The Eagles are holding their rookie minicamp this weekend and to kick off proceedings, Doug Pederson met with the media. Here's everything you need to know.
Wentz update:
In a weekend where five draft picks, ten UDFA's and 27 tryouts are all trying to make a strong first impression at the NovaCare Complex, somehow, the first question Pederson was asked pertained to Carson Wentz and his involvement so far.
It makes sense, kind of. Wentz is coming off another season-ending injury, but it's May. We haven't even hit OTA's yet and the Super Bowl winning Head Coach gave a predictably colder response.
"His involvement? Not going to get too specific or detail a lot of the things, but he's been working. I’m encouraged by his progress and where he is at, and just looking forward to the next few weeks with him."
Wentz may well be limited during OTA's and maybe even Training Camp, but it's not as if finding out 'he's doing really well' in May where it's all conditioning and a different style of workout before OTA's would tell us anything anyway.
Wentz is progressing, which is nice to hear...but ultimately this is the kind of scenario everybody expected.
Cross-training
It's no secret that the Eagles are stacked at tackle and lack some bulk at interior positions. While players like Seumalo and Matt Pryor do quell those concerns, the fact that the team brought in 4 IOL players as UDFA's says a lot. When asked about cross-training his tackles as a short-term fix, Pederson had this to say.
"Yeah. And listen, that was part of our plan all along since I've been here is we cross-train a lot of guys. That's a big part of the success we've had being able to – a guy like [OL] Isaac for instance. He's played tackle, he’s played center, he’s obviously secure at guard right now."
That bold part to me speaks volumes. The Eagles like Seumalo at guard and he's likely the starting left guard moving into next season. Will the team deem it necessary to find developmental depth or even a starter just in case Brooks isn't healthy enough to play in week one? Who knows.
As for Andre Dillard and Jordan Mailata, those are two names who face a slightly different cross-training scenario. Pederson fielded questions about both of his young offensive tackles who could be on different career paths. One is a first-round rookie, the other, a seventh-round selection who had never played the sport until a year ago.
"Andre is different. We're just trying to get his feet wet with the playbook and get him moving around. At this time, we're just going to kind of keep him where he is at and let him play there.
(Talking on Mailata) "This is a guy that I think we can cross-train, and maybe we cross-train him at both tackle spots, left tackle, right tackle. He's second year now in our system and this will be a big off-season for him. He's a big-bodied guy, and I think he's athletic enough. "
"We'll see how it goes once we get into phase three. Obviously training camp we'll know more when the pads come on. But we're going to continue, especially the young players. Having versatile linemen that can play multiple spots helps us."
Continued on the next page.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Why minicamp is important
Pederson also told reporters why Minicamp is important. For many of these players, it’s a chance to audition for a bigger-picture role.
The roster may be full now, but injuries can transform the entire course of a season. Players invited to minicamps have often had previous contact with the teams and in some cases have even been contacted with the potential to be drafted in the seventh round before the round opened.
Teams want players they’re familiar with and if a freak injury takes a player out of action, knowing these players are on speed-dial, are familiar with the coaching staff, scheme, and teammates is often a luxury that many struggle to find. Even if those working out don’t catch onto the 90-man roster, to begin with, there’s a good chance that some of those names will continue to re-emerge as the year progresses.
When asked what he tells the 27 trying out for the team this weekend, the Eagles Head Coach had this to say.
"They're not only competing for this team, but there are 31 other team. A lot of guys the past couple weekends have been a part of at least two rookie minicamps.
I think for us it's a great way to -- guys that were not drafted but yet on your board, to get them now in here this weekend and really watch them, get them in the meetings, get them with their position coaches, and then watch them run around for these next three days. You never know.
We have found in my past that there is a guy or two that end up making your roster for training camp, the 90 man, and that's what you're hoping to get out of this weekend."
