Eagles practice observations: Miles Sanders wants respect; Brandon Graham ‘sacks’ Jalen Hurts twice

The Eagles held their third practice of the 2022 training camp at the NovaCare Complex on Saturday. Here were my observations from Day 1 and Day 2. Let’s get to Day 3′s action:

Miles and miles. Friday, I made mention of Miles Sanders and how I thought he looked explosive through the first two days. The observation didn’t include that he worked with the second unit offense because coaches rotate players throughout camp, and I couldn’t imagine a scenario in which he wasn’t the lead running back this season. “Miles is our guy,” coach Nick Sirianni said a day later when asked about that abnormality.

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When team drills opened on Saturday, Sanders was in with the ones, ahead of Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott, et al, Sirianni jokingly yelled, “He’s in with the ones!” The fourth-year tailback took the first handoff and jetted through a hole and zig-zagged his way downfield. “That’s how you start a drill, 2-6,” another coach shouted.

Sanders met with the media for the first time in camp after practice. Clearly, he was aware that some reporters had noted his placement a day prior. Asked what he thought about Sirianni’s sarcastic comment, Sanders asked, “Who made that article?” Later, he was asked what motivated him at this point in his career?

“Just get the respect that I finally deserve,” Sanders responded.

And what’s that look like?

“Stop making articles about me being on second team,” he said.

Sanders was laughing during the second comment, but he was obviously perturbed and grumbled when the interview ended. The Eagles’ 2019 second-round draft pick has put up solid rushing numbers — 2,439 yards, 5.1 yards a carry, and nine touchdowns — in his first three seasons. But he hasn’t significantly improved upon his rookie season, for whatever reason, especially as a receiver.

He may have fallen victim to exaggerated expectations based upon that first season, but he clearly enters 2022 with a chip on his shoulder.

Graham cracks. Brandon Graham always brings the energy, but the veteran defensive end seemed to be making a statement with his performance on Saturday. Something like, Hey, I might be 34 and coming off an Achilles tendon injury, but I can still ball. Graham was a disruptive force in team drills. He beat right tackle Lane Johnson and “sacked” quarterback Jalen Hurts during one play, He pressured backup quarterback Gardner Minshew into a dirt ball on another. And he got to Hurts for another “sack” late in practice.

Graham has worked mostly with the second unit behind Josh Sweat, but he’s gotten snaps with the ones. Sweat had a solid outing, as well. He snuffed out a direct snap to Gainwell, and used an outside speed rush to get by left tackle Andre Dillard and “sacked” Minshew.

Graham and Sweat drew a couple of flags for jumping offsides — guard Sua Opeta had a false start for another pre-snap penalty — but the edges set the tone for a defensive unit that got the upper hand on the offense for a second straight day.

Hurts update. Hurts bounced back some from a rough practice, but the quarterback and the first team offense — not to mention the other two units — continued their struggles. Having center Jason Kelce, who didn’t participate in the first two workouts as he returned from COVID-19, had to help some. But after a couple of early competitions in the team portion, Hurts tossed an ugly interception to safety Andre Chachere. Moving to his left, where he’s historically had less success, he forced a pass to receiver A.J. Brown that Chachere easily picked off.

Hurts fared better in seven-on-sevens. He hit Brown on back-to-back plays and then lofted a deep ball to Quez Watkins that appeared to bounce off the receiver’s hands. Cornerback Darius Slay may have been a disruption, but Sirianni wasn’t pleased with Watkins’ effort on the play. “That’s gotta be a TD,” he said.

Safety valve. Chachere has gotten off to a fine start in camp. He made the roster last season, mostly based upon his special teams abilities, but he could muscle K’Von Wallace out of a spot if the Eagles plan on keeping only four safeties. Anthony Harris, Marcus Epps, and Jaquiski Tartt appear to have the first three spots locked up.

Before his interception, Chachere blitzed and thwarted a dump pass to Scott.

Down with Brown. Brown won several contested throws vs. Slay and cornerback James Bradberry, the best coming on an early intermediate toss. Hurts’ pass may have arrived a touch late, but Brown was able to box out Slay.

It’s obvious the more you see Brown use his size and strength why Howie Roseman pulled the trigger on a trade. The Eagles lacked an outside receiver with those kinds of skills last season, and Brown should give Hurts more confidence when throwing into tight man coverage.

Down with Dallas. Many of Hurts’ best moments — and the first offense, for that matter — have come on plays designed with Dallas Goedert as the first read. The tight end has been a focal point in the screen game, but many of his early downfield catches have come off play-action.

Later in practice, Goedert broke into the secondary unaccounted for and Hurts floated a pass to the open tight end for about a 20-yard completion. And when Hurts was flushed out of the pocket, Goedert adjusted his route and came back for a nice gainer.

Minshew mediocre. Hurts hasn’t been the only inconsistent quarterback. The backup has had his moments in his first Eagles camp, only to be offset by an errant throw here and there. He threaded a decent ball to tight Noah Togiai during seven-on-sevens, but sandwiched the positive with a pass behind tight end Grant Calcaterra and a wobbler too high for receiver John Hightower.

In team drills, Minshew hit receiver Greg Ward in stride on a second-level crosser, and later found Togiai on a back shoulder. But in between, he scrambled awkwardly on a play that should have been whistled dead almost immediately.

Battle in the basement. Reid Sinnett has taken most of the repetitions as the third-string quarterback. He hasn’t done much to impress. On his first pass in team drills, he threw behind slot receiver Britain Covey. In one-on-ones, he threw wide of Hightower. Even on a screen pass in team drills, he threw to Togiai’s wrong shoulder.

Sinnett’s underwhelming performance might suggest that rookie Carson Strong is getting jobbed with few practice reps, but he just doesn’t look ready. When he finally got a set of plays, his timing was off on a Hightower slant, he airmailed a duck that cornerback Tay Gowan dropped for a sure interception, and he short-armed a pass that cornerback Jimmy Moreland deflected to tight end JJ Arcega-Whiteside.

The rundown. Practice, in all, lasted 90 minutes. A few other players stood out in one-on-ones: Bradberry broke up a fade to Brown; receiver Jalen Reagor pulled in a deep pass vs. cornerback Zech McPhearson; Hightower ran a nice stick route, but Hurts was wide. In team drills, defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu stopped a screen to Goedert. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave didn’t bite on a Hurts zone-read keeper. Linebacker T.J. Edwards batted a pass to the ground on a Hurts sprint out. Bradberry was glued to DeVonta Smith on a Hurts jump ball that hit the receiver’s belly and popped out. And linebacker Davion Taylor was credited with a “sack” of Minshew on a blitz.

And a few leftovers … Calcaterra was injured during practice and went inside never to return. The Eagles didn’t provide an update. ... Defensive lineman Milton Williams sat out with what a team spokesperson described as a minor elbow injury. ... Some clarification on why tight end Richard Rodgers is on PUP: He has back spasms. … Kicker Jake Elliott was 6-for-6 on kicks, splitting the uprights from 27, 36, 39,. 26, 40, and 45 yards. … Running back Jason Huntley and receiver Devon Allen were the first two kick returners. … It was Military Appreciation Day as assorted members of the armed forces were invited to practice and received signed jerseys from players.

NEW IN 2022: We’re going all in on Eagles Gameday Central! Kicking off the season we’ve got Inquirer Eagles beat reporters EJ Smith and Josh Tolentino tackling the major storylines of the team a week into training camp, plus the most competitive position battles and the latest on Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni.