Eagles practice observations: Makai Lemon sidelined; Riq Woolen shines; Jalen Hurts and Andy Dalton have their moments

The Eagles held their second open practice of organized team activities on Tuesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here are my observations:

A little accounting before we get to the action. The following players were absent for the optional workout: tackle Lane Johnson, defensive tackle Jalen Carter, tackle Fred Johnson, tackle Hollin Pierce and linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.

Lane Johnson and Carter were also missing the last time practice was open to reporters a week ago. Johnson has developed the habit of staying away from OTAs, preferring to train at home. There’s no concern there. Carter has been present for various parts of the spring schedule, so there’s little reason to make much about his skip days as long he maintains his conditioning. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said a few weeks ago that Carter was fully recovered from his shoulder woes.

» READ MORE: A.J. Brown’s former Eagles teammates react to the trade: ‘It’s a business.’

Of the Eagles’ new faces, wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks and rookie outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby were the only two not at the open session last week. Both were out there today. I’ll have more on Wicks below.

On the first official day without A.J. Brown, who was already in New England practicing with the Patriots, his quasi-replacement Makai Lemon was a sideline spectator. The rookie receiver wore a sleeve on his right leg and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell later revealed he had a hamstring injury. Not a big deal, but the Eagles would obviously prefer to have their top draft pick getting on-field work. Lemon, who turned 22 on Tuesday, could miss minicamp next week, a source said. There’s plenty of time until training camp.

Linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who wasn’t at the indoor bubble last Wednesday, didn’t practice again as he continues his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. The following players who were apparently also injured watched most of the workout: receivers Darius Cooper and Britain Covey, fullback Carson Steele, and safeties Cole Wisniewski and Tucker Large, the latter of whom is on injured reserve.

Jalen Hurts’ first pass of seven-on-seven drills was intercepted over the middle by linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. The quarterback appeared to force the throw to tight end Grant Calcaterra, who was surrounded by multiple defenders. Hurts bounced back on the next play and lofted a strike to Dallas Goedert, who got behind safety Andrew Mukuba with a double move. Goedert couldn’t pull in the ball, though.

The tight end rebounded later in seven-on-sevens with a couple grabs. On one occasion, he motioned into the slot and beat linebacker Smael Mondon. Hurts delivered both completions, just as he did when receiver DeVonta Smith caught a dart on a dig route underneath a deep zone coverage.

Patience will be needed as offensive coordinator Sean Mannion installs his new scheme. There were rocky moments last week, and again this week, but there were also highlights from the offense. And on several occasions, Mannion’s calls had Fangio’s defense out of sorts. Running back Saquon Barkley broke free into the secondary on a busted coverage and Hurts hit him deep in stride. I’m not sure if Barkley’s pre-snap slide motion messed up the defensive alignment, but linebacker Zack Baun was caught flat-footed and had no safety help over the top.

Mannion continued to feature a lot of pre-snap motion with quarterbacks under center in team drills. My favorite schemed-up play came during team drills. Quarterback Tanner McKee faked a pitch to the running back, which shifted the linebackers, and then receiver Danny Gray cut across the formation. He easily got behind a dropping outside linebacker and McKee tossed one over Gray’s shoulder and into his arms for a nice gain.

With little contact and players in shorts and shells, the Eagles didn’t work much on the run game. There was a Will Shipley outside rush that left edge Arnold Ebiketie unblocked and waiting to stop the running back. To me, the offensive line’s transition to more wide-zone blocking may be Mannion and Co.’s most important undertaking.

Riq Woolen has stood out for more than just his considerable length. The new 6-foot-4 cornerback has made plays on the ball in the first two open practices. Hurts tested him on a deep sideline heave to receiver Hollywood Brown. But Woolen ran with Brown step for step and wagged his finger in the air after the ball fell to the turf.

During the red zone period, Woolen blanketed Smith for an inordinate amount of time — the play could have been whistled dead it went on so long — but he still knocked Hurts’ pass away in the end zone.

Wicks had a couple shaky spells. He dropped a Hurts attempt on a slant route in team drills. And he bobbled an Andy Dalton pass that hit him in the hands before recovering and tap-dancing inbounds. He did well to unlock himself from Woolen during red zone and caught a touchdown in the back of the end zone. Hurts had maybe too much of a grace period, but he put extra mustard on his throw.

Brown got in on the red-zone success when he lost cornerback Mac McWilliams and Dalton hit him in stride for a touchdown.

Hurts worked from under center in team drills and delivered a dart to Eli Stowers, with Mitchell draped over the rookie tight end. The last team drill of practice occurred again in the lower red zone. Smith’s pre-snap motion didn’t indicate much about the coverage, but when Hurts dropped, Fangio’s back seven was in man defense. Smith beat his man to the post, but the pass sailed a touch high and went off his outstretched hands. It looked like Baun might have forced Hurts to alter the path of his throw. Nevertheless, you could tell Hurts wanted that one back.

One other red-zone play resulted in a touchdown: McKee connected with Gray on a quick out after the receiver used his hands to discard cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields.

Dalton, like last Wednesday, took more snaps with the second unit ahead of McKee. He was sharper this time around. His best toss of the day might been a 20-yard rope to tight end E.J. Jenkins on a seam route. Calcaterra shined a few times. He caught a shortie when matched up vs. linebacker Jose Ramirez on a Texas route. He followed that play up with a grab into the flat.

The 38-year-old Dalton’s love affair with tight ends continued. He once hit Stowers underneath linebacker Chance Campbell. And he arched a beauty to Dae’Quan Wright, who might be the most promising of the Eagles’ undrafted rookies.

I wonder how McKee has taken his relative demotion. He had a decent workout despite getting only so many chances. Tight end Stone Smartt appeared to drop one of McKee’s passes in 7 on 7s. McKee also hit one of the contraptions that simulate pass rushers during the period.

During his team drill set, he short hopped a 20-yard toss to Elijah Moore, but I’m not sure his receiver hit the mark on the comeback route.

Rookie quarterback Cole Payton took just three reps during 7 on 7s. He hooked up with Stowers on one of his drops. … Defensive tackle Jordan Davis was in midseason mode when he shouted, “I don’t give a [expletive] if it’s OTAs! Full speed!” before the start of team drills. … The Eagles have one more OTA on Thursday that isn’t open to reporters. Next week’s two-day minicamp on June 9-10 will have media access.

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A.J. Brown is officially an Eagle no more! We knew the move was coming for weeks, if not months, but that doesn't make the departure of the Pro Bowl wide receiver and Super Bowl champion any less jarring. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane and David Murphy react to general manager Howie Roseman's trade with the New England Patriots. Listen here.

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