- The Eagles concluded their offseason program with a mandatory minicamp, marking the first full-roster practice since Super Bowl 59.
- Tyler Steen solidified his position as the front-runner for the right guard spot, earning praise for his development and strength.
- Kelee Ringo impressed during minicamp, showcasing his potential as a starting cornerback alongside Quinyon Mitchell
- Jalyx Hunt emerged as a potential starter at edge rusher, displaying impressive pass-rushing skills and disrupting plays in practice.
The Eagles wrapped up their nine-week off-season program on Tuesday with a fully attended, Mandatory mini-camp. Philadelphia had a light workload after winning Super Bowl 59, and the practice offered the first time for a fully loaded roster to get in much-needed practice time as a unit.
Jalyx Hunt’s dominance and Kelee Ringo’s star power are among the national reactions to the Philadelphia Eagles‘ final off-season practice of the spring and summer.
Tyler Steen is the front-runner for the right guard spot.
Brooks Kubena of The Athletic highlighted Steen again having the opportunity to lock down the Eagles’ coveted right guard position after a solid off-season and mini-camp.
It’s evident Steen is the front-runner to start at right guard for yet a second summer. He was the first-team right guard throughout OTAs and in minicamp. Will Steen hold onto the job this time? I asked two-time All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson what he’s seen from Steen this offseason, and Johnson was quite complimentary of how much Steen has developed, particularly with his strength. “He’s just a physically gifted dude, man,” Johnson said.
Drew Mukuba is the STAR literally
Philadelphia drafted Mukuba in the second round, and Vic Fangio’s best shot at getting the former Texas safety on the field is via the STAR position. It’s a role used at Baylor when Jalen Pitre flourished, along with Derwin James and Jalen Ramsey during his tenure with the Rams. In the 4-2-5, the ‘Star’ is a hybrid safety type that could play outside linebacker in most 4-3 schemes. If 80 percent of the NFL plays the 11 personnel with a slot receiver, you must have the talented defensive personnel to combat such a quarry. For Philadelphia, that role should automatically go to Mukuba. The Swiss Army Knife can play in the box, slot, and deep safety position. Employing Mukuba as the ‘STAR’ alongside Cooper DeJean in the slot could allow Philadelphia to add athleticism and versatility to the defense.
Here is what Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote:
Mukuba was flagged for holding tight end Kylen Granson during a pass play in seven-on-sevens. He was in the slot in dime personnel during a team drill. Safeties need to have inside cover skills, but Mukuba also has three years of college experience playing slot cornerback. The Eagles drafted him as a safety, and I still give him slight odds over Brown to win that job. But his versatility, at the least, should help get him on the field in some defensive role as a rookie.
Kelee Ringo is taking his spot
Multiple reporters and experts raved about Ringo during the mandatory mini-camp with all the big-name wide receivers and defenders in attendance. After splitting reps with Adoree’ Jackson during the OTAs, Ringo created separation during the mandatory session.
The Athletic: Ringo was the first-team outside cornerback in 7-on-7 and team drills on Tuesday — his most flashy workout of the offseason. Ringo held his own while isolated against A.J. Brown during a team-drill rep; Hurts checked down to Barkley. Later, working with the second-team defense during team situation drills, broke up two passes: one intended for Danny Gray, the other for Terrace Marshall. Ringo has long possessed the physical traits to be a quality NFL cornerback.
Philadelphia Inquirer: Ringo had another solid outing on the outside. He was in coverage on several passes that went his way that ended up incomplete. His best moment came when, draped over Danny Gray, he reached around the receiver and swatted a short pass to the turf. Quarterback Tanner McKee tried to toss a back-shoulder pass to receiver Terrace Marshall in the back corner of the end zone, but Ringo had him bottled up. McKee’s pass also gave Marshall no chance to work back toward the ball.
Jalyx Hunt is rising
With Brandon Graham retiring, Bryce Huff traded, and Josh Sweat in Arizona, Hunt has a prime opportunity to earn the starting pass rusher role opposite Nolan Smith, who spent the off-season rehabbing a torn triceps. Hunt is an athletic marvel, and he put his pass-rush prowess on display.
Martin Frank: Jalyx Hunt showed why Eagles traded Bryce Huff
There was one play during minicamp where Jalyx Hunt blew by left tackle Jordan Mailata, then chased Hurts around the pocket to the sideline. In a real game, Hunt, in his second season, would have sacked the quarterback. When Mailata got to the sideline, he looked at the replay on the giant monitor on the sideline and yelled, “What the (expletive) am I doing?”
CBS Sports: The Eagles are giving Hunt an opportunity to start at one of the edge rusher positions, as the second-year player is getting first-team looks with Nolan Smith still on the mend (torn triceps). Hunt was pretty active in the team periods, notching two sacks on the afternoon and being a disruptor in the backfield. Hunt got to Hurts on a miscommunication amongst the offensive line for the first sack, but the second sack was him beating Mailata — and frustrating the All-Pro left tackle in the process. Hunt looks primed to have a good summer and a breakout year, which would ease a lot of doubts regarding how to fill the voids left by Josh Sweat and Milton Williams.
Philadelphia Inquirer: With Nolan Smith still not cleared for contact, Jalyx Hunt and Azeez Ojulari were first up on the edge. Smith will be the lead dog of this unit, and has some characteristics of the retired Brandon Graham, but Hunt strikes me as more of the Graham-like energy guy. He broke through on one rush after Hurts was forced into scramble mode. Normally, a play like that might be blown dead, or the defender will ease up. But Hunt kept chasing after the quarterback like two schoolboys at recess. Fun stuff.
Terrace Marshall’s blossoming
The former LSU star and Panthers second-round pick is a sleeper player to watch as the potential fourth wide receiver on the depth chart.
The Athletic: During 11-on-11 drills with the first-team offense, Terrace Marshall, who signed a one-year, $1.05 million deal in the offseason, caught a short crosser with DeJean in coverage and sprinted for an explosive gain. Later, during 7-on-7s, Marshall hauled in a long completion against Adoree’ Jackson, who’s competing with Ringo for the starting job at outside cornerback. Both plays reflected why Marshall, 25, was chosen by the Carolina Panthers No. 59 overall in 2021. He’d come to prominence during LSU’s 2019 national championship season as Joe Burrow’s third option behind Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Marshall’s 731 yards in seven games during a COVID-shortened 2020 season suggested he might capture some of the success Chase and Jefferson have since secured in the NFL.
Delaware Online: Terrace Marshall was a second-round pick in 2021 by the Carolina Panthers. He had his best season in 2022, when he had 490 yards receiving. But Marshall spent last season bouncing around the practice squads of the Raiders and 49ers after the Panthers released him last August. But Marshall, who’s 6-foot-2, 200 pounds has looked impressive this spring. He had at least 5 or 6 catches in the minicamp practice. Danny Gray, who spent last season on the Eagles’ practice squad, has also looked sharp.
Philadelphia Inquirer: Marshall and Gray are the aforementioned newcomers. The former may have caught more passes than anyone during the three open practices. Marshall plucked a McKee heave thrown slightly behind him on a crossing route. Hurts went to him on his second read when he had a step on slot cornerback Cooper DeJean. Marshall had several other grabs, as well. He just needs a new uniform number. No receiver should wear No. 46. Gray’s got some wheels and had a nice catch over the middle between two defenders. I don’t know if either receiver has a shot to make the final roster, but they could push Smith.