5 storylines to watch during the two joint practice sessions between the Eagles and Browns
The Eagles looked sharp against the Bengals on Thursday night, and after a raucous open training camp practice, the Birds are preparing for an intense two-day joint practice session with the Cleveland Browns. The session will feature teams heading in two different trajectories, as Philadelphia is looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions. At the same time, Cleveland has five quarterbacks under contract, and the shadow of rookie sensation Shedeur Sanders is looming over the franchise.
With the two joint practice sessions set to kick off, we're looking at five storylines to watch over the two days.
Super Bowl champion returns.
Kenny Pickett was traded to the Browns for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and he'll return ot the NovaCare Complex as a Super Bowl champion, engulfed in an intense quarterback battle.
Shedeur Sanders' spotlight will hover over two days and the game.
Will quarterback Shedeur Sanders get some reps with the No. 1 offense this week as the Browns hold joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles? When asked about it, head coach Kevin Stefanski was noncommittal. Both Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel have been dealing with hamstring injuries for at least the last week. Pickett has been limited in practice since Aug. 1 after missing three sessions, while Gabriel has been limited since Aug. 4 when Stefanski first indicated the rookie was dealing with tightness. Sanders was 14-of-23 for 138 yards with two touchdowns and a 106.8 passer rating, and will face the best defense in the NFL over two days.
Browns tight end reunites with his college head coach.
Cleveland drafted Harold Fannin Jr., and he'll head to Philadelphia, where he'll see his former head coach and Eagles QB coach Scot Loeffler. Fannin comes into his rookie season after a record-setting junior year at Bowling Green. He caught 117 passes for 1,555 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, leading the NCAA in receptions and receiving yards.
Kevin Stefanski returns home.
The Browns previously traveled to Philadelphia for two days of joint practices in 2023. Stefanski and Eagles coach Nick Sirianni are longtime friends and colleagues. A Philadelphia native and son of former Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski, the Browns head coach was a three-year starter at St. Joe's Prep and an all-Ivy League safety at the University of Penn.
Familiar foe
This is the third time these two teams have met since Nick Sirianni was hired. The previous two years, the Browns held practices with the Eagles, traveling to Philadelphia in 2023 and hosting the Eagles in 2022 for two practices at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
Nick Nurse provides update on recovering Sixers star Joel Embiid
The Philadelphia 76ers will be looking for superstar big man Joel Embiid to be ready for when training camp begins some time in late September/early October. The big fella underwent left knee surgery in April as he looks to recover and bounce back from a season in which he played only 19 games. The Sixers will go as far as Embiid takes them. While Tyrese Maxey and Paul George are, obviously, talented players, they will need the 2023 MVP winner to be the one to step up and produce when the time calls for it. Therefore, his recovery is the most important thing for Philadelphia. Coach Nick Nurse spoke with Talk Sport and gave an update on Embiid: "All the news is positive," Nurse exclusively told talkSPORT on Tuesday at the NBA's Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in Manchester. "I know he's working very, very hard and I think things look good. "Whether he's ready for training camp or not, I think there's maybe a lot more decisions than that to make before we get there. "But our main thing is that he's healthy to play and play to his nearest capabilities, because he's awesome, no doubt about that." The Sixers will hope that Embiid is ready to go and give Philadelphia the superstar leadership that he provides in this upcoming season. If he is healthy, then the Sixers will have a fantastic chance to win the Eastern Conference. If he isn't, then they will have a tough time getting back to contender status. He is that phenomenal on the floor.
USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
Browns, Eagles offensive linemen talk over Miller Lites after joint practice
The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles held joint practices this week with the Cleveland Browns ahead of their home preseason matchup Saturday afternoon. One player who won't be suiting up for that game is Eagles left guard Landon Dickerson. The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a leg injury earlier in training camp. He had minor surgery but may be back in time for the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4. He's on the sidelines for practice wearing a knee brace in the meantime. Once today's practice finished up, it was Miller Time for him and his fellow linemen. Dickerson seen talking with Cleveland offensive linemen Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio while enjoying some Miller Lites after practice finished up. The Eagles and Browns have two of the most-acclaimed offensive lines in the league. Their projected starters this season have made a combined 20 Pro Bowls and 15 All-Pro teams (six first-team, nine second-team). With Dickerson out, backup Brett Toth has been working in with the Eagles' starters. If Dickerson misses time, he'll be the second new starter in 2025 for the Eagles' front along with right guard Tyler Steen. The former third-round pick is taking the spot left by free agent departure Mekhi Becton, now in Los Angeles. The Browns wrap up their preseason slate against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 23. Philadelphia finishes off their preseason schedule a day earlier on the road against the New York Jets.
Associated Press
15 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Eagles' Landon Dickerson serves beers at practice while recovering from knee surgery
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Landon Dickerson played bartender and served cold ones for the Super Bowl champion Eagles with the injured offensive lineman's career temporarily on ice. The Eagles can't wait for Dickerson to resume his day job. Dickerson passed around beers Thursday at the end of a joint practice with the Cleveland Browns — with a brace on his right knee following meniscus surgery that will keep the three-time Pro Bowl lineman sidelined at least through the end of training camp. Dickerson was injured at the end of Sunday's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field. There is no set timetable for his return, and Brett Toth took first-team snaps at left guard this week at practice. Toth likely will start for the Eagles when they play their second preseason game Saturday against the Browns. 'Whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to step to the plate and give it the best I got,' Toth said. 'Hopefully I can perform to the standard that was before me.' Beyond that, there are no guarantees. The Eagles remain hopeful Dickerson could return for the season opener when the Eagles raise their championship banner on Sept. 4 against Dallas. 'Don't have to name any starters or any backups at any position,' coach Nick Sirianni said. 'Brett's done a nice job and I like the depth that we have at that position and I know we have options there, but you asked about Brett, I think Brett's doing a really good job and he's got a lot of versatility.' Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson remained confident that Toth could handle the spot but was relieved that Dickerson wasn't necessarily expected to remain sidelined deep into the season. 'It was alarming but I'm glad we got a good-case scenario,' Johnson said. 'Make no mistake, Landon's one of the, if not, the best guard in football.' Toth, who played at Army, has had three stints with the Eagles and spent a bulk of that time on the practice squad. 'H's a really smart individual, really good with the detail of the game,' Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo said. 'He understands a lot of positions, which is great to have a guy like that that can line up in multiple spots and be able to step in if something happens. So I think that's the biggest thing he brings and I think he's been in the system for a while.' ___ AP NFL:
