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The first Eagles practice is in the books and there was a lot of Super Bowl chatter buzzing around the Birds. While the team continues to preach head coach Doug Pederson’s “get better every day” mantra, there is a sense that Carson Wentz has unfinished business.
The quarterback wasn’t on the field when Philadelphia won their only ring back in 2017. On Thursday, Wentz reminded everyone of that fact.
“I mean, every day you’re just striving to get better,” Wentz told reporters. “I’ve never been complacent with one win, one championship … one of those, any of that. Obviously, for me, on the personal side, I wasn’t on the field back at the Super Bowl so there’s that element, too. I’ll never be the type who is going to settle. If I didn’t have that mentality, I probably wouldn’t even be here today.”
There was a report floating around that the Eagles were being cautious with Wentz in training camp, perhaps practicing some “load management.” That is kind of true, but nothing out of the ordinary. Pederson confirmed he does it with all the quarterbacks as a way not to “fatigue arms.” Wentz admitted that he has no limitations right now and expects to take the normal amount of reps.
Wentz Delivering Bombs to DeSean Jackson
One of the more intriguing things to watch at camp will be the chemistry between Carson Wentz and DeSean Jackson. The two have started to develop an unlikely bromance and it was on full display on the first day. Early in practice, Jackson threw his hand up in the air and asked Wentz to throw it down the field. Jackson put on the burners and scooped the ball effortlessly from the air. It was almost too perfect.
Wentz was asked about the possibility of having too many weapons on offense this season. That seems like a pretty good problem to have, right? Wentz agreed with that sentiment, crediting the caliber of the guys in the locker room for making it a non-issue.
“When you have a bunch of me-me guys, you get that. I don’t think we have those guys,” Wentz said. “I don’t think that we have those personalities. I don’t think that will be an issue because they’re all good dudes.”
Jalen Mills Lands on PUP List
The only major blow to the Eagles was the unexpected absence of starting cornerback Jalen Mills. The fourth-year corner missed the team’s first practice after he was placed on the PUP list to start camp. Mills will count against the 90-man roster limit, but he cannot practice until cleared by the medical staff and activated. He is recovering from a foot injury he sustained in the middle of last season.
Head coach Doug Pederson said Mills is a little “further behind” than fellow cornerback Ronald Darby as he recovers from a season-ending ACL tear. Darby was in uniform at Thursday’s practice but didn’t participate in any drills. Mills wasn’t on the field at all.
“No timetable. He’s day-to-day,” Pederson said of Mills. “We’re going to go slow with him.”
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