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Atendees
Here's a comprehensive list of every player who will be in attendance this weekend:
DRAFT PICKSOT Andre Dillard, Washington StateRB Miles Sanders, Penn StateWR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, StanfordDE Shareef Miller, Penn StateQB Clayton Thorson, Northwester
EXISTING EAGLESQB Luis PerezDE Joe OstmanWR Dorren MillerLB Asantay Brown
UDFASLB Joey Alfieri, StanfordLB T.J Edwards, WisconsinOT Ryan Bates, Penn StateRB Nico Evans, WyomingOG Nate Herbig, StanfordOG Iosua Opeta, Weber StateC Keegan Render, IowaDT Anthony Rush, UABWR DeAndre Thompkins, Penn StateDT Kevin Wilkins, Rutgers
TRYOUTSWR Kaian Duverger, Vieginia-WiseWR Marshall Ellick, Stony BrookWR Javon Durante, Florida AtlanticWR Delane Hart-Johnson, New MexicoRB Ryan Fulse, WagnerRB DJ Knox, PurdueRB Tre Watson, TexasCB Albert Smalls, Northern IllinoisCB Marko Myers, Southeastern FloridaS Wesley Sutton, Northern ArizonaCB Ajene Harris, USCS Weston Steelhammer, Air ForceS Kyle Gibson, UCFS Tyrell Gilber, CincinnatiLS Kevin Bletzer, Boston CollegeLB Jerry Iweh, Fairmont StateLB Mason More, UC DavisDE Cloudy Mathieu, Notre DameDE Louis Vecchio, VanderbiltDT Mike Ramsay, DykeDE Kendal Vickers, TennesseeC Nick Linder, IndianaOG Johnny Gibson, ArkansasOT Casey Tucker, Arizona StateTE Scott Orndoff, PittsburghTE Darneail Jenkins, Rocky Mountain College
TRYOUTSWR Kaian Duverger, Vieginia-WiseWR Marshall Ellick, Stony BrookWR Javon Durante, Florida AtlanticWR Delane Hart-Johnson, New MexicoRB Ryan Fulse, WagnerRB DJ Knox, PurdueRB Tre Watson, TexasCB Albert Smalls, Northern IllinoisCB Marko Myers, Southeastern FloridaS Wesley Sutton, Northern ArizonaCB Ajene Harris, USCS Weston Steelhammer, Air ForceS Kyle Gibson, UCFS Tyrell Gilber, CincinnatiLS Kevin Bletzer, Boston CollegeLB Jerry Iweh, Fairmont StateLB Mason More, UC DavisDE Cloudy Mathieu, Notre DameDE Louis Vecchio, VanderbiltDT Mike Ramsay, DykeDE Kendal Vickers, TennesseeC Nick Linder, IndianaOG Johnny Gibson, ArkansasOT Casey Tucker, Arizona StateTE Scott Orndoff, PittsburghTE Darneail Jenkins, Rocky Mountain College
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Thorson vs Perez
The war for QB3 saw its first battle today, with Clayton Thorson and Luis Perez taking to rookie minicamp. What's interesting here is that when asked what he wants to see out of Thorson, Doug Pederson said this:
"Just how well he -- for us, from the quarterback position it starts in the huddle. He has to be able to get the play. Mike Groh gives him the play and he has to process it, call it in the huddle, get the guys to the line of scrimmage, the cadence, how well he processes the defense; if it's a play where we have multiple options, how well he can process that.
That to me is the importance of this weekend and kind of get his feet wet. [QB] Luis as well. Both those guys are learning our system right now.?"
It was Luis Perez who reportedly broke down the huddle (according to Zack Rosenblatt's observations) which while may not hold much weight, is worth noting.
Miles and Duce
"This is a great opportunity for Miles. No. 1 to come in and really begin to understand I think our playbook and the terminology." Pederson said of his shiny new running back. "The footwork may be different than what he's used to. He's obviously talented, and we're excited to get him in here and going.
Duce Staley is going to work with these guys every day like we've been doing in phase two. Once we get out of rookie camp next week, still finish up phase two and we get our rookies in with us and get to spend more time with them next week."
It's going to be a big offseason for Miles Sanders. We don't know what his role will be, only that he'll be below Jordan Howard on the depth chart to begin with. Getting valuable time with Duce Staley while Smallwood, Clement, and Adams are all still in phase two of offseason conditioning, could be really key here to getting an early leg up and catching up on all things playbook and basics, leveling the playing field ahead of OTA's/
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
