Eagles-Browns takeaways: Landon Dickerson's beer run, safeties surge, offensive line tested

New York Times

10 hours ago

PHILADELPHIA — Few things beat the heat like a couple of cold ones.
Landon Dickerson strolled onto the field after Thursday's joint practice with a soft cooler slung over his shoulder. He set the bag down next to a circle of linemen and unzipped it. Soon enough, a small group of both Browns and Eagles offensive linemen were doing what any red-blooded soul might do on a sweltering afternoon after a few hours' work: chatting and grinning and sipping on icy beer.
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'It was a nice gesture,' said Joel Bitonio, Cleveland's two-time All-Pro left guard.
It was the first time Dickerson, a three-time Pro Bowl left guard and all-time man's man, returned to the NovaCare Complex practice field since suffering a meniscus injury in Sunday night's practice at Lincoln Financial Field. Dickerson had minor surgery on his right knee on Wednesday and is aiming to return by the Sept. 4 regular-season opener. Dickerson stood at ease with the circle of linemen after Thursday's practice. He wore no brace — just a fabric sleeve on his right leg.
'I was very happy seeing him this morning when he walked into the locker room,' said left tackle Jordan Mailata, who's started next to Dickerson for four seasons. ' I was kind of shocked that he was walking. You know, I was just very happy to see his bubbly face in the building and his energy. I'm glad everything is OK.'
Dickerson has earned the reputation of a tough player. He has a history of playing through pain. He played through a knee injury in Super Bowl LIX that had sidelined him for the second half of the NFC Championship Game. The difficulty associated with the Eagles playing without Dickerson for any amount of time can't be overstated. That the organization is targeting a Week 1 return speaks both to Dickerson's fortitude and his luck of sustaining minor damage.
'Man, he's just made of rubber,' Mailata said. 'It doesn't matter what injury he's going through during the game, he's just gonna keep pushing through. And it's inspiring, very inspiring, because then I hurt a finger, I hurt a toe, and I'm saying. 'Aw, that hurt.' And he's playing out there with one leg, one knee, and I'm just like, all right, I've got to toughen up. And, man, I don't know what it is. It's something different about the mentality.'
Mailata played through pain after going down on the field himself in Wednesday's practice. Mailata brushed the incident off, saying, 'It's been a very physical camp.' Starting right tackle Lane Johnson, a two-time All-Pro, was given a rest day on Thursday. Now that Philadelphia's two-day joint practices with Cleveland are over, perhaps Mailata will soon be given one, too. The Eagles also practiced without wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring), offensive guard Kenyon Green (shoulder) and safety Lewis Cine (groin). Running back Saquon Barkley (rest) did not participate in team drills. Linebacker Zack Baun (shoulder) and wide receiver Elijah Cooks (shoulder) both practiced with limitations.
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Here's what The Athletic observed, with Zach Berman focusing on the defense and Brooks Kubena focusing on the offense:
1. Keeping tabs on the cornerback competition: This was an Adoree' Jackson day with the first-team defense. He took almost all of the first-team reps while the Eagles try to determine who will start opposite Quinyon Mitchell. This was more of a run-heavy day for the Browns offense, so Jackson was not tested often. He allowed a completion to Jerry Jeudy down the left sideline when he tried to undercut the pass. There still is no separation at cornerback, and it will be interesting to see how much Jackson and Kelee Ringo play on Saturday. Jakorian Bennett is also in the mix.
2. Sydney Brown took most of the snaps as the first-team safety in nickel. This practice showed Brown at his best. He was able to play downhill against the run, and he lived up to the 'heat-seeking missile' description offered during his rookie season. Brown appeared quick, closing gaps in his run fits and finishing plays more aggressively than some of Cleveland's offensive players might have preferred. This competition is not finished yet, but if Brown's the starter, he's at his best when he can attack.
3. It was a good Jeremiah Trotter Jr. day. He was all over the field making plays while taking the first-team snaps. Similar to Brown, you can see him fill gaps on running plays. In Year 2, Trotter knows the defense. It's still likely that Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell are the top two linebackers, but Trotter is showing he can be effective – especially against the run.
