Eagles practice observations: C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s replacement; More of Kellen Moore’s offense

The Eagles held their ninth practice of the 2024 training camp on Tuesday at the NovaCare Complex. Here are links to observations from Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Here are my takeaways from Day 9.

Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a shoulder injury on Monday that sidelined him the next day. The injury isn’t considered long-term, according to the Eagles. Was that spin? I checked with a few team sources, and from what I understand, Gardner-Johnson could miss a little time, but it’s not a significant setback. The Eagles were already a little thin at safety and one visual at practice spoke to those depth concerns. Gardner-Johnson watched practice and during team drills stood near one end zone with two other injured safeties — rookie Cooper DeJean (hamstring) and Sydney Brown (knee).

Avonte Maddox took Gardner-Johnson’s spot with the first defense ahead of James Bradberry, who had jumped up from the second unit the day before in spot duty. With Quinyon Mitchell getting more time at slot cornerback, Maddox’s future may be mostly at safety. NFL safeties are increasingly converted corners, and the Eagles have their share.

Tyler Steen participated in team drills a day after returning from an ankle injury. He may have lost his spot at right guard with the first offense. Mekhi Becton maintained that role, although Steen did get some reps with the starters. I think it’s too early to say that Steen got “Wally Pipped.” Becton hasn’t been consistent since taking his place. But the expectation here was that the Eagles would give Steen, a 2023 third-rounder, every opportunity to win that job. His supposed demotion could be temporary.

Center Cam Jurgens returned to action after walking off late in practice Monday. He has an illness and was limited the next day. Brett Toth took over at center when Jurgens stepped out. When right tackle Lane Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson were given a reduction in their workloads, Fred Johnson and Toth replaced them, respectively. Rookie Trevor Keegan then filled in for Toth.

» READ MORE: Is the Eagles’ roster battle at cornerback starting to take shape? Isaiah Rodgers knows it’s far from over.

Aside from Gardner-Johnson, linebacker Oren Burks (knee), wide receiver Parris Campbell (groin), safety Mehki Garner (hamstring), and linebacker Brandon Smith (concussion) did not practice. Receiver Austin Watkins was also limited with an illness. I speculated on Monday that the ball-security contraption may have contributed to his early exit. I apologize to said apparatus.

The Eagles conducted blitz pickup one-on-ones for the first time. They’ve already worked a fair amount of blitzing into team drills, but this was our first chance to focus on individual performance. My takeaways on the running backs: Saquon Barkley had the best technique and it doesn’t hurt that he’s as big as most of the linebackers he faced. He stoned linebacker Devin White in both their meetings.

Kenneth Gainwell is no slouch, but he’s not super reliable, either. Linebacker Nakobe Dean used his physicality to push him around. Rookie Will Shipley needs a lot of work. It was hinted at in previous team drills, but it was almost a matter of fact in individual action. Dean easily knocked him off balance. Linebacker Ben VanSumeren may have had the weakest pass-rush moves of the linebackers, but he gave Shipley trouble.

White, Dean, and Zack Baun continued to be the main three rotating at inside linebacker with the first defense. White would seem the most obvious to win one spot. Not only has he been steady, but he has been the primary lone linebacker in dime personnel. Baun has consistently been first up ahead of Dean with the starters.

A former edge rusher, he did well in blitzing drills and also had two standout stops in 11-on-11s. He didn’t bite on misdirection and forced quarterback Jalen Hurts to give himself up in the backfield when he couldn’t pitch to receiver DeVonta Smith. Later, with the offense in three tight end personnel, Baun knifed through to “tackle” Barkley for a loss.

Dean didn’t get many chances to showcase his pass-rush skills in his first two seasons but has continually gotten to the quarterback in this camp. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio hasn’t blitzed at a high rate over his career, but White, Baun, and Dean may force his hand. Dean notched a would-be sack of quarterback Kenny Pickett on a delayed blitz that wasn’t picked up.

» READ MORE: Zack Baun making the most of first-team opportunities at Eagles camp: ‘Being here is a big blessing’

Tuesday’s workout was probably the most uneventful so far. Hurts and the first offense didn’t air it out much, while the reserve units worked a lot on situational football. Hurts had his moments, though, with several coming on slant passes to receiver A.J. Brown. Nothing is as certain in the NFL as Brown getting open on a slant route.

