Training Camp Preview: Philadelphia Eagles 2016

In just over two weeks from now, the Philadelphia Eagles will set foot on the practice field for their first training camp session under new head coach Doug Pederson.

In what’s sure to be a year the Philadelphia Eagles are looking forward to, Doug Pederson’s approach will be vastly different from that of former head coach Chip Kelly, who was notorious for his high intensity practices.

Location:

Philadelphia Eagles: Philadelphia, PA

Facility: Under Armour Performance Center; Rookies: July 24; Veterans: July 27

Next: Philadelphia Eagles 2016 rookie preview: LB Joe Walker

Off-season breakdown

The Eagles went into revamp mode this off-season, adding new head coach Doug Pederson from the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Free agent safety Rodney McLeod and guard Brandon Brooks headlined the Eagles key off-season moves as far as player personnel, and both fill a position the Eagles desperately needed help in.

The addition of Carson Wentz to the quarterback room turned heads and created an awkward situation for the Eagles’ new coaching staff. A quarterback controversy began between Sam Bradford and the prized rookie Wentz. In addition to Wentz, rookies Wendell Smallwood (running back) and Jalen Mills (cornerback) would turn heads at OTA and Minicamp sessions and put their names in the running for starting roles heading into training camp.

Player Who Has Most To Gain

Jalen Mills:

He has been spoken about so much that Eagles fans are nearly convinced this kid is going to be a star. Through OTA’s and Minicamp, Mills turned heads with his physical, instinctive and gritty cornerback play. Schwartz fueled the fire by stating ‘Mills is comfortable playing on an island’.

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Training Camp is a different beast, the pads come on, the intensity rises and you find out pretty quickly if a player has what it takes to start or not. Mills has a great opportunity due to the cornerback spot being pretty weak in terms of talent. Seeing how Mills plays once the pads come on will be something to pay attention to. He was a solid but not necessarily a great tackler with the LSU Tigers, so that will be a key area to look at in training camp.

If Mills can continue on his form from OTA’s and Minicamp, he will thrust his name into being a starting cornerback by week 1. His ability to play the ball, hit hard and be in good position to create turnovers can’t be dismissed.

What will Doug Pederson’s offense look like?

As you know, quarterbacks receive the play calls via the head piece, which is then repeated to the offense. Each word means a different play for the different positions.

Being a former quarterback, Pederson has placed huge emphasis on giving his quarterbacks more control, slower snap counts, audibles and the opportunity to change what opposing defenses will be seeing. As it’s been said, Pederson’s offense will be much like the Andy Reid offense you’ve seen with Donovan McNabb and Alex Smith.

What is Carson Wentz’s role in 2016?

Unless Bradford gets hurt and Wentz blows everybody’s minds throughout training camp and preseason, it’s obvious the Eagles are going to take their time with the young quarterback and sit him for most of the season.

What people hope to see from Wentz is progression once the pads come on, Wentz reportedly had a good off-season in shorts and the red shirt, but facing a real defense and running a game day offense will be a big step for the Eagles rookie quarterback.

From the outside looking in, it seems the Eagles want Wentz to develop his game by wearing the headset and feeding off of a experienced coaching staff and two veteran quarterbacks. The pre-season will give fans a good look at Wentz as he will see a lot of snaps with the 2^nd and 3^rd string offense. Don’t expect to see much of him in 2016 regular season.

Can Nelson Agholor bounce back after a disappointing rookie year?

Agholor could be the most important piece of this Eagles team. High hopes were placed on him last season, and injury and poor play resulted in him coming under fire from fans and the media. The Eagles are desperately looking for someone to play across from Jordan Matthews, and if Agholor can bounce back in 2016, the offense will improve substantially.

Despite a lackluster rookie year, Agholor showed explosiveness from the line of scrimmage and an ability to separate from opposing defenders in 2015. Matthews has the bigger body and is the better route runner, but hopefully Agholor can become the x-factor heading into 2016.

He was drafted as a potential number one receiver; and if he can get close to that potential this year, the Eagles offense, as a whole, will be far more advanced and have more of an identity for years to come.

Early Prediction on Eagles 2016 Season

An improved defense and new offense will be refreshing for the Eagles, whether or not that equates to better play is yet to be seen. Tempered expectations would be the best way to look at the upcoming season, there will be some highs and lows, but an 8-8/9-7 season isn’t out of the question given the poor play in their division.

The defense is good enough to keep the Eagles in most games they’ll play in. It’s up to how the offense plays and whether Sam Bradford can take a step forward and lead this team to greater heights in 2016.

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Philadelphia Eagles: A preview of the 2016 training camp

By Tim Fernando | Jul 6, 2016