4. Drew Mukuba allowed a touchdown to Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. down the seam on a play that might remind Eagles fans of April mock drafts when both were popular Eagles picks. On the ensuing two-point conversion, Mukuba intercepted a pass that bounced off the hands of a Browns receiver. The ball skills were impressive for Mukuba, and he bounced back quickly after allowing a touchdown.
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5. Even the Eagles' best defensive backs were vulnerable in coverage. Quinyon Mitchell, who's been a standout this summer, allowed a touchdown to Jeudy on a slant across the middle. Cooper DeJean allowed a touchdown to Jamari Thrash. Reed Blankenship trailed David Njoku in coverage on a touchdown. Joe Flacco made plays against the Eagles defense throughout the session.
6. Nolan Smith came around the edge and back inside for a would-be sack against Joe Flacco. Jalyx Hunt also had a nice pressure on Flacco. The Eagles continue to rotate edge rushers with the first-team defense while trying to figure out who will be the third player in the rotation. Josh Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo are all candidates.
7. Campbell rushed the passer from the overhang spot more than usual during this practice, and his athleticism was on display. (Campbell caught up with Myles Garrett after practice on Wednesday.) This won't be Campbell's chief responsibility, but it's clearly something the Eagles want to develop with the first-round pick.
8. The Browns beat the Eagles on two trick plays: a halfback pass across the field and a hook-and-ladder on a two-point conversion. The Eagles were caught off guard both times. That's not something you typically see in joint practices — or in games, for that matter — but they're presumably examples that will come up in the film room.
— Zach Berman
1. With Lane Johnson taking a scheduled rest day, Matt Pryor started at right tackle with the first-team offense. Brett Toth was again the first-team left guard in place of Dickerson. Johnson's day off gave position coach Jeff Stoutland more time to train his unit's depth. Darian Kinnard started out playing right tackle with the second-team unit with Kendall Lamm at left tackle. Three plays into the first of the second-team unit's team drills, rookie Cameron Williams subbed in at right tackle and rookie Myles Hinton subbed in at left tackle. Kinnard moved to right guard. The Eagles stuck with this arrangement in the second-team unit's two subsequent offensive series. Trevor Keegan was the second-team left guard. Keegan, a 2024 fifth-round pick, had been taking snaps as the third-team center. His focus has shifted to guard after Kenyon Green's shoulder injury.
2. Jalen Hurts protected the ball more than he did Wednesday, when the Browns intercepted him three times, and the Eagles' passing game made gradual progress against a Browns defense that blitzed Hurts frequently on Thursday. In the first red-zone series, Hurts struggled to connect with receivers and flung a third-down pass incomplete after Browns edge rusher Alex White pushed past Pryor. The Eagles countered on the second series. Hurts quickly connected with Dallas Goedert in the flats while standing tall against Myles Garrett, who was unblocked by design. Two plays later, Hurts completed a third-down pass to DeVonta Smith over the middle, in heavy traffic, to move the sticks. In a later team drill, on third-down at Cleveland's 10, the Browns rushed six defenders, and Hurts struck Darius Cooper on a slant for a touchdown. The Eagles went up-tempo in their final red-zone series, but Hurts failed to connect with Smith on an end-zone fade against Denzel Ward near the back-right pylon.
Jalen Hurts
Eagles
3. Since the Eagles held Saquon Barkley out of team drills on a rest day, Will Shipley received the lion's share of reps with the first-team offense. The 2024 fourth-round pick built on what's already been a promising summer for him. Shipley's prowess as a pass-catcher is most notable. During an up-tempo red-zone series, Shipley kept his balance along the left sideline while snagging a throw from Hurts. On the next play, a simulated third down, Shipley separated from his coverage defender with a hard cut towards the left sideline and caught a first-down reception from Hurts.
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The 5-11, 209-pound Shipley is expected to be involved more after Kenneth Gainwell's offseason departure. On 65 offensive snaps as a rookie, Shipley had 30 carries for 82 yards and four catches for 35 yards. Barkley said, 'I think he's probably the best route-runner out of all the running backs on our team and has a great feel for seeing coverages, too.'
