Training Camp Day 7: C.J. Gardner-Johnson is one of a kind | Eagle Eye Podcast

Injury and depth chart notes from Sunday's practice got a lot of observations to get to player interviews but rub the big news how you feeling doing good doing a little better doing doing a lot better uh planning on being down there tomorrow so hope so very good kill me to miss uh a practice you know how it is you want to be down there every minute you uh you missed a very nice weather day today a rarity yeah a rarity it's starting to get really humid out there now but this morning it was like 75 Breezy it was beautiful I'm sure it'll be back to 103 when I when I show up yeah I bet uh it was a good practice today no not fully padded so they had a couple of days off and now or at least from practice and now they'll ramp up again and they have the the first preseason game coming up on Friday night so the ramp up begins but I thought it was a spirit practice lasted about an hour and a half in shells and shorts um let's just get into some of the observations then we had a bunch of player interviews and we'll play a clip from one of them which is something we don't do very often so it tells you that uh it was a good one so we'll get to that in a little bit uh a bunch of guys not practicing today McKai beckon had an illness Orin Burke still missing with that knee injury Paris Campbell has a grin injury McKai Gardner hamstring Eli rxs has an illness as well well Brennan Smith has a concussion and Tyler Steen still has that ankle so a pretty big injury list the biggest one we've had so far this summer yeah Josh job I guess was limited coming back from that concussion so that's good news yeah that's good he's moving through the protocol um the you know the one that annoyed me in a way was McKai beckon because I just burned a question to Nick Shani during the press conference and then beckon wasn't practicing but um yeah so we'll see how long he's out hopefully he be back soon because that's a fun battle right now yeah and Paris Campbell's got to get back because that uh that that competition's heating up a little bit and if he doesn't because I mean that that's an injury that could last it could linger could it could affect him when he comes back so um there's some guys who are elbowing their way into that competition and being out's not going to help him yeah I really thought he was going to be able to just grab a hold of that job and never give it up and that I mean that's not happened I mean he hasn't the first day of practice he's out there with the ones made a few catches and you're thinking all right this is going to be his job he's been really quiet since then yeah yeah the days I've been there um it's not like he's dropped a bunch of passes but I just haven't seen him make a bunch of plays yeah and we'll get to some of those other guys because you're right some of those other guys are making plays they're catching the football uh without and it tells you who who jaylen's I mean comfortable thrown to when other people are getting the targets yeah I think there's a little bit of that and that's such a big deal for that third wide receiver is I mean if the quarterback doesn't have confidence in you to throw you the football you're just running a lot out there yeah without much to show for it Brett to was the first team Right Guard today I be I don't get the Brett to thing we're in like year five of this I don't see it you defer to Jeff statland he sees it that he's put a lot of time and effort in the Bret to I'd rather see a Darion Canard out there I'd rather see Trevor Keegan flip sides of the the center and get some Right Guard reps but that's where they're at I think it's telling Matt Hennessy is still I mean they're down their top two right guards and Matt Hennessy is still not getting reps yeah I'm not sure Matt henness is too long for the uh for the world year but um the toe thing is interesting we know Stout loves these projects undrafted guys guys who' have changed positions guys from small schools rugby players um he he loves those kind of guys and Brett to is one of those and uh I've never seen anything you from him that would make me want to keep him around for five years but Jeff Stalin knows more about this stuff than I do so I defer to him like you just said and and we'll see how how it goes but it's certainly certainly interesting yeah uh Dylan McMahon getting second team Center reps to start camp that was Hennessy now henness is second team Right Guard so McMahon's coming along nicely at least by the the way the reps are being divied up Nick Gates mostly still getting third team reps but I mean sometimes you see an offensive lineman with the belly out he's got like he's barely wearing a jersey out there it's pretty funny he's got a unique style I know you admire that you got to notice something yeah uh the only other offensive depth chart note I had Tanner mcke the last couple of practices last three I think it has been getting some second team reps I think he's looked better than Kenny picket yeah I don't really think it's a competition but you know I it's something to note it's interesting because like you said I I think pick's pretty much he just really really is awful in the games I think he's going to be the number two but he I I think he's he's made some great throws but then he's made some what are you doing throws and I think mck's been pretty much solid he's been consistent um and you also have to consider who he's throwing to um guys probably never heard of so most of the time but uh it's telling he's getting second team reps there's something going on there I I don't think he can win that job unless piet's really really bad and I I don't think pick's had a terrible camp but I think he's had a mediocre Camp I agree with that I think he's had a better Camp than like Mariota did last summer when we're all like uh oh this doesn't look very good I I think it just looks right now to me that Tanner mcke just gets the offense more yeah he's in the rhythm of everything he kind of knows where to go with the football with like with picket a lot of times it's like everything's like a half second late and it just looks off it kind of looks like like Jaylen did in the spring just like a little off it's not right there that's kind of what pick it looks like right now yeah uh I think we can agree will GRE pretty much got number four spot wrapped up yeah but yeah something to keep an eye on uh on defense there was another Isaiah Rogers day at right cornerback so these guys have it there it seems like there's no Rhyme or Reason I know that's not true I know there's a a method behind the madness but it it feels like every day we go out to practice I don't know who's going to be the other starting cornerback it seems like maybe now they're Ringo and and Isaiah Rogers are getting blocks of days maybe maybe it's hard to tell a pattern um because it keeps changing but uh too many corners is good problem to have and Isaiah Rogers has been really good he's been he makes plays on the ball every single day every day and we saw the first his first OTA practice I mean he was knocking balls down I think a lot of it is he plays like he'll bait quarterbacks in the throws and then he has the recovery speed so a guy looks open but he can close really quickly yeah he's faster than I thought um oh he's one of the fastest guys on the team he can really run and I mean re key Ringo can't too I think Isaiah might be even a little faster than than key there going be a lot of teams out there thinking why didn't we sign this guy for nothing it's a it's a mystery to me more quinan Mitchell in the nickel spot uh and then when they went to Dime he was out there as well so it to me that signals are really preparing him to play if he doesn't become the outside cornerback which I think he's in the competition even though he might not be in it if that makes sense he's like in the Shadows a little bit in the competition yeah no I think that's that's fair I think they they probably feel like he needs the Reps in the slot more um and I think they feel like they know what he can do I do think he is in the competition in a way it's interesting because he's not he's really not practicing outside uh here and there seems to get a rep but he gets those second team reps some with the ones yeah um but I I feel I feel like he's still in that in that mix yeah we have a long way to go here you know you don't have to decide this right now and if you know in in a month he looks like the right guy then you can still do that yeah and I mean he certainly he he hasn't played much much slot at all I mean he barely he said he barely played in college so he can keep learning and learning and get more and more comfortable there in case that's where he ends up and if he doesn't he's going outside to somewhere he's a lot more comfortable so kind of makes sense yeah and like we could also see him start the season with one role and it kind of morph throughout the year we've seen that with other rookie quarterbacks before so I don't think that's out of the question as recently as last year very true uh hopefully if it happens this year it's for a better reason also true uh linebackers still Devon white and Zack Bon nicoe Dean worked in and Jeremiah Trotter got a little bit of time with the ones I've been impressed by Young trot yeah um he's he's an interesting guy uh he's he he's such a different player than his dad uh but uh the one thing they have in common is they're around the ball and they're Playmakers I mean he's um he seems like he's picked things up quickly he looks fast out there uh he's in the right place and he makes plays yeah his instincts I think are what are that's what's allowing him to play play quickly as a rookie linebacker it's not always easy a lot linebackers you got a lot in your play a lot of times you're directing traffic you're you're setting guys up in the right spots but he looks to be handling it all pretty well yeah and and the we talk so much about the pressure of being the son of a legend I mean tr's a legend around here Trot Senor and he seems really not plus by all that just not not a not a thing to him so you know has I don't think tr's been a practice I think he's letting him kind of I haven't seen him at least I haven't seen him either yeah um and he usually is so I'm sure he's just like let him let him do his thing I'm sure we'll see him at some point um but I mean he wasn't even out there for alumni day which is a little surprising um but uh yeah he's an impressive kid and and I think he'll be a really good special teamer right off the bat he should be based what you see the trace you see from him playing linebacker yeah and I think he will be a core special teamer I think he's probably still a long shot to really earn playing time on defense yeah there are guys ahead of him but he is gonna play special teams he's gonna be on the team uh I think his roster spots pretty much locked up yeah yeah as far as n-depth chart observations today uh this was a very heavy situational period Day so a lot of end of half end of the game you know Observations from a situation-heavy practice Nick serani with that bullhorn bullhorn work out today what was that oh bullhorn was yeah bullhorn might have been the MVP of practice uh but you know how how much Nick is in on situational football honestly more than any other coach I've ever covered and it's not like other coaches don't care about it but like to actually put guys in these like very specific situations and to make sure they're ready for everything it's something that like I think Nick cares more than anyone and to me it was like this was a way for Nick to put a stamp on a practice even though it's not his offense and maybe you're thinking he's taking like a and he does he has a very different role but still his team yeah yeah and the notion that he's not involved in the offense I mean that's just not the case um he's the one with the bullhorn barking out the you know third and nine on the 17 not not Kell Moore uh it's a head coach type of thing uh I hadn't thought about it but I don't remember a coach being being so um emphasizing situational so much you know when when other coaches ran move the ball if you got eight yards it was second and two so it was second and two so if you want to practice third and long they might not be in a third and long if you run and move the ball so um by doing this he can put them in whatever situation he wants and um it kind of makes sense like I want to work on this and you also have that surprise element like guys are out there like all right here's a situation you got you know few seconds to process it figure out the play and and snap the ball or or or defend it so uh I like it I think it's good work and it is I think it's Unique I I I just don't remember seeing a coach do it that way before yeah and these are like kind of Quasi move periods because it's like you know 55 seconds you're at the plus 40 you have this much time one time out so it's good like practice the flow of that like how much time does it take you know if if if there's a there was one short pass of saquin in the middle of the field they have a timeout do you use it there or do you get on the ball no it was a five yard gain get on the ball get up there to the line and and get the next play off I like that stuff is is worthwhile to practice for the coaches too I mean they want to they want to kind of run through a lot of this stuff there was one play where it's like a got to have it situation time's running out they're down four Kenny picket throws the ball away I I mean like and that's something that like that's why you do it in practice you get that out of the way but I mean that that's like that kind of stuff that'll drive Nick serani nuts and there were a few mental breakdowns from players today like that that they can't happen in a real game it's a loss of situational awareness as they say yeah and he's he's played enough football that he should know better and I don't think you'd ever see Tanner mck do that I don't know he Chuck it up there I think but yeah I mean it's it's just one of those where it's like you got to know what's going on here like maybe I think there were five seconds left and they ran the play so maybe he's thinking I get an incompletion I have a second left but that's such a that's a risky especially if you're on the road that's risky yeah uh a couple of big plays today from the guys you you'd expect AJ just The Savvy he plays the receiver position with might be my favorite thing about watching him we've talked about the late hands and past camps but in this rep he's running a fade against Isaiah Rogers Jaylen throws it up to him there's a lot of contact it's all like inside the pads so you know you can't really see it but then a lot of receivers I think would extend their arms and really push off to go get the ball AJ has the Savvy to not show his arms extending like there's a lot of contact maybe it's a little push off