny because this is a role where he excelled at San Diego State. He had seven touchdowns and averaged more than 30 yards per return in college. He only had 11 kickoff returns in five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.

NFL Training Camp 2023 live updates: Who’s winning Eagles’ RB battle? - ESPN
The running back rotation is far from settled in Philadelphia, but D’Andre Swift has made the strongest impression in camp. Coach Nick Sirianni described him as a “playmaker,” and Swift lived up to that billing Thursday. He ripped off a long run up the seam and followed that with a nice catch over the middle. Sirianni noted that the team will be able to line up Swift all over the field because of his receiver-like hands. It’s looking like a running back by committee for the Eagles, though Swift is making a case for why he should receive top billing.

15 bullet points from the fifth day of Eagles Training Camp practice - BGN
Jalen Carter put forth a very violent bull rush that had Brett Toth holding on for dear life as he was easily driven back into the quarterback. Jason Kelce has talked about Carter having real strong hands. Well, the rookie’s strength was certainly on display here.

Eagles training camp Day 5 practice recap - BGN Radio
From new injuries to players at new positions, Brandon Lee Gowton and Jimmy Kempski take you through the third day of training camp action. The guys also hand out their daily MVPs, LVPs, and play of the day awards! Interact with us on Twitter: @BrandonGowton, @JimmyKempski, @BGN_Radio, @BleedingGreen. Check out Wrong Crowd Beer Company! (21 or older.) Use discount code BGN20 at RighteousFelon.com for 20% off your order! Same promotion applies at WildRangerPet.com. Contact Kristin Roach at RoachRealtors.com

Jalen Hurts doesn’t need to do much different in 2023 to win a Super Bowl - PFF
So what does Hurts need to do to get this team over the hump and win a Super Bowl? The same as he did a season ago. If Hurts can simply repeat his play at the level he was at a year ago, the Eagles will be the best team in the NFC again and one of the best in the game. Then it comes down to what most postseason games do: who can avoid the big mistake at a critical point or make the big play with everything on the line. Hurts made one massive mistake in last year’s Super Bowl, and it cost Philadelphia. If he avoids that this time around, maybe he is the one hoisting the Lombardi Trophy instead. Jalen Hurts already arrived as an elite quarterback in 2022. All he needs to do to prove it this season is back that performance up with another.

Stock up, stock down after the first week of 2023 Eagles training camp - PhillyVoice
WR Joseph Ngata: I would guess that only A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and D’Andre Swift have made more catches through the first five practices than Ngata, an undrafted rookie free agent. Ngata is a big-bodied wide receiver at 6’3, 217, with 33 1/8” arms and 10 1/4” hands. Most of his work has been in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, which is fine on a team that has so many players who can make plays down the field. He has shown that he has good hands and can make the plays that come his way. If Ngata can also show that he can be quality blocker and route runner willing to do some dirty work, he can perhaps carve out some sort of Zach Pascal-type role. It’s worth noting that the coaches have been on Ngata, often correcting mistakes, maybe more so than with any other receiver on the team. In my view, that’s a good thing. They care, and they want him to get better, whereas that level of attention might not be given to a player that the staff knows has no real chance of cracking the 53.

Cross Training - Iggles Blitz
Steen played LT for 4 years in college so getting him reps there certainly makes sense. It does raise a question, though. Has Cam Jurgens won the RG competition? Jurgens has looked good so far and has an extra year in the league. He is new to OG, but has performed well in practice. Steen has been up and down, as most rookies are. Steen should be cross-trained, but the Eagles will need to have him focus on one position. It will be interesting to see where he practices in the coming days. Kelly has played LT and RT so far this summer. Moving inside is new, but he’s done it in the past. Here’s a note from the Eagles after his signing.

Spadaro: Marcus Mariota and why the No. 2 QB position is vital - PE.com
He is in his ninth NFL season, so having to learn a new offensive system for the eighth time is something quarterback Marcus Mariota is embracing. New language. New cadence. New way of stacking the playcalling. Loving every minute of it in Philadelphia, a team with high expectations, a great surrounding cast in a proven offensive scheme, and with a fan base that has shown him a lot of love, Philly style. “It’s a great opportunity for me to be around a great group of guys,” Mariota said. “It’s been a lot of fun getting to know them, building these relationships up, continuing to connect. Every single day I just love coming out here and competing with these guys. I’m trying to do my part to make the team better.”

Cowboys news: Dak Prescott brushes off trash talk, says he often starts it - Blogging The Boys
Dak Prescott brushes off trash talk-gate, says he often starts it and loves Trevon Diggs like a brother.

Jalin Hyatt wants to follow in Odell Beckham’s footsteps as Rookie of The Year - Big Blue View
Hyatt’s obvious strength is, of course, his long speed. Adoree’ Jackson compared his speed in the open field to Usain Bolt, and Hyatt reportedly reached 24 miles per hour at times in camp. That would scan with his speed at the Combine, when he had the third-fastest top speed at 24.29 mph. Hyatt noted that the Giants want to use his speed — as well as that of Darren Waller, Parris Campbell, and Darius Slayton — to make life easier for the players operating in the underneath area of the field.

The Offseason Skeptic Examines the Dallas Cowboys - Hogs Haven
No way in Hell do the Dallas Cowboys break their 27-year divisional round playoff drought in 2023. An analysis of data from the past 24 NFL seasons revealed a strong correlation between the number of elite players on NFL rosters and playoff success. Three underachieving squads have run counter to that trend by achieving fewer playoff wins than should be expected based on the talent on their rosters. Among these teams, the Dallas Cowboys have stand out as the biggest Under Achievers in the NFL. These results can finally explain a long-standing mystery within the Commanders’ fanbase. Why is it that, no matter how consistently the Cowboys disappoint, that national media continue to overrate their chances the following season? Where the national media get it wrong is by projecting next season’s results based on the talent on the roster. My results show that, more than any other team, the Dallas Cowboys play below their talent level when they get to the postseason. Therefore, season projections based on their roster talent, alone, should be expected to overestimate their prospects for the coming season.

The Big Ten and Big 12 are poaching the Pac-12 to death in conference realignment - SB Nation
So...let’s talk about the Pac-12 and realignment, shall we? (/pulls up chair Captain America style) Well, it’s not looking great, doc. With the Big Ten presidents authorizing the conference to explore adding Oregon and Washington in the coming months, the Pac-12 is essentially on life support.

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