AN UPCLOSE LOOK
How good are the Eagles? Just ask Dean, Jurgens and other waiting rookies
PHILADELPHIA — When Britain Covey was choosing teams as an undrafted rookie, he looked at the wide receivers on the Eagles roster and was forced to be realistic about his potential opportunity in Philadelphia.
“I knew no matter how good I play, I’m probably not going to be one of the starting receivers,” he said. “Just objectively looking at that.”
But Covey said he then thought about a story he had once heard from former NFL quarterback Steve Young about a life-altering conversation he had with Covey’s grandfather, self-help author Stephen Covey, when he was stuck behind Joe Montana.
“He was frustrated. He wasn’t getting any playing time. And he just so happens to sit next to my grandpa on a flight,” Covey said of Young. “And my grandpa said, ‘Steve, I travel all around the world to meet with leaders to glean something from them, understand their process. You have one right in your room every day. You have an opportunity unlike anybody else.’ ”
For Young, the elder Covey’s advice forever altered how he viewed his situation. The now-Hall of Famer later described this epiphany in his autobiography and recounted the anecdote before the season to 49ers quarterback Trey Lance, who sat behind Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie.
“I’ve always loved that story because that’s kind of what I knew coming here,” Covey said. “I get a chance to learn from DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Quez Watkins, and Zach Pascal. All proven guys. I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, what an opportunity.’
“If I play as a receiver, great, but if not, I’ll become the best receiver I’ve ever been regardless.”
Covey had other reasons for signing with the Eagles. That he could become their primary returner, which he has, was the most prominent. But like all of the team’s nine rookies, five of whom were drafted, he would rather play on offense or defense than on special teams.
Few have thus far.
Only defensive tackle Jordan Davis, the Eagles’ No. 1 pick, and tight end Grant Calcaterra have regular roles. But like their classmates, both are still at the bottom of the depth chart at their positions. Center Cam Jurgens and linebacker Nakobe Dean, drafted in the second and third round, could go the entire season without more than a handful of snaps on their respective sides of the ball.
If the Eagles weren’t 4-0, it might be cause for concern. But unlike some previous years when rookies couldn’t get on the field because they either weren’t ready or lacked the ability, it’s the strength of the starters that is seemingly keeping the 2022 class from contributing more.
All nine rookies gave essentially the same response when asked this week about their current roles and managing expectations. They spoke of preparing as if they were the starter, of being ready if their number is called, and of taking advantage, like Young did, of the expertise around them.
But they also weren’t shy, especially Jurgens and Dean, about expressing their ultimate feelings on the subject.
Said the former: “I’m definitely still competitive. I want to be out there.”
And the latter: “Of course, I want to play defensive snaps.”
Jurgens, though, has potential Hall of Famer Jason Kelce ahead of him, and Dean is behind the playing-lights-out T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White. Davis has Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave in his way. Calcaterra has Dallas Goedert. And the list goes on.
“You’re only one snap away from having a more predominant role,” coach Nick Sirianni said Friday of his messaging to his rookies. “Know what your role is and contribute like crazy on special teams.”
‘Continuing to ascend’
Normally, teams need their top draft picks to step in immediately. Just last season, Smith started from Day 1, and guard Landon Dickerson was in the lineup by Game 3. Injuries, as Sirianni noted, can accelerate the process, as was the case for Dickerson.
The Eagles have been relatively healthy this season, but injuries on the offensive line and at cornerback last Sunday had Jurgens and undrafted rookie Josh Jobe on the precipice of playing. There’s still a lot of football left.
Most general managers attempt to balance the short-term with the long-term. But Howie Roseman had more of an eye toward the future with his latest draft. He’s had some notable misses in that regard before, but with Cox, Hargrave, Kelce, Edwards, and White on contracts set to expire next offseason, his first three selections represent their replacements.
And if Kelce, who is still playing at an elite level, decides to not retire, Jurgens could take over for right guard Isaac Seumalo, who also will be a free agent. He isn’t quite there. Kelce’s elbow surgery prevented offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland from cross-training the center in training camp.