doesn't look like it he's able to reach above Isaiah Rogers and pull it down just those little things he does when he plays that are so impressive to me yeah the little nuances and details of the position are are fascinating to watch and I think he's such a strong guy he can probably push off without extending his arms he doesn't need to because he can he can get a little separation you know without doing that um but he's like a I mean he's like a a doctor of football I mean just those the little the little nuances or whatever you want to call them that uh and he's he's so I mean he and he's just keeps learning them and get and getting new ones and getting better at those and um he's so driven to get better and to keep improving every day um it just I I just feel bad that I mean we had the open practice Thursday but I just feel bad fans can't see him every day during practice like the old days I hate being the guy that talks about the old days the one eye story but you know you just kind of picture like 12,000 people at at Lehi and there's AJ making that play and the place going nuts um I'm just I guess I'm just wistful for for that but um he is he is fun to watch he something else and it's a part of his game that I didn't appreciate until he got here it's something I think he need to see every day yeah to to really appreciate it like you watched him in Tennessee and you're like he's a good receiver great yards after catch I don't think I knew the depth of his understanding of how to play the position yeah and also we have the luxury of watching him from 10 feet away if the ball happens to come to that that corner of the field where we're watching and um being able to focus in on a guy like AJ up close or or Jaylen or whoever it is Devonte from from 10 feet away I mean you you really see the details that go into making a big play you know what's funny you mention that because the last time we were at the Nova car complex which I guess was Tuesday Tuesday last Tuesday uh there was one play they're working on Red Zone that day and I'm lined up in the in the end like behind the end zone and they're probably at like the five yard line and I look out and it just happened that like Devonte Smith lined up on me like on my line and I was like oh even I like gulped I'm like I'm not even in this rep and that's like that's got to be daunting for a DB to yeah stare back at him yeah yeah it's pretty cool so it's just fun to watch he had a great play today running out of the slot it was a slot fade uh it was ones versus two so he was up against Tyler Hall and man the that ball from Jaylen that that teardrop is just it's like Prime Russell Wilson dropping the bucket stuff and it it's it might be his best throw his best you're talking about his best throw like like in general that's the ball he throws best right um yeah I think that's fair um and he's boy he's had great touch on that this year this summer um better than last year I don't want to get too carried away with the jail and stuff but he's looking good he's putting it right where he wants to put it that wasn't always the case last year uh Devonte finally got a rep against quinan Mitchell beat him I mean got open caught the ball and quinan still told him the route was trash which is very funny it is that appears to be his one trash talk line because yeah we might have to like work on like building that out a little bit but I like the spirit behind it needs a little more material he's got yeah he's got to go like write we'll help him write a little bit we'll Workshop this for yeah we will uh those were the two biggest plays seven on s's Briton Cy uh got open it was a nice like sliding catch in front of quinan Mitchell cvy just just every day making some plays just making the most of those opportunities yeah I'm really starting to think he can be a part of things I don't know how big a part of things but he's constantly running patterns I mean it's not like he's a punt return who gets a rep here and there I mean he's he's a slot receiver he's a I'd have to ask Elliott this but he probably has the most catchers of anyone he does Elliot uh actually shared that piece of info with me yeah a couple days ago yeah he's run he's had the most targets and the most catches that was yeah it's not like that matters a ton right like because he's running with the twos and sometimes even the threes so he's getting a ton of reps but yeah it's it's not nothing yeah uh those were kind of the big plays I it was tough because I I had to decide between seven on sevens and one on ones and I chose both so I stood at the corner and and watched a little bit so I missed some on both but I saw some on both Jordan Davis had a great rep against cam Jurgens which everything with Jordan Davis we know like Grand assault let's see it in the season let's see it for a full season but just the movement skills for a guy that big cam has to sit on the bull rush he has no choice and then to see Jordan swipe and get around him with a speed move is like yeah every time you see something like that it you just think what could be yeah that's exactly what I was going to say I mean when he makes a play like that just the potential just swirls around your head it's like what this kid is capable of uh and we just don't know what's going to happen but it's uh he's certainly an intriguing guy and I think maybe has the widest gap between floor and ceiling on the team he could he could be anything I just don't know what he's going to be yeah he he's definitely in that conversation you're right and it's like an important year for him you know it's I know it's not a contract year yet but this is kind of like what are you gonna be in this league yeah is there's like he'll be in the league you know what I mean I I think he'll at worst he'll be like a rotational defensive lineman at best like he can be a the guy who got compared to coming out of college was V vea and I know that's like high but it was a 13th overall pick I think that's you know if if if you're going to be a highlevel player in this league that's the the prototype for that body size I guess the floor for him is like Mike patter go said at the same time I knew you were going Mike Patterson so I jumped on it with you yeah uh you know starter for a lot of years good good player yeah run stuffer not going to give you a ton yeah like that's the floor and it's look it's it's an NFL career but yeah if that's all he becomes I think it would be disappointing yeah it would he he's capable so much more and he knows it yeah it was funny jayx hunt had a really good rep and I'm going oh my gosh and then I looked and it was the international exemption kid okay well it was still a good rep but yeah the other guy is trying to learn how to play football so fair um we're going to talk about CJ Garner Johnson in a little bit we're going to play a clip of his but it was great to see him get on himself like he's always talking he was mad at himself today he gave up a play and you can just like he was like putting himself through it I like that if you're gonna talk to everyone else you better talk to yourself when you screw up and he did and I think that's important yeah and he talked about it I don't think that's in the clip we're playing but he talked about that we we'll get into I think you asked him about it right oh no I didn't okay well he was ask about it and I thought his answer was really interesting I don't have much else from today Grant calcatera I did see a really good rep he was kind