'I love Will,' Barkley said. 'You won't ever catch me having to say anything negative about Will Shipley. Just his preparation, the way he worked. My favorite thing about him, which people can't really see: He's super competitive. Super competitive. So, he keeps me young. Let's say that.'
4. Myles Garrett proved again why he's the highest-paid non-quarterback with a four-year, $160 million contract. The four-time All-Pro Browns edge rusher gave the Eagles problems throughout each of the first-team offense's five cycles of team drills. Garrett twice maneuvered past Mailata for minimum-contact sacks against Hurts. Garrett also provoked Mailata into being flagged for a false start. There was little Mailata could do post-practice than to tip his cap. Mailata, whom teammates believed was snubbed of a Pro Bowl selection in 2024, was ranked No. 69 among players on the top-100 players of 2025 list. He said Garrett supplied him with plenty of film to review, but the notes he takes won't apply to anyone else on the Eagles' schedule this season.
'There's no one like Myles,' Mailata said. 'So, you can't apply what Myles does to anyone else. He's a freak.'
What will Mailata get out of reviewing the practice film?
'I'll get a giggle,' Mailata said. 'I'll get a giggle out of it, I'll be honest. I'm just, you know, like, 'What the f—? I did my f—— job and yet I still got beat. How is that even possible? How is he still at below my knees and he's bending the corner?' He starts the rush in a four-point stance and by the time he's four yards upfield, he's still at that same point and it's kind of like, what am I supposed to do there? Just jump on him? None of that's possible. He'll just carry me to the QB. The guy's a freak. … When you go up against the best, you're able to learn from the next rep. It was kind of just like this lose-win, lose-lose-lose-win, lose-lose-lose. That's just how it felt like. I just kept on saying keep pushing for the next play, just do your job and then we'll fix it later.'
The two Vets 🤝 pic.twitter.com/PNf7k7VS0o
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 13, 2025
5. The Eagles deployed their fullback package for one play during a first-team offensive series that began at the Browns' 40. Ben VanSumeren held onto a third-down throw from Hurts beyond the sticks, absorbing a big hit from Browns safety Grant Delpit. It was the biggest one-on-one collision of the day. Delpit, who tried to alter his body after flying full speed from the post, appeared to explain himself somewhat apologetically to VanSumeren afterward.
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It was a notable sample of VanSumeren's progression as a pass-catcher. VanSumeren said he's worked with Eagles running backs coach Jemal Singleton to improve that part of his game. VanSumeren was not targeted in 2024.
The fullback package has been a rarity in training camp. The frequency itself is not strange. The Eagles only deployed a fullback on 23 plays in 2024, likely truncated due to VanSumeren's season-ending ACL tear in late November. VanSumeren also suffered an ankle injury during the first week of camp. Frequency is not indicative of whether the Eagles will carry VanSumeren on their 53-man roster. Both Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo have spoken in favor of carrying a fullback on the roster. VanSumeren also contributes on several of the special teams units.
Patullo said on Wednesday that VanSumeren's ankle injury contributes 'a little bit' to his training camp usage.
'A little bit of these are public practices, so I just got to be careful with how much you really want to do in those settings,' Patullo added. 'So a little bit of both.'
6. The Eagles opened the 2024 season with five wide receivers on their 53-man roster. Their bottom-end depth is noticeably improved this year. Could the Eagles carry six? Johnny Wilson, Ainias Smith and Terrace Marshall each got reps with the first-team offense on Wednesday. Smith dropped a third-down throw from Hurts during the unit's third series. When asked about the staff's upcoming decision, Sirianni said, 'We love the competition part of it. I think, again, I think we talk about you can't be great without the greatness of others. Well, that doesn't just apply to Saquon running the football behind a great offensive line or A.J. and getting one-on-one looks because they're crowding in the box to stop the run game. That also applies to competition. You get better through competition. That's another form of you can't be great without the greatness of others. Terrace having a good camp is going to force Johnny to have a good camp and is going to force Ainias to have a good camp is going to force Darius Cooper to have a good camp, and that just elevates the entire room. I love that about him, that phrase is true in so many ways.'
— Brooks Kubena
(Top photo of Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson: Kyle Ross / Imagn Images)
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