Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Heat, DNC make for trying day
PHILADELPHIA >> Eagles players were told to expect a grueling, unforgiving training camp.
Two days into Camp Pederson it’s been that and more for players, club staff and even the media ringing the field.
The 90-plus degree heat and humidity has pushed the heat index into triple digits, prompting heat warnings and basically exposing every flaw in every person at camp. It’s not a great environment for selfies.
The Monday practice was crisp and relatively mistake-free. Despite the heat, Sam Bradford dominated. Quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Chase Daniel were solid.
The Tuesday session was brutal with dropped footballs, poor
execution, suspect throws and fatigue. Doug Pederson should have ended it mercifully to get to the barbeque in the company smoker outside the practice gate.
Then again, the alternative to shutting practice down early would be going head-to-head with the Democratic National Convention.
The DNC at the Wells Fargo Center has resulted in massive traffic snarls, detours and fear-based bailing out by anyone who wants to get into or out of the sports complex area before the protests begin across the street at FDR Park. It’s the dirty little training camp secret.
Think about it. Protestors are literally a few first downs from the office of Eagles billionaire owner Jeffrey Lurie, who, if he chooses to drive to work has to pass through a makeshift cattle chute partially blocked by an enormous trash truck and Philadelphia Police cars. Government ID, please?
The Phillies did the right thing by hitting the road for this classic cluster.
The Eagles, well, you would think they’ll be ready for the next convention, right?
Thankfully the DNC is out of here Thursday, the day veterans join the rookies at camp.
That should make the weekend much more enjoyable, the Eagles putting the shoulder pads on
••• The most impressive rookie at training camp easily is Carson Wentz.
Wentz’s footwork seems to have improved from the offseason although Pederson said the quarterback still is working on it.
Then you’re looking at running back Wendell Smallwood (fifth round pick), green-haired cornerback Jalen Mills (seventh round), offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo (third round) and probably running back Byron Marshall (5-9, 201), tight end M.J. McFarland (6-5, 255), center Bruce Johnson (6-2, 302) and defensive tackle Destiny Vaeao (6-4, 299).
Mills has drawn praise from the coaching staff.
We’ll go out on a limb and say Vaeao, of Washington State, makes the squad along with the above draft picks.
Vaeao is a late bloomer, having finished his college career with 6 1-2 tackles for loss, including 1 1-2 sacks in his last three games.
The Eagles have 27 rookies in camp.
••• Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz wouldn’t bite when asked about the talent level on this Eagles defense.
“You know, I think that you can make mistakes if you do that because let’s be honest, we haven’t had pads on yet and football is meant to be played with pads,” Schwartz said Tuesday. “You can have a guy in the right position and look good out here but if he can’t make that tackle, the scheme didn’t mean anything. It’s a cliché but it does come down to blocking and tackling and those kinds of things, and that’s stuff that will be determined over the next six weeks. That’s the stuff that training camp is about.”
We’ll ask him again before the season.
Schwartz did concede that All-Pro defensive lineman Fletcher Cox would be the focal point of the defense.
Schwartz also is expecting a lot from Connor Barwin, who he envisions lining up wide at defensive end to rush the passer.
Speaking of getting after it, Schwartz said defensive line coach Chris Wilson has done a good job of “tailoring” specific pass rush packages for Brandon Graham and Vinny Curry.
If the Eagles don’t hit the quarterback they’ll have issues on the edges.
The cornerback competition after veteran Leodis McKelvin, per Schwartz, basically is among Nolan Carroll, who still doesn’t look all the way back from an ankle injury, Mills, newcomer Ron Brooks and possibly even JaCorey Shepherd, the 2015 sixthround pick who tore an ACL at his first training camp.
••• Seumalo, who Pederson expects to compete for a job at left guard, is getting work at center in the early portion of training camp.
That’s the position the 6-4, 303-pounder made the majority of his starts at Oregon State.
“Mentally you have a lot more on your plate in terms of recognition and making calls,” Seumalo said. “Everything happens there a lot faster, too You play against a lot bigger guys. At the same time you’re a help guy a lot. It’s not as physically demanding. I like that I know what’s going on. Sometimes at guard or tackle you can, not zone out a little but zone in on the center. And at center you can play really fast.”
Seumalo is a big fan of Eagles pivot Jason Kelce, who he calls “one of the best, super athletic.”
Seumalo also patterns his game after such centers as Alex Mack (Falcons) after Weston Richburg (Giants).
“The most important thing is your work habits, your work ethic and then staying healthy,” Seumalo said. “I think that’s what separates good and great players.”
To contact Bob Grotz, email bgrotz@21stcenturymedia.com.