of out in front on a Jaylen Herz run had a big block to kind of spring the run on Julian oara which for all the catches we see Grant calcatera make and this is more important honestly if if he's gonna be the guy in 12 Personnel he's gonna have to block better yeah and I I remember I think it stoutland La last year saying you know he's he's capable of it he's a strong kid and he and he wants to work at it and bigger yeah he seems like he might be a little bigger is that um is that the case he I don't know he looks bigger yeah um I know Stout was kind of bullish on him being capable of doing it but that he's got to learn how to do it and and do it consistently if he can then they're on to something because we know he can run and catch the Eagles ran a 13 Personnel play in this practice with Dallas scotter Grant calcatera CJ uzama and the only receiver on the field was Johnny Wilson who looks like a tight endend looks I mean it was a that a jumbo man so the average height of the eligible receivers was 64 65 yeah 64 six5 yeah like and look Johnny Wilson he didn't have a huge day in terms of catching the ball today but got first team reps he looks the part we talk after to practice I I'll talk about that in a bit but no one like we mentioned with Paris Campbell no one's grabbing a hold of this spot so the longer it goes the more these other guys have a chance to sneak in there yeah and yeah I was I was thinking about him I wrote about him in my 10 OBS a little bit like we've seen a lot of tall guys come through who don't play tall but he really seems to understand how to use his wingspan how to use his height um he has he feel seems like he has a good feel for his his frame and and how to use it um which is always the case with those big guys yeah and he's not like he's tall but he's not like super gangly no like some of these guys like they it seems like they're not even in control of their extremities yeah you know what I mean they're like the wacky waving inflatable Tube Man out there he's not like that what what is it you know at the card dealerships wacky waving inflatable tube men the guys that are oh that guy yeah that guy they're like not in like some of these like tall receivers don't really they're not in control of their bodies the way he is interesting a comparison I wasn't expecting okay uh I thought it was a chippy day for a non- paded practice that didn't reach 80 degrees there were some big hits like uh there was one play I I want the Eagles to put this out I know they won't but Moro oo was rushing and he had a good day probably his best day at Camp so far but he like goes airborne and he runs into Kenny picket like I picture you know those movies where like the freeze frame and you're like that's me bet you're wondering how I got into this position it's like Mor Ojo just flying at Kenny picket once you're in the air you can't stop buddy not much you can do yeah uh but he had a physical day Jeremiah trer Jr running around laying some hits uh trist McCullum had one in the middle of the field James Bradberry had one in the middle of the field James Bradberry he's he's RIS out there he's got to be I mean I like he doesn't have to be he could go through motions he's already paid yeah I mean but I I admire what he's doing and he's not going through the motions I mean he's always been a physical player that's that's never been an issue with him um I I think he's I think like even his tackling issues last year I think were like more the result of poor angles than it was a lack of toughness or something yeah oh yeah definitely um I mean maybe he'll be a backup safety on this team it certainly would save him a lot of cap space well not really I mean the cap space is the cap space I mean I still expect him to be somewhere else but I think it's I think it's possible and I just I admire him for not sulking and not feeling sorry for himself and not whining and complaining and he's just going out out there and at a new position and Tred his best and I like that yeah and they're saying he can still play corner for them I have not seen him take a single repit Corner yeah he's been second team safety every single day yeah they're so deep I mean there's a reason they moved him uh did you like my stup observation of the day it's always a highlight of your OBS uh you know you can argue there's always more than one each day but uh the new tight endend uh took number 43 from um the rookie who just got cut macallen castles and so the guy new guy has 43 no name on The Jersey out there in blank Jersey Castle just handed him the Jersey on the way on on his way out he was coming in presumably Mallen castles will clear waivers and revert to IR so he'll still be in the building yeah that's true um the new guy is from New Jersey who's a track guy so Ramsey High School uh I you'll be proud of me I watched the uh I've been watching the Olympics when I can it's been tough with training camp obviously but I watched the 10,000 oh my God what a race that kid was unbelievable I I I've never watched a 10,000 in my life by the end of it I'm like screaming at my TV what's the kid's name Grant uh Grant Fisher Grant Fisher that was unbelievable incredible race um the the whole race was insane 13 guys under the previous olympic record um he was I mean he was in second until the flash five meters and he I thought he rolled his ankle earlier he they tripped up got jostled a little bit the problem was they had that that water table was too close to the it was like in lane four so then with a Lap to go there's lapped Runners and there's that stupid water table and there wasn't enough room and guys who were boxed in were having trouble getting outside and making moves and he got caught up in that a little it might have cost him the silver uh but what a race probably he's only the fourth American to ever medal in the 10,000 they were the first in like over 50 years no I think gayen rup it in in 2012 I believe right I but I I I barely knew it was an event before the other day and also the other kid um Nico young I mean he's he just finished his senior year at uh College I guess uh Northern Ariza my guy was hurting he was at the back of the pack he always looks like that but he actually ran I mean he ran under the Olympic record and he's one of fastest in US history and he was 12th I mean to finish 12th as a college kid in his first International race his first like major race outside the US um that was a really gutsy race he ran but yeah that race was was probably the best 10,000 I've ever seen and the fastest unraid at 10,000 that's ever been held it was it was a real highlight uh I'm really into these Olympics I've been what was what was that word unra ited unra ited like you get really fast times in rabbited European races or invitationals like you have rabbits Pacers oh and um you know and then they have like lights on the inside of the track that tell you what pace you're on um but this was this was an honest race it wasn't oh you're just like left your own devices out here yeah okay um I I got up at uh I got up at 4:30 to watch the women's uh women's intermediate hurdles first round to see Sydney mclin uh from Union Catholic New Jersey and um and the men's High hurdles first round so wasn't going to wasn't going to let that go but I'm really I'm really enjoying it uh and you know on peacock you can kind of pick and choose what replay you want to watch and um yeah it's been great you happy I let you talk track a little bit yeah we kind of overdid it there we