PHILADELPHIA − It’s easy to get carried away because Jalen Carter was the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. And there he was, on the first day of Eagles’ training camp, getting a so-called sack on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Carter, who was working with the second team at the time (he started the day with the third team), got past right guard Cam Jurgens on an inside move and got to Hurts, stopping in front of Hurts just before another defensive lineman got there on the other side.
Quarterbacks are not allowed to be hit, but the play was blown dead, signifying a sack.
It was one of the most noticeable plays during the Eagles’ first practice, which lasted a little more than an hour.
But could this be a sign of things to come?
The Eagles clearly have high hopes for Carter at defensive tackle. He was expected to be one of the first players picked in the draft, but a deadly car accident involving another car (Carter pleaded no contest to racing and reckless driving) and a poor Pro Day back in January led to Carter sliding down in the draft.
Carter’s talent was never the issue. That was something Eagles center Jason Kelce, who was not matched up against Carter, noticed right away.
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“You kind of feel a drastic inside move,” Kelce said about Carter on the sack. “We’re talking about him. I think I’d be interested in looking at the tape and see what it looks like, and continue to watch him. This is the first day. I’ve learned to not take first impressions as the end-all, be-all.
“The mark of this league is consistency … the guys who do it day in, day out, game in, game out, season after season are the guys who are going to have sustained success. So I look forward to see all these guys (develop).”
So, sure, it was a good first day for Carter, but there’s still a long way to go.
Here are some other observations from the Eagles’ first day of training camp:
Howie Roseman on avoiding Super Bowl letdown
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman spoke to the media before the start of practice Wednesday. He was asked why it’s so hard for teams who lose the Super Bowl to win it all the following season. That has happened only three times in the 57 previous Super Bowls.
“I think every situation is different,” Roseman said. “For our situation and the messaging, it starts with (head coach Nick Sirianni) is that this is a different year, and we got to everything we possibly can to maximize this team, this moment. Whatever we’ve done in the past doesn’t matter. It’s whatever we do going forward.
“From a roster-building standpoint, from a personnel-building standpoint, we can’t rely on what’s happened to other teams who have lost the Super Bowl. We have to do what’s in the best interest to reset, start over and put us in the best possible position.
“That’s the mindset.”
Added Sirianni: “The goal right now, right this second, is not to get back to the Super Bowl. … I know everyone is like, ‘Well, that’s a crazy thing to say.’ But our goal is to get better today.”
Sirianni with a new instrument, and he uses it
As for the first practice, Sirianni for the first time as Eagles coach, had a bullhorn with him, and he ended up using it right away, mostly to yell at the offensive lineman. It was the first time Sirianni used a bullhorn at practice as he’s entering his third season as head coach.
There was one stretch where the second unit O-line was called for three straight pre-snap penalties, something Sirianni yelled at his players about.
“Fix it!” he yelled.
Other practice observations
- Edge rusher Haason Reddick sat out practice with groin soreness, and he’s expected back sometime after this weekend. That gave rookie first-round pick Nolan Smith a chance to start out with the second team, behind Brandon Graham. Smith also got a few first-team reps in the 11-on-11 drills.
- Other noticeable first-teamers on defense were Jordan Davis and Milton Williams at defensive tackle, Nakobe Dean and Nicholas Morrow at linebacker, and Reed Blankenship and Terrell Edmunds at safety.
- On offense, Cam Jurgens was with the first team at right guard, as he and rookie Tyler Steen are vying to replace Isaac Seumalo, who left in free agency.
- Keep an eye out for the connection between second-string quarterback Marcus Mariota, who twice hooked up with tight end Tyree Jackson during red-zone drills, the first going for a touchdown.
- Linebacker Christian Elliss, who was the star of the spring drills, with two INTs in the two sessions open to the media, got off to a good start Wednesday by picking off Mariota. LB Davion Taylor also had an interception, off rookie QB Tanner McKee.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
