Thursday, October 1, 2026
73 ° Clear
73 ° Clear
The Philadelphia Eagles are back in pads as they continue their full week of practice at the Jefferson Health Training Center.
After a standout day from the offense on Monday, the injury bug bit the team throughout the practice on Tuesday, including two key pieces on the offensive side of the football.
The Eagles don't seem too concerned, but nonetheless, it's a situation that is worth monitoring.
Makai Lemon had to miss some time during another practice while dealing with his hamstring injury. The team’s 20th overall pick in this year’s draft left Monday’s practice and did not participate in team drills. That issue carried over into Tuesday, where he missed practice entirely.
Remember, the rookie also missed the majority of the spring workouts while dealing with the same injury but confirmed leading up to training camp he was 100% ready to go. The Eagles have reportedly said they are not worried about the injury and that they are not concerned it will be a long-term issue.
However, there are just 41 days until the season opener and the more time Lemon misses, the less likely he will be able to develop and be a factor against the division rival Washington Commanders.
DeVonta Smith also was sidelined with a hamstring injury, but was seen walking around on the field to take in practice.
With the duo out of the picture, the Eagles were down to Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore, one of Monday’s offensive standouts, and Dontayvion Wicks at practice along with Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson, Danny Gray and Quez Watkins.
At one point, Britain Covey, who is also listed as a wideout, missed some time with an apparent injury.
Cooper DeJean reportedly suffered an arm injury during practice, but seemed to be alright afterwards according to Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.
Other players who did not practice included three more rookies in left guard Micah Morris (shoulder), right guard Jaeden Roberts (calf contusion) and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring).
Because of the injuries, Wicks was able to line up against standout cornerback Quinyon Mitchell a few times. The two battled well, according to The Athletic's Brooks Kubena.
Mitchell projects to be one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL for a third straight season while Wicks is looking to prove himself with his new team and push for that second starting wide receiver spot, which will be very important with a lot of expected two wideout sets in this new-look offense.
Wicks being able to go up against Mitchell will only help the young wide receiver's development as he looks to take the next step in his game.
With Lane Johnson out of practice, it allowed the team's third-round pick in Markel Bell get more first team snaps, similar to what he saw during voluntary workouts in the spring.
Bell, listed as the backup to Jordan Mailata at left tackle, has filled in during the absence for Johnson over at right tackle.
The Eagles are not going to rush Johnson back, but certainly need him to be healthy if this offensive line wants to be at its strongest. However, it is a good sign that Bell has been trusted with handling the first team reps, perhaps indicating he is much further along in his development than many had anticipated. If Johnson is to miss time during the season, the massive 6-foot-9 Miami product could slide in to a starting role.
The duel for the primary backup spot behind Jalen Hurts remains contested between long-time veteran Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee. However, from reports, it sounds like the "Red Rifle" is leading the way between the two.
Dalton was part of what was the best play of the day, connecting with last year's training camp darling Darius Cooper on a big play. Dalton seems comfortable with the offensive system being implemented by Sean Mannion."I've been in a system similar to this multiple times. Quick decision making, a lot of pure progression ... I feel really comfortable with this offense," the quarterback said to the media.
The team returns to the field on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