kind of overdid it oh by the way we have to have a conversation about Max sharping or Max you deserve a car that Thrills you a car that puts Goosebumps on your Goosebumps at Nissan we got everything from turbocharged SUVs to 100% electric vehicles that'll make your heartbeat faster experience the thrill for yourself and Shop your local Nissan store and nissanusa.com today celebrity Cook Steve Marano brings his Italian American Cooking back home to Philly enjoy Marano's Prime at Rivers Casino and Steve's Famous meatballs with Sunday gravy prime steaks and more make reservations at Morano's Prime on Open CJGJ's animated media availability Table all right we're back we talked Olympics before the break and now we have CJ Gardner Johnson an apology you did say uh Max Hennessy we have CJ Garner Johnson talking today go Dave it was such a fun press conference let's take a listen of this what is it about this organization that allows you to be yeah excuse my language but no filter I don't care how y'all feel I don't care how you feel I don't care how you feel I don't care how you feel I'm here to win hold my teammates accountable hold myself accountable I get dawned on for saying little things and I mean if y'all if y'all wasn't hating I mean I ain't doing my job so I'm glad that lot I got a lot of hate and a lot of critics that Mak sense I've been okay with when I told y y'all was obnoxious truthfully I've been okay with when y'all told me I couldn't be a good safety I was okay with when y'all told me I couldn't go to Detroit and take them back to where they was they never been somewhere I played two games I play one game with a broken arm so you put me in the box and you tell me how I last against other safeties and other people in this league and I'll let you describe I don't I don't need no fuel to fou about people saying they missing me cuzz it's all smoking mirrors I'm I miss football I miss playing with the right people I miss doing the hanging with the right guys so I feel like I miss the team more than team is me cuz I feel like the the camaraderie is back if that made sense but put this put winner behind my name a competitor and a passionate player before you say anything all right so he's a lot of this is manufactured right like I don't think people have really said any of these things none of them but it's a fun look into his mind and the way it works and the way he kind of just I guess he needs that fuel whatever works but he's a fascinating guy yeah how often do you hear like you know people saying you know nobody believed on us well wait a minute you like you're the top seed everyone picked you to win I mean some people just need that uh they have to invent it and if it works it works um he's a piece of work and uh I I would I would recommend that everyone watched the whole interview which um it was uh it was pretty interesting half the time I didn't know where he was coming from but it was fun to watch it's had when's the last time we had like a must-watch guy like whenever he talks you gotta just you got to make sure you're there Derek Barnett maybe um it's good question that got to be a mix of like they don't talk that often but when they do it's gold yeah I mean to was the ultimate sure yeah yeah uh yeah not not a lot and certainly not a lot under under Nick Alex says Michael Bennett maybe but he was so softs spoken and quiet like CJ is like almost cutting WWE wrestling promos a little bit like pointing out people and uh he's fun and the energy is UND dedly there but I liked his answer for why it's always there his answer is basically like yeah when we're in the regular season or in the playoffs the defense is going to be talking to our offense he's I want them ready for that uh which I don't know if that's the reason he does it it might just be like something he realizes after the fact that like that can help them but if that's how much thought he's putting into it I'd be really impressed yeah uh I agree I like how he he said you in his mind he helped Detroit back to respectability by playing two games and and a third where he got hurt uh and no nobody nobody said I could go to Detroit and help them get back to to where they were where they were like in the 50s nobody doubted him we he played really well well I mean from his perspective he didn't get the big contract he wanted he kind of settled for that's not fa oh yeah I know but I think that just that's like where the mindset comes from that like yeah and he hasn't played Safety that long really I mean just think about it he C he he was a nickel Corner in New Orleans he comes to Philly he's learning safety on the Fly gets six interceptions in 12 games but misses significant time that's the most he's played Safety then last year he gets hurt misses most of the season comes back played well when he came back in the playoffs he actually looked really good so uh I don't know he's he's like it's tough to keep your eyes off of him when he's on the field and then when he talks it's like you got to be there no doubt about it and it's the first time he's talked since uh the spring I think right when they signed him yeah he had like an introd or reintroduce yeah piece of work that guy it's fun fun to be around yeah and he talked about his uh if you haven't seen the clip the eagle sent out the clip of him drilling a shot a basketball shot in the auditorium it was very funny Nick serani was asked about this today uh he said he was watching CJ like Miss all these shots and we've seen this before you know whether it's like make a shot like that or a big guy has to catch a punt to get the team out of a meeting and Nick in the back of his mind thought he's gonna miss this and we're gonna be able to get this good work in from in this team meeting and then he drills the shot and Nick said his first reaction was oh man we really need needed this work but then he saw the clip is electric the guys are so excited and those are big camaraderie building moments yeah and Nick said uh he thought he might have gotten played a little bit by CJ which is pretty funny it's probably true set him up I've never really seen CJ shoot baskets so I don't know but uh it was it was it's a really funny video and and uh yeah Eagles um social media does they do great stuff to stuff they send out um it's pretty funny especially postgame is uh you don't you don't get to see that all the time but they ended up re kind of rescheduling the meeting the next day he said so we got to everything we had to get to but the guys appreciated and it was had a little free time I was talking to Barrett uh the day that clip came out and he said he got the chance and Pittsburgh want to catch a punt to get that out of a meeting and he caught it really that's got you know how much pressure that is a team your entire team just like looking at you to get them out of something they don't want to do and by like this deep in the training camp they're sick of meetings they need them they know they need them there are a lot of meetings like training camp now like training camp used to be like all physical like two days you're just going your body's going through it now it's like all mental you got to sit there all day and not fall asleep in a meeting after being in the heat for an hour yeah it used to be your meeting was you'd have to try to stay awake after being out in the heat for six hours but uh but yeah they they meet a lot and the coaches meet a lot I mean Nick's always talking about you know we have the we have our Tuesday