Eagles locker room buzz: Getting to know Janarius Robinson and identifying the team’s putt master

Throughout the season, The Inquirer’s Eagles reporters will compile a weekly report on what they’re hearing and seeing from inside the locker room at the NovaCare Complex. Here’s our reports from Week 1, and 2:

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni needed to execute a double take earlier in the week when he passed through the cafeteria inside the team’s headquarters.

Three large human beings were seated together at a table. Two of them – Josh Sweat and Marvin Wilson – were very familiar to Sirianni – but there was a new face added to the group.

Seated between Sweat and Wilson was new Eagles defensive end Janarius Robinson, whom the Eagles recently signed off the Vikings’ practice squad. Sweat, Wilson, Robinson, and practice squad receiver Auden Tate all share an alma mater in Florida State. As Sirianni passed the trio of defensive linemen, he playfully hummed the Florida State fight song.

“He is big,” Sirianni said of Robinson. “He is a big man.”

In the wake of defensive end Derek Barnett’s season-ending torn ACL injury, the Eagles felt the need to add depth to their pass rush. Robinson was originally a fourth-round pick during last year’s draft, but he missed his entire rookie season after suffering an injury in training camp. This summer, he didn’t make the Vikings’ 53-man roster, and he signed with Minnesota’s practice squad before the Eagles poached him this week.

“Big man, we liked his tape coming out and saw an opportunity there,” Sirianni said. “Obviously really bummed about Derek, but saw an opportunity there to improve our roster and our defensive coaches liked him. I liked him and Howie Roseman liked him, and we saw a way to improve our roster.”

“I spent two years with J-Rob – that’s my boy,” Sweat said. “He’s excited to be here. I’m excited for him. He doesn’t have a lot of NFL reps, but my boy is a playmaker.”

Said Wilson: “I think J-Rob is going to be a great addition to our defense. He’s a big, long, athletic guy, and he plays really, really aggressive. He brings a great energy to the locker room. He’s always in a good mood. He’s never in a slump, high-energy guy. He might stay to himself at times, but when you get on the field, you’re going to feel him.”

Coincidence or not, the Eagles are hosting Robinson’s former team on Monday evening in the home opener at Lincoln Financial Field. Robinson declined to publicly discuss specifics about the Vikings, but it’s likely he’s already shared plenty of intel with his new teammates and coaches.

“Since I’ve gotten here, I jumped straight into the playbook,” Robinson said. “I’m still learning, but I’m processing everything as fast as I can.”

There’s a new putting mat situated just after the entrance to the Eagles locker room.

It’s affixed between the specialists and defensive backs, and Jake Elliott seems to be the keeper of a putter that players share.

Elliott is likely the best golfer on the team; the Eagles kicker has a penchant for just about any sport that requires a repeatable motion. Many of his teammates consider him one of the better athletes on the team despite the preconceived notion that sometimes comes with being a specialist. During the Pro Bowl this past February in Las Vegas, Elliott and other Pro Bowlers from both conferences participated in a golf simulator as part of the week’s festivities; Elliott recorded the longest drive of all the AFC/NFC Pro Bowl participants.

Who is second best, though? Cornerback Zech McPhearson had a few shaky strokes, but it’s only fair to acknowledge the second-year cornerback sought out a lefty putter but was out of luck. Instead he used the butt end of the blade without much success. Wide receiver Quez Watkins gave it an honest try, but was too strong on his first putt even after Elliott encouraged him to shorten his elongated backswing.

“Don’t break your wrists,” Elliott said.

At least in Elliott’s opinion, punter Arryn Siposs is the best in the field competing for No. 2. He said the two typically play a handful of rounds together in the offseason throughout the Philadelphia area.

By Saturday afternoon, PR staffers Bob Lange and Brett Strohsacker took their own turns with backup quarterback Gardner Minshew observing. Rookie Jordan Davis proudly said he knocked down two of six putt attempts.

The NovaCare Complex serves as the team’s home base throughout the week. The 8,000-square foot facility features a 189-seat auditorium, cafeteria, three outdoor football fields, an indoor practice structure, and many other features. Getting around can become repetitious, and some players have found ways to speed up their commute between different rooms at work. Running back Miles Sanders keeps his trusty electric scooter near his locker. Throughout the week, Sanders was spotted scootering around the facility and locker room.