June 11, 2026
The Philadelphia Eagles finished up a two-day minicamp on Wednesday, and won't practice again until training camp begins in late July. As always, we have notes.
• Another day, another impressive practice for Riq Woolen, who had the play of the day when he stepped in front of a Jalen Hurts pass intended for Dallas Goedert and intercepted it.
The play prior to that, Woolen came on a corner blitz and "sacked" Hurts.
On another play early in practice, Woolen also had close coverage on a deep ball intended for Elijah Moore that had no chance and fell incomplete.
Thinking back to this time last year, Kelee Ringo was competing against Adoree' Jackson for a starting role in the defense. My biggest takeaway from spring practices this year is that Woolen is very, very clearly going to be an upgrade at that outside CB spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell. The Eagles are going to have a pretty nasty secondary.
• Prior to the INT, Hurts and the offense had gotten out to a decent start. Hurts hit Goedert semi-deep over the middle to begin the team's 11-on-11 session, followed by a long Saquon Barkley run through a massive hole on the left side of the Eagles' line. Hurts also hit Dontayvion Wicks near the sideline in the turkey hole. They showed some life after getting thoroughly dominated during Tuesday's practice.
• In case you missed our player review of Wicks, he's a good route runner who can beat press coverage, and he runs good routes. He also competes hard as a blocker. But if there's a hole in his game it's his hands. He has had his share of drops in the pros.
On a sideline catch opportunity, Wicks tried to toe tap his feet and he may not have gotten both feet in, when a toe drag would've left no doubt on the completion. Fundamentals like that are an extension of "good hands." I was watching a video of DeVonta Smith reliving his first NFL TD, and he was self-critical that he toe-tapped instead of toe-dragging (2:52 mark).
So, those are kind of the little things that can be coached into a player going from one team to another.
• Speaking of Smith, he was absent (personal reasons). However, he was present at the Eagles' seven other Eagles spring practices this year after choosing to work out on his own during voluntary practices in previous years.
• Rookie third-round pick Markel Bell did not practice, and rookie second-round pick Eli Stowers did not participate in most of the individual drills or the team sessions. He had a sleeve over his right leg. Presumably, he is dealing with something. Rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon remained a spectator with his hamstring injury. So, you know, the Eagles' top three picks are all presently dealing with injuries. That's kind of a bummer.
One rookie who did make a nice play on Wednesday was EDGE Keyshawn James-Newby, who beat a Stone Smartt block on the perimeter on a swing pass to Will Shipley in 7-on-7's. James-Newby was all on his own and it looked like the offense would get a nice gain, but James-Newby destructed Smartt's block and stopped Shipley for what looked like no gain.
• Tanner McKee got second-team reps for the first time in media-attended practices. The Eagles have said that he and Andy Dalton have been splitting reps, but we hadn't seen that yet.
McKee had a solid, unspectacular day, but he outperformed Dalton (again), as Dalton threw an INT to Ambry Thomas on a pass intended for Bryce Ford-Wheaton.
Prior to practice, Nick Sirianni was asked point blank if McKee is the QB2.
"We're rotating there at the two spot," he said. "I'm not ready to say anybody is anything as far as positions. We don't have to make any determinations there, but what Andy and Tanner have been doing every other day is rotating there with the two's and both getting a lot of good work."
So, you know, that appears to be an open competition, which remains silly to me.
(In the media-attended practices, McKee was clearly better, for the record.)
• Sirianni also got asked about star D-lineman Jalen Carter, who skipped OTAs and has not participated in 11-on-11's this spring.
"I'm sorry, I'm not going to get into all those different things," Sirianni said, when asked if Carter's absence was injury and/or contract related. "Right now, I've been able to work some individual scenarios and individual practices, and everybody's in a little bit different boat right now of where they are in the offseason, and that's where Jalen is right now."
• After a shaky day on Tuesday, Cole Payton made the most of his limited reps. He made a strong sideline throw to Ford-Wheaton, followed by an absolute beauty of a touch pass in the middle of the field to Joaquin Davis. That was the throw of the day.
• One sort of forgotten player who was active throughout the spring was WR Johnny Wilson, who suffered knee and ankle injuries during camp last August and sat out the season. I believe he has a chance to crack the roster this season. He'll be competing against Darius Cooper for the "dirty work" receiver role.
• The Eagles signed EDGE A.J. Epenesa Wednesday evening while I was at my daughter's graduation 👩🎓. Our Nick Tricome handled that, in case you missed it.
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