short yardage meeting and our Thursday goal line meeting and our Wednesday nickel meeting and they have I'd love to see his whole schedule meetings for the week but a lot competitive Advantage he won't show to us uh we talked to a few other players uh Devonte Smith was brought in uh he's having such an excellent Camp he's kind of gets like a sheepish grin whenever he's asked about himself but I think he kind of agreed that he's playing well right now yeah and I like what he said about More player availabilities um about himself and AJ just that they're they're going to be better this year I mean they they've already they're already one of the they might be second the second T the number two combo in the league behind the guys in Miami but he said you know we just we're trying to get better every year and we're there's there's more there and we're going to keep working on it and um I believe it you can see it they do it every day I mean the thought that I mean it's interesting in Eagles history until until AJ got here so through 2021 there had only been three players in history in Eagles history that had 80 catches a th000 yards and seven touchdowns in a season and he quicked it at once mlin did it once and I think Deshawn did it once and they've each done it back-to-back years together so they've done it more than every other Eagle combined uh in two years and no no duo in NFL history has ever done that three years in a row and baring injury they will so now maybe um Jaylen Wadd and Tyreek they might be on the same track but uh it's just rare to have two two guys like that who are so good and so D and so young still also um and so driven to keep improving and that's that's what's most impressive about it neither one them is content with where they are yeah and I mean Devonte looks better this camp and he's already looked really good so it's been impressive and honestly with a guy like him he was so polished coming out in college I wondered how high the ceiling was going to be and maybe that's unfair but like he was so polished you knew from day one he was gonna be a really good NFL receiver uh and I we still haven't seen him at his best no and I think you know there's only one ball and they're not you know jaylen's not going to throw for 5,000 yards so I would not be shocked if AJ has a few less yards than he's had the last couple years and Devonte has a few more you might see them closer and I don't think that's a bad thing no neither do I yeah uh the other players talk to Johnny Wilson a little bit who we mentioned is getting a ton of first team reps I thought we also talked to Aaron Morehead who said it for him it's probably a little easier to coach a Johnny Wilson than it is like a Britain cvy just because he's a a bigger body receiver he played in the league so he has you know like some more personal tips he can provide to a bigger receiver than he might for like a you know a 58 slot guy yeah yeah what's Morhead was like what 63 or is uh like six 4ish 64 yeah yeah he's pretty tall yeah he's like bigger he's got like a bigger frame to him yeah yeah Wilson's been one of the one of the surprises of the camp I think I think it's really hard especially at that position for late round guys to even even get reps so for him to make the progress he's made and look so confident and comfortable out there um has been has been notable and it maybe it's unfair to compare them but he's clearly ahead of the receiver drafted before him he's ahead of annias Smith right now significantly yeah yeah and he's playing I asked him about playing inside and outside because we've seen he's he's been inside quite a bit he said he's done both he feels really comfortable at both positions and he he said like a lot of times I have an advantage over a smaller nickel obviously I have to learn how to use my body correctly but he does like he he he seems to have that sense to him I think Aaron Morehead might be a pretty good coach he's I mean he's lasted now that was a position where they were having a lot of turnover yeah a lot of years with like kind of in and out you know the um they went from Mike Gro to uh Gunter Brewer to Carson Walsh yeah so they kind of went through a lot of guys there yeah a lot of lot of big names there Mike grow is a good receivers coach he was yeah he was the next job not so much but Carson Walsh was not yeah it didn't go well didn't go well uh talk to a few other players Mo ojimo um just how much more comfortable he's feeling in year two he looks it does yeah uh Trotter talk I I couldn't get to that because I was not about to CJ um so I think those were kind of the highlights yeah yeah the the CJ one was really fun who was he pointing at when he said uh he did point at specific people but I don't think there was any Rhyme or Reason to it it was just well I don't think there's any Rhyme or Reason in anything he said so yeah that might be the case what do you think it's like for the pr staff when CJ's up there I think we did everything we could but it's in his hands yeah and I think there's like all right we're we're ready to shut this down at any moment yeah like we have to all right we have a bunch of questions here uh we've gotten a ton so we appreciate it if you want to send us an email it's Eagle at nbcuni.com if you're watching on YouTube there's the QR code you can just scan it on your phone send a quick message that Fan Questions! way uh let's get into them here Shai Ruben Dave I'm James from Newport Wales and I never miss a pod I'm a huge fan of you both it's a pleasure listening to you on my way to work and I'm excited for more regular pods through training camp I got into the birds through my American cousin in 2016 and wouldn't have the knowledge I do with if it weren't for your Insight so so thanks for that I tried listening to other pods on the Eagles and as good as some of them are they just don't compare you guys have got it down to a te thank you uh for that James he has a question here but he also shamai is a Welsh hello okay so that's why shamai Ruben Dave uh he's a local TV reporter and I often follow the Welsh football team and other local sports so I wanted to ask if you could cover any other sports team for a game or so philadel Philadelphia based or otherwise which would it be it has to be a team can't be Olympic track you can say Olympic track if you want I mean I've I've always wanted to cover an Olympics and I have a lot of friends I have some friends who are over there now in Paris um I I would love to to do that but um I really enjoyed when I got to cover some Sixers games and and uh I really enjoyed it I covered some playoff games um it's just that atmosphere and even Kyle like Villanova the the the first uh Championship run well not the 85 one but the the second Championship run I guess uh final four in Houston was one of the most I mean gosh one of the most exciting things I've ever seen that atmosphere when you cover College who like real big time college hoops is really special um but I would say Olympic the Olympics is I would love to get a crack at that that'd be fun for me it would be what was that well NBC has them so maybe five campaign go you got a shot go to LA in four years that'd be fun huh yeah uh for me it probably be like highlevel college football that seems fun I've never really covered college football like that I've gone a few games here and there I've never been at a big time I've never been at a big time college football game really I mean my dad used to take me when when I was