As news of Philadelphia Eagles star defensive lineman Jalen Carter securing a monster contract stole the headlines, teammate Jalyx Hunt stole the thunder on Day 1 of training camp.
The promising third-year edge, who enters camp with lofty expectations, wreaked havoc early and often in the backfield. Evan Macy of Philly Voice highlighted Hunt's efforts, calling him the hero of the team's first training camp session.
"All morning long, the Eagles' young pass rusher was beating the Eagles' offensive line. There is no tackling (yet) and no tackling the quarterback at all in practice, but it was pretty clear Hunt created at least two sacks, tallied an impressive tackle for loss on a run play, and was loading up for a potential huge hit on a ball carrier on an 11-on-11 drill."
With news breaking this morning that newly signed pass rusher Jonathan Greenard would be missing a lot of training camp due to a pec injury he got working out (Eagles GM Howie Roseman did say he'd be ready for Week 1), and Brandon Graham still a free agent, seeing Hunt play this well is a very encouraging sign for an otherwise thin pass rush.
Last season, the former third-round pick had a breakout year, doing it all on defense. He had 6.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, a team-leading three interceptions including a pick-six, and a fumble recovery. He could very well prove indispensable on a defense loaded with indispensable players."
Signs of stardom are flashing for Jalyx Hunt
With Hunt hitting the ground running, the concerns over the Greenard injury were tempered a bit. Roseman has spoken assuredly that Greenard should be on track for a Week 1 return to full health, but regardless, this coming season could be one in which Hunt emerges as the alpha dog of the edge group.
While a healthy Greenard adds power to both run defense and the pass rush, a sizeable leap in year 3 for Hunt could vault the third-year man into newfound star territory. Fresh off a season in which he led the team in both sacks (6.5) and interceptions (three), Hunt is becoming an invaluable weapon for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to lean on.
Meanwhile, with Greenard temporarily shelved, the topic of Brandon Graham potentially returning naturally came up. Roseman has remained in contact with his first-ever draft selection as GM, and while he played inside quite a bit last year, Graham might be in the mix once more in the front seven.
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Time will tell on that front, but with so much buzz surrounding the extension Carter landed, Day 1 of training camp belonged to Hunt. With his development unfolding at such a rapid rate, opposing backfields will soon have their hands full with the menacing edge.
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