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No A.J. Brown? No problem; DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley ignite Eagles practice
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- No A.J. Brown? No problem; DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley ignite Eagles practice
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Key takeaways from the Philadelphia Eagles ' first post- A.J. Brown trade practice
The Philadelphia Eagles held their first open practice after trading A.J. Brown, and it was clear the offence is still figuring things out. The focus has shifted toward DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley , with more action over the middle of the field, but early June showed just how uneven that process can look.
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The changes in focus were obvious from the start. Head coach Nick Sirianni emphasised a shorter passing game, leaning heavily on routes over the middle and giving Smith an increased role outside. The team used less play-action than before, but often had Hurts taking deep drops.
While there were some positive moments in tight spaces near the end zone, consistency was lacking throughout practice, especially as passes became more frequent on later downs. Jalen Hurts discussed how he's approaching these changes during a recent press conference:
Jalen Hurts started 7-on-7 drills with an interception, as linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. dropped into zone coverage and picked off the first throw of the session. It took some time for things to settle down from there, as Hurts adjusted to a new setup without A.J. Brown drawing defenders his way.
Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
How the receiver group is changing after Brown's exit
With Brown now in Pittsburgh and rookie Makai Lemon sidelined, Smith became the clear focal point, while Dontayvion Wicks , Hollywood Brown and Johnny Wilson took turns with first-team reps.
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Smith looks set to lead the team in targets by a huge margin, possibly 40 to 50 more than anyone else. He's stepping into a bigger role left behind by Brown.
The rest of the locker room also acknowledged what had been lost. Cornerback Cooper DeJean admitted that "anytime you lose a great player like him it hurts," but quickly added that "now we're moving on to this season."
Hurts' best throw of the day was a wheel route to Barkley, who slipped behind Zack Baun and Trotter for a 30-plus-yard touchdown that looked schemed to get him open.
Early signs of how the new offence will operate
Barkley has been impressive as a receiver in spring windows, and the role has a track record: over the past two seasons, the top three target-earners when Hurts is under pressure were Brown, Smith and Barkley. With one outside force gone, Barkley can create a different kind of coverage conflict from the backfield.
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Most of Hurts' completions came over the middle, where he found Dallas Goedert several times in the intermediate range. Rookie tight end Eli Stowers also made a strong impression with a contested catch underneath, though Goedert did drop one deep ball.
The overall feel was uneven, and Brown's old role as a space creator outside doesn't seem like it will be filled by just one new face. Instead, it may take a group effort involving tight ends, running backs, and an increased role for Smith.
With Lane Johnson missing a second consecutive open practice, rookie Markel Bell took over first-team reps at right tackle. Meanwhile, Jalen Carter was absent as well, with Byron Young stepping in on the interior defensive line.
These are voluntary absences and shouldn't be blown out of proportion, but changing the receiver structure while also rotating linemen makes it tougher to get a clear read on how things are taking shape.
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