Eagles practice observations: Meet the new LBs; Jalen Carter flashes; Reed Blankenship locks down

The Eagles held their eighth practice of the 2023 training camp at the NovaCare Complex on Tuesday. Here are the links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Here were my observations from Day 8:

Two days after getting signed, free-agent linebackers Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham practiced. The Eagles will likely ease them into the process, but both veterans participated in team drills during their first workout in green. Jack even made a nice would-be stop of running back Kenneth Gainwell near the line on one play.

The starting off-ball linebackers, meanwhile, remained Christian Elliss in the middle — with Nakobe Dean still recovering from an ankle injury — and Nicholas Morrow at weakside. The first-unit defense, collectively, had a solid day. Elliss was all over an early Boston Scott rush off tackle and Morrow was on Quez Watkins when quarterback Jalen Hurts dumped a short pass to his receiver later on.

It’s still way too early to say if either Jack or Cunningham can move up the depth chart and make the 53-man roster. But if there’s a position in which a new face can make that climb, it’s at inside linebacker.

New/old offensive lineman Josh Andrews, who also signed on Sunday, was immediately inserted as the second-unit center. Brett Toth struggled in the role — primarily when it came to the snap — and he was demoted to third-team left guard.

The Eagles activated receiver Devon Allen (calf) from the non-football injury list and he was listed as a limited participant in the pre-practice report. Dean worked out on a side field with a trainer during the early portion of practice and was joined by receiver Deon Cain (ankle). Linebacker Patrick Johnson (ankle) simply watched practice.

Cornerback James Bradberry (groin) was also deemed limited. Rookie defensive tackle Moro Ojomo, who left Sunday’s session early, was back in action.

» READ MORE: James Bradberry’s penalty in the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss drove everyone crazy. Except him.

Jalen Carter hasn’t gotten the early training camp buzz that has already been bestowed upon fellow rookie Nolan Smith. But that may have been an oversight based upon his position. The defensive tackle works in the trenches and the sightlines for reporters at NovaCare sometimes make it difficult to see line play in team drills.

But Carter stood out on Tuesday, whether in the 4i-technique spot vs. the run or in the 3-technique spot vs. the pass. His best moment in team drills may have come when he slipped the sliding Lane Johnson and clogged a hole that forced a run outside.

Carter also had some strong repetitions in one-on-ones. Guard Sua Opeta held his ground in a fist right vs. the charging defensive tackle. But Carter, on back-to-back snaps, was able to circumvent guard Josh Sills with an outside move and tipped guard Jack Driscoll over with a combination spin-bull rush move.

Here were some other observations from one on ones:

Jordan Davis wasn’t to be outdone by Carter. The second-year defensive tackle didn’t get much going when faced up against centers Jason Kelce and Andrews in one-on-ones, but later on he used a swim move to get by Sills in team drills.

In the development period, Davis sorta/kinda embarrassed Cameron Tom with an athletic double move that had the offensive lineman whiff and fall on his face. Ouch.

A year ago, when Davis initially suffered an ankle injury, the Eagles didn’t have an obvious replacement and suffered as a result when Marlon Tuipulotu and practice squad call-up Marvin Wilson got run over by Texans running back Dameon Pierce. A week later, the Eagles brought veteran Linval Joseph in to address the need.

Joseph wasn’t re-signed and the Eagles didn’t add an experienced big body to play nose behind Davis. The 6-foot-2, 307-pound Tuipulotu is back from a knee injury and has mostly filled the backup spot in camp. Noah Elliss (6-4, 346 pounds) has nose size, but he hasn’t stood out much. Carter (6-3, 314) is the next-biggest guy, but he has yet to line up over center.

The Eagles have time, of course, if they want to have a backup dedicated to the nose position on the 53-man roster. But it may be a luxury spot unless Davis gets hurt again.

Tyler Steen, at least on the surface, seems like a mild-mannered guy. But the Eagles liked that the Vanderbilt and Alabama offensive lineman played to the whistle — and sometimes after — in college. The rookie got into a couple of minor scrums during one-on-ones on Tuesday.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ Tyler Steen sees the value of being versatile on the offensive line

Reed Blankenship had maybe the play of the day when he dove and intercepted Hurts just before the sideline. It was tough to say if Hurts was trying to throw the ball away or to Watkins, his intended receiver. There was also a lot of wind in the quarterback’s face.

But there was no denying Blankenship’s effort. The second-year safety may have one of the starting spots locked up. While Terrell Edmunds and K’Von Wallace have shuffled in and out of the other spot, Blankenship has been a mainstay with the first team thus far.

Marcus Mariota has seemingly been inconsistent through the first few weeks of camp. He’s learning a new system and mostly playing with new faces, but his issues with overthrowing seem borne of faulty mechanics. That said, the backup quarterback had maybe his best practice of the summer.

He threw a shade ahead of receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on his first pass, but connected on his next four passes, hitting undrafted rookie Joseph Ngata twice on slants.

» READ MORE: Marcus Mariota’s acclimation to the Eagles’ playbook starts with Jalen Hurts

DeVonta Smith missed extended periods in both of his first two camps. He was so polished that the Eagles were like — “Yup, we’ve seen enough. Let’s shut him down” — when he suffered an early leg injury as a rookie. He hasn’t missed a snap or a pass that has come his way this camp.

He flashed sure hands on a comeback route vs. rookie cornerback Kelee Ringo. And when Hurts was blitzed a period later, Smith broke off his route and worked back to his quarterback for a short completion.

Hurts didn’t have one of his best days, but an interception he tossed to safety Justin Evans came during a last-second situational drill that likely called for him to heave the ball if in desperation mode. … Watkins beat slot cornerback Avonte Maddox on a deep cross. The receiver is playing with obvious confidence. … Rookie quarterback Tanner McKee continued to take more snaps than Ian Book with the third-unit offense. Undrafted rookie tight end Brady Russell has been one of his favorite targets and they hooked up for a nice gain late in practice.

Scott, Gainwell, Britain Covey, and Rashaad Penny fielded kicks and worked on scooping up squibs, which the NFL could see more of with the new return rules. … The Eagles moved Wednesday’s session from NovaCare to Lincoln Financial Field. The practice will still be closed to fans.