Eagles practice observations: Kellen Moore in charge as Jalen Hurts adjusts to a new offense

The Eagles held their third and final practice of minicamp on Thursday at the NovaCare Complex. Links to OTAs Day 1, 2 and minicamp Days 1, 2. Here are my observations from Day 3:

James Bradberry was again a spectator at practice. He has been dealing with an abductor injury, an NFL source said. It’s not considered long-term and he should be healthy by training camp. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam was a new addition to the injured list. He wore a sleeve over his right leg. Rookie guard Trevor Keegan, who has had a sleeve over his left leg, remained out. Linebacker Oren Burks was absent for an unspecified reason.

Safety Sydney Brown (ACL), cornerback Zech McPhearson (Achilles), and tackle Le’Raven Clark, who’s on injured reserve, were still sidelined and could miss all or part of training camp depending upon their rehab. Clark was at practice rolling around on a scooter that supported a booted right foot.

Guard Landon Dickerson was excused from all of minicamp for a personal reason.

» READ MORE: Jalen Hurts is adjusting to an Eagles offensive scheme that is ‘probably 95 percent new’

There has been little doubt on who is now in charge of the offense. Kellen Moore not only calls the plays, but the new coordinator has also been at the center during installation periods directing players on where to go. Nick Sirianni? He was talking to one of the camera guys during this time. That’s a joke. Well, not entirely. He was actually doing that. But as Sirianni explained later, not being as involved with the offense has allowed him to spread himself around to other areas that may need his tending.

In terms of the new scheme, Sirianni, Moore, other coaches, and most of the players have downplayed how much has changed. Receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown said that the offense has given them “more freedom.” But quarterback Jalen Hurts was the first to really put a number on the difference — at 95%, he said Thursday — and that could explain why he has struggled this spring, at least in practices open to reporters.

The Eagles are also installing a new defense under new coordinator Vic Fangio. But a similar scheme was run by his two predecessors and there really isn’t as much to learn on that side of the ball. It’s why the defense being ahead of the offense in the spring and early in training camp is generally the rule of thumb.

But Hurts has tossed uncharacteristic interceptions, missed open receivers, and taken the easy route on pass plays he might have normally been more aggressive with in the past. That can be a good thing in certain circumstances. It’s also far too early to make any projections about how he’ll perform in Moore’s system.

During seven-on-sevens, the Eagles worked in the red zone. Hurts hit tight end Dallas Goedert on a short route in which safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson quickly closed. A play later, the pair connected in the end zone, but only after safety Reed Blankenship lost the tight end after an inordinate amount of scramble time. On the final play of the set, Hurts held the ball and basically held it until the play was whistled dead.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett and the second-unit offense had greater success in the red zone — or the Eagles’ second-team defense fared worse — depending upon how it’s viewed.

Pickett’s first pass, to running back Kenneth Gainwell, was dropped (he’s had a few of those this camp). But he hooked up with Joseph Ngata in the back of the end zone when the receiver lost cornerback Kelee Ringo. He then lofted a pass to rookie receiver Ainias Smith, who made a nice grab, just before the back line.

It feels like forever since the Eagles have had a legit camp competition at cornerback and this one is shaping up to be a doozy. Isaiah Rodgers has gotten the most amount of time with the starters in the open workouts, with Ringo not far behind, but I still think rookie Quinyon Mitchell will be given every opportunity to win the job. Second-rounder Cooper DeJean has to be in the mix, as well.

Mitchell didn’t face DeVonta Smith and Brown as much as Rodgers and Ringo did, but there weren’t many passes completed against the Eagles’ top pick this week. Rodgers has been sharp as well, but 6-foot-6 Johnny Wilson used his height to catch a touchdown pass over the cornerback in team drills. Pickett had the throw.

» READ MORE: Sizing up the Eagles’ wide receiver race behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith

Josh Sweat disrupted Hurts and the first-team offense’s set during team drills. He got around left tackle Jordan Mailata and pressured the quarterback into heaving a pass into the end zone that Goedert couldn’t locate over his shoulder. A couple of plays later, Sweat beat Mailata again — a quick disclaimer that contact is supposed to be limited — and notched a would-be sack.

Hurts ended his spring with a short pass to Smith that Rodgers pounced on.

Pickett followed up his touchdown pass to Wilson with a couple of quickies to Smith and receiver Britain Covey. But it was his final pass in team drills that might have been the toss of the day. With cornerback Eli Ricks in man coverage against Ngata, Pickett threw a perfect back-shoulder pass that his receiver caught inside the pylon for a score.

Wilson’s size gave him a significant advantage over cornerbacks in the red zone in college. Will he be able to replicate that in the NFL? We’ve yet to see him on corner fades, but he did beat Ricks on a Texas route for a touchdown in seven-on-sevens. Tanner McKee was the quarterback on the throw. He flung another score when he hit tryout receiver Brandon Smith, who beat cornerback Josh Jobe.

I’m not sure who Shaquan Davis is, but the receiver who was picked up in the offseason caught a pass from McKee during team drills.

The last seven-on-seven period was competitive and involved just the second and third units. Pickett was 3-for-3 on his throws — to Ainias Smith and twice to running back Kendall Milton — but one of the completions was short of a first down and the offense led, 2-1.

In the next set, McKee laced one downfield to Davis, who had a half step on DeJean out of the slot. But the cornerback karate chopped the ball out of his hands for a pass breakup. On the last play — fourth-and-8 — McKee threw short to tryout Griffin Hebert. But linebacker Brandon Smith (different guy) made the stop short of the sticks for a defensive victory.

» READ MORE: Eagles add to Dom DiSandro’s job description with a ‘game-day coaching operations’ title

Offensive coaches had to run gassers for losing the last-period competition. … Covey, DeJean, Rodgers, and Smith fielded punts during special-teams drills. … The Eagles’ break for the summer will last until July 22 when they are slated to report for the start of training camp. The first practice is tentatively scheduled for July 23.