Eagles practice observations: Jalen Hurts sharp at the Linc; Kenneth Gainwell dupes Nakobe Dean

The Eagles held their sixth practice of the 2024 training camp on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field. Here are links to observations from Days 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Here are my takeaways from Day 6:

Dallas Goedert had himself a night at the Linc as the first-team offense got the better of both of the top two defensive units. The tight end caught three touchdowns and a two-point conversion. He walked into the end zone virtually untouched on the first — a run-pass option. He beat cornerback Kelee Ringo again on a run-pass option. And he muscled out reserve safety Tristin McCollum in the end zone on a beautiful ball from quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts initially looked to his right for what appeared to be a designed screen, but an unblocked defender stood in his way. So he shifted to the other side of the field and found Goedert.

On the two-pointer, which knotted the score in an end-of-game scenario, Hurts hit Goedert again on a run-pass option — this time with safety Reed Blankenship in coverage. If the Eagles can resurrect the RPO game, the offense should look more like it did in 2022 than in 2023.

Goedert wasn’t perfect. He had a false start and couldn’t pull in a late pass with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in pursuit. But he rebounded with a catch on the next play and reminded fans how instrumental he can be in the Eagles’ offensive production.

Landon Dickerson was officially added to the injury list. He suffered a knee injury on Tuesday and sat out. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said he didn’t expect his starting left guard to miss much time. I had to do a double take when I saw Dickerson in uniform and pads through my binoculars in the press box. But unless he lost 25 pounds in a couple of days, the figure in No. 69 looked more like Lane Johnson. And lo and behold — an appropriate phrase in this circumstance — there was someone who was shaped a lot like Dickerson in Johnson’s No. 65 watching practice in a bucket hat. Well played, fellas.

Cornerback Josh Jobe also was out after suffering a concussion on Tuesday. And safety Mekhi Garner was sidelined with a hamstring injury. They joined already-injured guard Tyler Steen (ankle) and linebacker Oren Burks (hamstring). Rookie guard Trevor Keegan was upgraded to a full participant. Undrafted rookie tight end McCallan Castles left practice early. He caught a pass during the third team “live” period and got hurt when rookie linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. tackled him.

Hurts came out gunning on his first pass in team drills. He hit wide receiver A.J. Brown for about a 40-yard gain down to the 5-yard line. Cornerback Darius Slay trailed by a half step. Brown rolled into the end zone that still had soccer lines from the Liverpool-Arsenal exhibition that was played at the Linc the night before. His roll could have been mistaken for a Mo Salah dive. Brown then got up and chucked the ball into the stands.

With Dickerson out, Brett Toth started at left guard. Keegan took the spot later in practice. Toth then moved to the second-team center. Mekhi Becton continued to fill the right guard spot in Steen’s place.

Starter Saquon Barkley had a few nice rushes, but his backup, Kenneth Gainwell, had probably the best night among the running backs. He had two superb catches in which he victimized linebacker Nakobe Dean. On the first, quarterback Kenny Pickett threw to him out of the backfield. Gainwell stopped on a dime, broke Dean’s ankles, and zoomed upfield.

On the second grab, Hurts hit him on a wheel route after he got behind Dean. Gainwell scored, which set up Goedert’s two-pointer.

Dean’s been part of a three-man shuffle at first-team inside linebacker with Devin White and Zack Baun. Dean struggled in coverage but made a couple of nice stops in the ground game, once halting Barkley at the line.

There were other noteworthy moments for the first offense. Wide receiver Britain Covey got some repetitions with the starters and caught a pass for a first down on what looked to be a blown coverage by slot cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Hurts beat the blitz once with a dart to Brown over the middle.

Barkley and Gainwell each had carries in which they were sprung into the second level vs. the second defense. Becton created a massive lane on the latter’s longest tote. Brown caught a pass with cornerback Isaiah Rodgers riding him like a horse.

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The first-unit defense was not without its highlights, but it didn’t really get going until it faced Pickett and the second-team offense. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter had an early tackle for loss on a Barkley run. Hurts ran into the end zone from about 20 yards out on a draw play that drew loud cheers. But Ringo eased up initially on the edge.

Defensive tackle Jordan Davis and Carter plugged the middle on a couple of Will Shipley runs with the second offense. On third down, Pickett heaved a deep jump ball to receiver John Ross. But Slay had position and nearly pulled in the first interception of camp.