growing up and we lived in North Jersey he would take me to a Ruckers game every year which I guess was division one they might have been one doua back then um but it was it was always fun but that's not exactly like going to Ohio State Michigan yeah I think covering a barly Dickinson or whatever it was yeah covering a big time program like that and and James is probably listening to this like you guys care about you know like amateur sports like that and yeah the United States cares a lot about college football yeah and some of these big programs like it I think that would be fun to cover because it's kind of like the passion we get from Eagles fans is like the passion they have for for their college teams yeah it's really similar yeah yeah all right next question here from Joe hey DAV rubbe huge fan of the show never miss an episode could you run through our impending free agents for this year and who if any would be most likely for an inseason extension so I did some of the leg work here I have some of the guys who are on their final year of their contracts I'll run through them and then maybe we hit a couple who makees sense uh Josh SWAT Milton Williams Kenny gainwell Isaiah Rogers Marlon tuy pelu Devin white Zack Bon mikai beckon Avon Maddox yeah and and it's a pretty pretty big group pretty notable group and I think who how he decides to try to resign is going to depend on who who plays well first half of the Season uh you know I think certainly Devon white is a candidate if he kind of is the player he used to be a couple years ago in Tampa um you know we'll see about sweaty uh there's a chance I think um I don't think gainwell is going to be back I think he'll probably want to probably want a shot to be a one I think I think he can yeah the Eagles certainly aren't going to pay two running backs no no they usually pay one yeah um now if Isaiah Rogers wins a starting job yeah and he's playing well could be an expensive one right there but yeah I think Milton is definite a possibility definite a possibility yeah uh and Zack Bon maybe I I did want to we forgot to mention this Nick serani was asked a question about CJ G Johnson's toughness answered it answered another question and then went wait I want to go back to that question about toughness and mentioned Zack Bon specifically yeah he did and he also said I never want to single anybody out but that's really notable and he doesn't really do that and he also said not just on defense but also on special teams uh they really really like Zack Bond I think he's going to win that job and I don't think noob's been bad but but I think Zack B's going to win that job you might be right and yeah that was a notable moment when the head coach is like wait a second I gotta get some shine on Zack Bon all right uh next question here from Bob lifelong Eagles fan I'm 61 currently living in portalis I think I'm saying that right New Mexico after three plus years in Texas love the Pod it's my number one source for Eagles news since moving down here in 2020 my question is about the 2024 draft class I've put off submitting because I know it's too early to judge but I'm going to judge anyway we like that if quinan Mitchell isn't a starting outside quarterback and Dee isn't the nickel I think it is an overstatement to say the Eagles draft is not worthy of the praise it received after the draft to spend picks 22 and 40 and not fill major holes immediately is disappointing I still think longterm it was a great draft but when these two fell to those spots I felt such a sense of joy that we had landed two Future Stars I'm sure my opinion is in the minority here keep up the great work yeah uh Nick was asked something along those lines the other day I think um first of all slot is every bit as important as starting outside receiver I mean it just is it's a starting position now those guys are playing as many snaps um so and the jeans hurt so it's tough for me to ding them on that it's not really fair to to criticize the draft pick because he's hurt I don't think the Eagles feelings about either one have changed I think they're really high in both those guys they just happen to have other young corns who were really good so that's a good thing to have yeah if they didn't have talent in front of them like if it was you know if it was I don't want to say these guys names but if it was the corners they had before and and those guys were clearly beating the rookies out I think that's an issue but I don't know I think these guys in front of them can play so yeah I understand like typically you want your High Ground picks to contribute immediately but in this case like I kind of understand why they might not so I'm okay with it yeah okay next question uh from Gavin big fan for multiple years thanks for always being there my question is should words and accolades be as important as they are for determining a Hall of Famer Pro bowls are often popularity contests with a lot of voting being based on name recognition stats such as interceptions sacks and tackles are not solely the best at determining how good or bad a player is also a player like Levante David who for most of his career was the third best linebacker in the NFL but never got Awards since Bobby Wagner and Luke Keeley took Pro Bowl in all pro spots the problem is there's no better way and a lot of the voters didn't see the guys who were playing who who they're voting on U most of them didn't so you go to all Pros I think all Pros is much much bigger than Pro Bowl um yeah because Pro Bowl you end up with like there could be like the seventh alternate mix it in well not anymore really because there's not as many guys that don't go because of injuries because it's just a flag football game yeah but you still have it like I mean last year how many players of the 49ers have who are pro bowlers you know what I mean yeah um I just don't know if there's a better way I think all pro um certainly I know the voters I know take everything they can into consideration including talking to contemporaries of the player and that certainly should matter yeah uh so um but it's a fair I don't think there's a perfect way to do it and that's why some people you know fall through the cracks I mean Eric Allen you know there's no reason he's not in the Hall of Fame but he's not and um I think he was only an all pro twice Seven Pro bowls but over 50 interceptions I don't know I don't understand why some guys go in so quickly and some just fall by the wayside it's it's kind of uh UPS it's kind of unfair but I don't know a better way yeah neither do I I like that the NFL PA is doing an all pro team voted on by players uh I hope players are taking that ser seriously because I think they can really kind of change a lot of the talking points on their their fellow players like I would like to see that continue I'd like to see players take that seriously and I'd like to see that end up really being like a big thing although even like even those aren't perfect because some players aren't watching the entire league they're worried about the guy they got a face next week right and you know say you know Patrick San's the best corner in the league but I'm a receiver I don't play him am I watching him and I've been in there when the guys are voting for like the the 10 best players well that's different so that the the top 100 is where they like it's just a putting friends down yeah or like guys who went through your school I guess that's how uh Lamar Jackson gets ahead of Patrick Mahomes