It was valuable experience for Jurgens, though, and provided the most evidence that he could thrive at the next level. But he’s yet to play on offense and has just 20 snaps on kicks to his name.
In Pop Warner, he wasn’t allowed to carry the ball because he was too big, even though he “was the fastest kid on the team,” Jurgens said. He knows how it feels to be good enough and not play. But what if he has to sit all of his rookie season?
“I’m not going to get angry or anything like that,” Jurgens said. “Kelce, he’s the best, and really the entire O-line room. But whatever role they give me — right now I’m mostly watching Kelce and the guards and giving them feedback — I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”
Dean got three defensive snaps in the opener, but he’s mostly been relegated to special teams duty. Linebacker arguably is the hardest defensive position to learn in the NFL, and Dean had to learn techniques that might have been taught differently at Georgia, but he said he’s now caught up.
“In college, they put way more on us. The defense was kind of made for linebackers,” Dean said. “But it’s just doing what’s best for the team right now. There ain’t no reason to have that change at all.”
Davis was last among defensive tackles in playing time through the first three weeks, but he played his highest percentage in Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, and finished with four tackles, one for loss, in just 17 snaps.
“He’s continuing to ascend,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said.
Davis always was going to be a project playing in a new scheme and having hardly played on passing downs at Georgia. He said his increasing comfort on and off the field has resulted in more production. The biggest adjustment from college to the pros, he said, has been learning to sleep more.
“I used to go out there and play a game on 4-5 hours,” Davis said. “And now I have to take myself to bed early to get some rest, even for practice, to go through this whole day. You’re a professional, so you have to treat yourself like a professional.
“These days it can feel like an endless cycle, but you just have to keep doing it.”
The standard
Davis has more pressure on him than any of the other rookies. He said he’s been able to “drown out the noise” that may come from outside NovaCare Complex. On the much-discussed subject of his weight, the 6-foot-6, 340-pound defensive tackle said he’s more fixated on his body fat level, which currently is at 21 percent.
“I’ll look better and I’ll feel better,” Davis said. “At practice, I’m trying to run to the ball. I know it shows up on game days. I see Fletch running to the sidelines and I’m like, ‘I want to do that, too.’ Just trying to compete with Fletch and [Hargave] and everybody on the D-line because ultimately we’re making each other better.”
Safety Reed Blankenship said he was happy for Andre Chachere when he was promoted from the practice squad for the Jaguars game, even though he was ahead of him on the 53-man roster. Chachere was one of the veterans, the undrafted rookie said, he gravitated to when he first arrived.
Calcaterra said that fellow tight ends Goedert and Jack Stoll have helped his development merely by setting examples. But he also found a mentor in former Eagles tight end Brent Celek, who has a part-time assistant role, and has helped with his blocking.
“I hardly blocked in college, but I’ve watched some of his film. He was a freak, a menace,” Calcaterra said of Celek. “The biggest thing he says is to get two feet in the ground before contact.”
Calcaterra has graded out well as a blocker since being activated two weeks ago. He even caught his first NFL pass in his first game — a 40-yarder — when Goedert was briefly sidelined with a shin injury against the Commanders.
He ran the starter’s route, was the first read, and even looked a little like Goedert when he ran after the catch. It was just a small taste. The 2022 class is far from being labeled a success. The Eagles’ undefeated start may obscure the actual potential of the group.
And maybe the rookies’ patience will be tested even longer. Covey, at least, sees the benefit of waiting, and mostly taking advantage of the opportunity.
“The reason why we’re excelling is because look at the guys ahead of us,” Covey said. “Look at who we’re comparing ourselves, the standard we’re comparing ourselves, to. That’s why, Nakobe, he’d be a starter on a lot of NFL teams, but not here, and that’s pretty cool.
“That’s not a diss on you as much as it is a compliment to the guys ahead of you and the chance for you to learn.”