Smith caught a slant, as well, although Dean was poised to deliver a bolt if he was allowed. Earlier, Hurts got the defense to bite on a bubble screen, which freed Smith for an easy downfield catch and run.

A zero blitz collapsed the pocket around Hurts later on. He squirted out, but his throw was batted down by defensive tackle Jalen Carter. A period later, Hurts tossed one up toward rookie Johnny Wilson, but Maddox blanketed the 6-foot-6 receiver and the pass sailed long.

Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore worked some tempo into his first offense, most effectively when Jurgens quick-snapped the ball to Hurts and the quarterback handed off to Barkley for a long run. They tried the ploy again — in which the other linemen aren’t yet set — but the defense was ready and Hurts dumped short to tight end Grant Calcaterra.

Earlier, Hurts slowed it down and audibled to a draw play that proved successful. On the next play, the offense went up-tempo and caught the defense with too many men on the field.

» READ MORE: Saquon Barkley thinks the Eagles line will finally allow him to show his ‘true potential.’ Scary thought.

Moore doesn’t want his scheme to be predictable. That was a problem for Nick Sirianni’s offense a year ago. There are multiple ways to throw the opposition off, and sometimes, as Moore said during his news conference, you want to show tendencies. But switching up your personnel groupings can be one way to keep defenses on their toes. The Eagles aren’t going to rely much on “22″ grouping — two running backs and two tight ends — but Barkley got open underneath after Gainwell ran jet ghost motion.

With no obvious third receiver — at least at this moment — Moore might not be as inclined to lean on “11″ personnel. But Calcatera as the second tight end is going to have to give the coordinator reason for running more “12.” As for a third tight end, Albert Okwuegbunam appears to have the edge on C.J. Uzomah on the depth chart.

I’ve mentioned Moro Ojomo increasingly in my notes, but he had maybe the defensive play of the day when he slipped through two pulling O-linemen and wrapped up Shipley for a loss. The second-year defensive tackle isn’t likely to steal many snaps from Carter, Jordan Davis, and Milton Williams when the season starts, but he may exceed expectations for a seventh-rounder.

The same could be said for defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, who was a 2021 sixth-rounder. He has shown up almost daily and batted a Hurts pass.

Asked about the competition at backup quarterback, Moore downplayed the significance of Tanner McKee getting second-team reps at the expense of Pickett. He said the reasons were independent of the former Steeler. That said, Pickett has yet to put his stamp on the No. 2 spot. He has the whole Eagles-traded-for-him thing in his favor, though, and that should be enough. And it’s not as if McKee has blown minds.

Both had their struggles in the situational periods. To be fair to both, the receiver talent at the bottom of the depth chart isn’t great. During the first period, Pickett was sacked and had to throw the ball away. Safety Reed Blankenship was close enough to dive for the ball but came up short. Pickett tried to squeeze a pass in to Joseph Ngata near the goal line, but the receiver couldn’t outmuscle cornerback Kelee Ringo. It got worse later on as Pickett either got sacked or held the ball on three of five plays during a set. He did have a nice back shoulder throw to Ngata that his receiver either dropped or fumbled.

All of McKee’s reps came with the third unit. He overthrew an open Jacob Harris on his first pass. He had to throw the ball away a few plays later when pressured. A pass to tight end E.J. Jenkins was broken up by cornerback Zech McPhearson. McKee did hit an open Jenkins downfield late in the practice. And then he connected with receiver Griffin Hebert on a slant inside the 5-yard line. He went back to that well on the next play, but cornerback Shon Stephens got a hand on the ball and deflected it to safety Andre’ Sam for an interception.

» READ MORE: Who’s the backup QB? Kenny Pickett is confident he’ll be as he learns the Eagles’ system

Jake Elliott missed his first field goal of camp. Sound the alarms. Or not. The attempt, which sailed wide left and short, was from 58 yards. Elliott made all five of his other kicks. … The emergency special teams crew of Calcaterra (long snapper), receiver Britain Covey (holder), and punter Braden Mann (kicker) attempted an extra point. Covey muffed the first snap and went into jailbreak mode with a pass to Toth. On the next try, though, he handled a high snap and Mann split the uprights. … The Eagles end a four-day stretch with practice on Wednesday. They have a closed walk-through on Thursday ahead of Friday night’s preseason opener at the Ravens (7:30 p.m., NBCSP+).