which I just don't well I mean Lamar was the MVP so the other thing is like one of the huge things for uh for Hall of Fame voters is team of the decade but like if your Heyday is like from 1965 to 1975 and I saw somebody has a Blog out where they do team of the half decade like they I like that yeah um because that's just as valid I mean why should you be a victim to what year you came out so arbitrary yeah time is so arbitrary the calendar is so arbitrary man it is we're way out there I mean this whole thing with 12 months it's just not fair uh congrats to Merill by the way uh his speech was great did you get a chance to see it I haven't had a chance but I definitely will it's very good I'm sure is he I mean he he put on a show he did such a good job he's like he's in a better place to be able to do a speech like that than all the players I mean he's he's been public speaking for a long time and it was it was excellent yeah he's uh definitely deserving I'm so happy for him okay let's get to a couple more here this one from Kevin last season it seemed like most of the time besides the tush push jayen Herz was in shotgun on offense there didn't seem to be much variety are there any indications Andor explanations for this to change in 20124 under Kell Moore I would personally like to see him mix it up with more formations with Herz under Center in short yes like I have seen a little more under Center I actually asked Jaylen about that uh on Thursday he didn't give much other than to say he feels good in those reps but he also uh I thought it was a good point he brought up like early in his career 2020 2021 they they did a lot of under center it's really the last couple of years where they've strayed so far away from it it's become all shotgun he looks pretty good under Center and I think that could open up the Play action game which has kind of it's you can't really run play action without it so I think that can that can help this offense for sure yeah I think basically the answer to any question of will something from last year change is yes I that's one thing we've seen from K more is that I mean this offense doesn't resemble in any way what they were doing last year no it certainly doesn't 95% is might be too low I have a couple more here sure um and then we'll yeah we can do a couple more this one's from Bo we want yeah with the Olympics fully underway which Olympic Athlete do you think would do well in the NFL uh Devin Allen excluded personally I think if you send Ryan krower the shotter krower did I say it yeah Ryan krower to Jeff Stalin he will be a pro bowler in three years that's the guy I was gonna say actually oh yeah yeah um you never know I mean but he's he's got I mean he's big and strong and quick on his feet so uh I I could see that it might be two years uh oh Curtis Thompson the uh the javelin thrower I I covered in high school he played High School football at Florence he did for a couple years and then uh everyone thought he was crazy when he quit to focus on the javelin now he's at his second Olympics he's a four-time national champion and uh he's throwing very early Thursday morning about 440 oh yeah in Paris wake up for that and actually they're having a watch party at the Florence Municipal Building you gonna go I think I am yeah are you really yeah yeah I think I'm gonna go um where y go yeah they they're uh they're gonna have a big screen apparently in there and there's no practice on Thursday right there's no practice Thursday maybe I'll go be fun anyone else you think like any of these sprinters you think could be I don't know these so many of them did play like college football there's a lot a lot of crossover a lot of cornerbacks a lot of receivers but um yeah I think I think uh de I'm watching the Hurd trials like Devon Allen would have been like his best time was faster than anybody who ran this morning and it was obviously it was obviously the first round but it's a shame he ended up trying to do two sports and ended up not being able to do either one it is a shame I give him credit and he went for it it just yeah yeah yeah I I hate that it cost him a shot at these Olympics yeah uh last question here a couple of them from Reginald uh Dave ex and one for me for you I like the we had don't end on these excluding Pennsylvania New Jersey and Delaware what have been your three favorite states to visit and why um I will give you uh I'm an outdoorsy guy so Montana for me is up there Alaska is up there and I'll give you California just for the the diversity of of all the outdoor stuff but a lot of fun ones yeah how about you do you have three that you like same question for me yeah I would say Main question for you but oh I mean Maine Northern California certainly California would be number two um man you know New Hampshire Vermont would be up there but um I'll tell you what New York state I'm really kind of upper New York State Finger Lakes like plased there's there's uh you I think in New York is being Manhattan to Yonkers but is it's a it's really a incredible state with a lot to offer offer as far as state parks and and attractions and cool events so I I'll go I'll go California Maine and New York state that's good I feel like I should have put Utah in there but that's okay uh rub as a palra High School alum I love when you covered South Jersey sports do you remember some great athletes from Palmyra high school I just read where the the world record holder in women sprinting in the 1920s and I wish I had her name handy um was from Palmyra she was like a a US champion they didn't have women's events in the Olympics yet but they had them in the world in the US championships uh I can't remember her name but it was like in the 1920s um Don Cherry palmara right Don Cherry uh great Kansas City chief safety um once had four interceptions a game he he's a uh he's an interesting guy because he was a walk punter at Ruckers and he was UN undrafted into the NFL ended up playing like 13 years made a bunch of pro bowls for the Chiefs um and I believe has a Coke or Pepsi Bottling uh company now I believe that's what he's doing uh great guy um pal Myra um Chris Everly was a good one he was uh running back at Penn State uh and a state Javelin Champion all right who else very good Clayton Brown was Clayton Brown was pal he scored 50 points in a upset over Riverside in in the South Jersey group one final I love that you know that like where are your keys right now I covered that game it was a big upset it was a one eight game Riverside was number one seed and palmy was number number eight seed that is a big upset yeah if you have a question for Us Palm you got a favorite Palmyra athlete from your days at the BCT uh no I did like covering games there though that like football games they have a big tailgate beforehand they have the only straight 200 uh track left in New Jersey so they run the uh the 200s run like into some L's backyard pretty funny it's a straight 200 wow uh and they run it yeah it's crazy okay you have a question for us uh please submit it Eagle ey at nbcuni.com uh this is also where we remind you guys if you like the podcast please sub rate and subscribe wherever you get your pods if you're watching on YouTube please click the like button subscribe there as well yes I said max I know that's the last we talk of it uh rub any final words no well looking forward to being back tomorrow sounds good glad you're feeling better this has been eagle live presented by Nissan we'll talk to you soon [Applause] no