Graham says he’s all ears for piped-in crowd noise

PHILADELPHIA » Brandon Graham can spot a phony a mile away.

Graham will make an exception for fake crowd noise, though, because it beats the alternative of no noise with few if any fans in the seats during to the coronavirus pandemic.

After speaking with Eagles teammates, Graham concluded the bogus fan noise that spewed over the speakers at otherwise empty Lincoln Financial Field during Sunday’s scrimmage livened up the place. The noise was a test run for the home opener in three weekends.

“It doesn’t sound any different, other than you can’t see anybody,” Graham said Tuesday. “It made me feel like I was in a game.”

Rookie wide receiver John Hightower, who played in front of sellouts at notoriously loud Boise State, offered a similar perspective.

“If you were to close your eyes and just listen to the noise, you would think there’s fans in the stadium,” Hightower said. “But being out there and seeing there’s no fans, you know it’s fake. But I guess it was good to have crowd noise so there wasn’t complete silence.”

The Eagles are working on the emptiness issue for the 69,000-seat stadium by selling cutouts with images of fans like MLB has. Owner Jeffrey Lurie is confident the Eagles eventually will play in front of limited crowds at the Linc this season, a downturn in the COVID-19 infection rate notwithstanding.

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The Jaguars continued to clean house with the sudden release of running back Leonard

Fournette, who put the offense on his back during the march to 2017 AFC championship game. Pederson likes the Eagles’ running backs enough that a veteran like Fournette is an unlikely option.

Fournette (6-0, 228) fits only part of what the Eagles do, and probably not as well as LeGarrette Blount in the Birds’ Super Bowl champion season.

Miles Sanders, nursing a lower-body injury, Boston Scott, Corey Coleman, Elijah Holyfield, Michael Warren and Adrian Killins have shown they belong. Remember the Eagles can keep 53 players along with 16 practice squad fellows, six of which can be fully vested vets.

“I think these guys are doing a really good job,” Pederson said. “These scrimmages have been a bright spot for them. They have shown what they can do, and I have really been pleased with that group.”

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Eagles rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor is week-to-week with a shoulder injury, meaning he could miss the opener at Washington.

The last thing the Eagles need to do is rush Reagor back. With speed, solid hands and fearlessness over the middle, he’s everything the Eagles wanted and more.

“We knew as a receiver what he could do,” Pederson said. “He came in and, gosh, he wants to learn. He’s a sponge. He’s learning from Alshon (Jeffery), from DeSean (Jackson), he’s learning from Carson (Wentz). I’m excited to see obviously this year when we get him back, then obviously the remainder of this year and see how his career really unfolds working with Carson down the road.”