Later, when the first units faced off, a Hurts dump to Barkley was whistled dead when Blankenship touched him near the line. If there was tackling, I’m taking the odds on Barkley breaking that. Hurts was nearly picked off by dropping edge rusher Bryce Huff. He pumped before his throw, which suggested that Ross either didn’t run a crisp route or wasn’t looking.

The third receiver competition hasn’t yet produced a clear front-runner. Parris Campbell and Ross have the most experience, but they just haven’t made many plays. Rookie Johnny Wilson may be the guy — at least until general manager Howie Roseman is likely to add a new face or two. Hurts and Sirianni mentioned Wilson on Thursday — the former for two catches he made on Tuesday and the latter for his blocking.

The 6-foot-6 Wilson also showed off his jump-ball abilities in one-on-one drills on Tuesday. He’s had some issues in other areas, but he was a go-to guy on corner fades in college. He got some snaps with the starters on Thursday and Hurts’ first target to him was on a fade route into the end zone vs. Ringo. It looked like the pass was too far ahead of Wilson for him to reach. He later had a couple of receptions from Pickett.

Ainias Smith, Wilson’s rookie receiver counterpart, hasn’t really cracked the third team. He doesn’t seem to have the speed to offset what he lacks in size. He’s not close to being in the Shelton Gibson category for fifth-round receiver busts. But he couldn’t pull in a Tanner McKee toss that was slightly behind him and a Hurts bullet that was high but catchable. Smith has been more sure-handed fielding punts, though, than he was in the spring and at the start of camp.

Pickett had maybe his best period during the second offense’s opening drive. Tight end Grant Calcaterra caught two of his four completed passes on the scourge. Gainwell capped the drive with a touchdown run that was buoyed by a block from left tackle Fred Johnson.

Pickett cooled down after that, but it’s not as if he’s working with the best set of receivers. In the last period, he had a couple of tosses to receiver Joseph Ngata that could have been caught. His last heave — in an end-of-game situation — was intended for receiver Jacob Harris. But it landed in the waiting arms of cornerback Eli Ricks for the first interception of camp.

McKee took his first reps with the second offense. Is there a legit competition for No. 2 quarterback? Maybe, but I think McKee was in there with the backups because practice essentially was a scrimmage, and the Eagles wanted to get fourth quarterback Will Grier some snaps.

McKee didn’t do much with his turn. Campbell didn’t help him much on a short throw and a back-shoulder pass. He did hit tight end Albert Okwuegbunam off play action, but that was his only completion. McKee fared a little better with the third unit in live drills. He fumbled an exchange with Shipley but guided the offense to a rushing touchdown.

Shipley was used a fair amount on the drive. In comparison to the other reserve running backs used during the set, the rookie clearly has an extra gear they don’t possess. He’s patient at the line and when a crease opens, he accelerates at top speed.

Before I get to how the reserve defensive units fared, Trotter had maybe his best play of camp so far, and it came at the expense of Shipley. The rookie linebacker blitzed the “A” gap and made his former teammate whiff on his block before recording a sack of Pickett. Earlier, Trotter couldn’t shake free of running back Tyrion Davis-Price’s blitz pickup.

James Bradberry continued to flash at safety. He bounced off a chip block on the way to breaking up a Hurts pass to Goedert. Outside linebacker Nolan Smith beat Lane Johnson for the first time on an inside rush. Hurts was forced out of the pocket and had to throw the ball away.

Defensive end Tarron Jackson was credited with a sack of Hurts after he got around left tackle Jordan Mailata. Defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu notched a sack after he beat rookie center Dylan McMahon. Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo got to Pickett as well.

This ain’t Penn State bias, but off-ball linebacker Brandon Smith once again stood out. He destroyed guard Jason Poe on a blitz that forced Grier out of the pocket. And he had several run tackles during the final live period. Can he get a few snaps with the second unit so we can see him against better competition?

Jake Elliott nailed a 55-yard field goal. … Mayor Cherelle Parker was in attendance, as was Eagles Mayor Jeffrey Lurie. … The Eagles announced a crowd of nearly 50,000. It was a spirited group. There was the wave, “E-A-G-L-E-S” chants, and “Dallas sucks” chants that certainly weren’t intended for Goedert … The Eagles have a closed walk-through Friday. They’re off on Saturday and return to practice at the NovaCare Complex on Sunday.