Still with something to prove, Barnett returns
Derek Barnett missed practice Sunday with what Doug Pederson described as a lower-body injury. The rookie returned to work out Monday.
Derek Barnett missed practice Sunday with what Doug Pederson described as a lower-body injury. The rookie returned to work out Monday, when the Eagles held a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at the NovaCare Complex. He did not appear slowed by what was reported as a thigh bruise.
“I’m doing fine,” he said. “I was just a little dinged up, but nothing major. I was just happy to get back out here and get moving around with my team. And I hate missing time. So I’ve got to get caught back up.”
If recent hints mattered, Barnett may need to catch up in a hurry if he expects to be a starting defensive end when the Eagles open the season Sept. 10 in Washington. Saturday, Eagles defensive line coach Chris Wilson said Barnett will start only “when the meal is ready.” Barnett is fine with that timetable. “My goal is to be as dominant as I can be, that’s if I am a starter or a backup,” he said. “That’s a coaching decision. My job is to come out every day and compete in practice and be the best player I can be and help this team win as much as possible. So that’s my goal.”
For that, he found the joint workout with the Dolphins to be beneficial.
“It was good,” he said. “It was good to practice against guys not on our team. I enjoyed competing against them.” *** The Eagles-Dolphins practice was at a high level. Players wore pads but did not tackle. There were 7-n-7 drills, but also 11-on-11 opportunities.
“It’s good to get work,” defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “We’ve seen everything from our offense. We saw some different schemes from Miami, which is good for us. It’s a little different competition, so obviously, that’s really helpful this time of year.”
The consensus from the sidelines is that the offenses were ahead of the defenses.
“You have to put it in its spot,” Schwartz said. “Our job is to win games. Our job is to win regular-season games. It’s not necessarily to win a practice.”
Added offensive coordinator Frank Reich: “We saw some good things on the practice field. We worked hard on getting some things right against the Dolphins. They looked good today. I thought our backs looked good. Everyone had pop. So we’d like to see that show up on game day.” *** Before practice, both the Eagles and Dolphins were warned not to let any conflicts bubble. Fines were threatened. That was good enough, at least, for Torrey Smith.
“I mean, when they tell you that you will get fined, I have kids,” Smith said. “I can’t lose that money. So that’s enough for me. I’m not fighting out there.”
The warnings worked, as there were no confrontations. The closest there could have come to one was when Miami safety Michael Thomas flattened Birds receiver Marcus Johnson on a pass play. Thomas, however, quickly offered what seemed to be a guilty plea and a handshake, quieting the threat. *** Smith was surprised by the retirement of his former Baltimore Ravens teammate Anquan Boldin, most recently of the Bills.
“It was definitely surprising, because he just played last week,” Smith said. “I am excited for him. He’s a big brother to me. It’s bigger than football with me and him. He’s family. Obviously he is a Hall of Fame player in my opinion, and he is a Hall of Fame person. He showed me the ropes professionally. So I am appreciative of that.”
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NOTES » Brandon Graham and Jordan Hicks both left practice early, and on their own power, with what appeared minor injuries … Among the celebrities at practice were Charles Barkley, Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly, Marlin Dee Gordon, Billy Cunningham and former Eagle Freddie Mitchell … With Nelson Agholor bumped into a regular receiving role upon the trade of Jordan Matthews, the kick returning was done Monday by Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement … The Eagles and Dolphins will practice together again Tuesday, and in a closed workout Wednesday.