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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
New offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo talks identity, tempo: Eagles training camp observations
PHILADELPHIA — 'Smells like sunscreen,' Kevin Patullo said. That's the smell of summer, of training camp, of a horde of reporters ready to be roasted by the South Philly sun. It's also the smell of foresight, of preparation, of understanding the hazardous climate that will smolder you if you let it. Advertisement Patullo, the Eagles' first-time offensive coordinator, understands this; he acknowledges the wealth of talent he's inherited and the bar that was set in Super Bowl LIX. Fielding anything less than consistent success risks being held to the flame. Patullo has witnessed both ire and elation since arriving in Philadelphia in 2021 as Nick Sirianni's passing game coordinator. He served under four play-callers during that span. Now, with his hands on the offense's controls at last, he accepts the responsibility that comes with that power. Of the actual job, Patullo said, 'It feels the same.' A recent conversation with tight ends coach Jason Michael reinforced that feeling. Patullo has already talked to these people. He's just talking to everyone more in his new role. He said he enjoys this expansion. He's now free to roam the practice field, spending time with each offensive unit. He especially enjoys conversations with the offensive linemen at the start of practice, absorbing their input on the concepts they're about to install. Patullo's predecessor, Kellen Moore, relished in this, too. It was partly at the request of the offensive line that the 2024 Eagles leaned even harder into their run game after the Week 5 bye. The identity of this year's offense is only beginning to form, but foundational principles remain. The Sirianni-era Eagles have been mostly run-oriented. Only in 2023 — under then-offensive coordinator Brian Johnson — did they pass more than they ran. The philosophy deepened after the Eagles signed Saquon Barkley; last season they ran the ball more times per game than any Eagles team since 1978. Patullo was asked Saturday if the Eagles offense is still run-oriented at its foundation. 'Yeah, I think we're still the Eagles offense,' Patullo said. 'I don't think that'll change. I think it starts with the run game up front, and then we just build from there. And then, obviously, we'd like to try new things here and there, and we'll see how that goes throughout training camp and where it leads us to.' Advertisement Sirianni emphasized those 'new things' during a June roundtable with reporters. Yes, Patullo had worked under Sirianni for eight years (four each in Philly and Indianapolis), but 'not every one of his ideas has gotten in.' Now Patullo is 'able to get those ideas going and flowing,' Sirianni said, 'and a lot of them look really good.' The extent of the newness remains to be seen — likely because it has yet to be fully installed. The first three practices contained familiar go-to's: a run game reinforced by pulling blockers, receivers freed up by mesh concepts, run-pass option plays and vertical passing attacks. There are small adjustments within those concepts. 'I think Kevin's been doing a good job of switching a few things up, kind of changing up things that he thinks is gonna work,' tight end Dallas Goedert said. 'And we go out there and try it in practice and sometimes we're going to the meeting room and tweaking it again just because there's so many adjustments in the game of football and you just gotta continually change and evolve to stay ahead of the curve.' A potential Patullo-led adaptation appeared in Wednesday's practice, when the Eagles dedicated an entire period to their up-tempo offense. The Eagles have gone up-tempo at a moderate rate during the Sirianni era; they ranked 17th in the NFL with 43 total plays that happened with 25 seconds or fewer in between snaps, according to TruMedia. Their highest usage of plays at that tempo (70, seventh in the NFL) was in 2022, under then-offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. Patullo appreciates what the up-tempo game can do for their offense. 'Yeah, I think in general when you can push the tempo as an offense, now you put the defense in stress, right?' Patullo said. 'So that's something we want to continue to do and just kind of operate faster. I think that's something that can help everybody. It gives us more time to see things and just operate with more efficiency.' Kelee Ringo is finding out he still has things to learn via his one-on-one matchups. The third-year cornerback, who's in competition with Adoree' Jackson to start opposite Quinyon Mitchell, was challenged deep three times during Saturday's drills against the first-team offense. A coach flagged Ringo for pass interference for climbing atop A.J. Brown on a deep ball from Jalen Hurts. Later, Hurts struck DeVonta Smith along the right sideline on a third-and-long situation. Near the end of practice, Brown made an impressive over-the-shoulder catch on a deep, third-and-10 throw along the right sideline with Ringo covering him closely. Advertisement That last catch mostly underlined Brown's considerable skill. The three-time Pro Bowler flung the football high into the air after making the catch, reinforcing that its difficulty was something to be celebrated. Still, Christian Parker, the Eagles' defensive passing game coordinator, pulled Ringo aside and personally gave him coaching points. Brown had created separation just as the ball arrived, a move Ringo didn't see because he was looking back toward the quarterback — not inherently a wrong choice, but one that requires its own technique. 'You've got to be able to be sticky on them, you know,' Ringo said after practice. 'Because as the ball gets there, receivers are going to want to create room to be able to fade away at the last second. You know, when I was looking inside, he was able to do that.' Ringo's progress is one of the most important storylines of training camp. The Eagles made few investments at cornerback after releasing Darius Slay — a reflection of both their budget priorities and confidence in their 2023 fourth-round pick. If Ringo doesn't establish himself as a reliable option, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio must mitigate the danger of that position becoming a liability. Adoree' Jackson, a reserve cornerback for the Giants last season, is still rotating with Ringo with the first-team defense, and Mac McWilliams, a fifth-round rookie, took two first-team reps in place of Mitchell during a Wednesday team drill. If Cooper DeJean starts taking reps again at cornerback in base packages, it will be a sign that Fangio believes there's a potential weakness there. Fangio, who is testing DeJean at safety and cornerback in base packages, characterized the experiment as 'an evolution,' and 'a lot of it will depend upon how well we do at those positions with the other guys.' Ringo said he '100 percent' views that as an opportunity to prove that he belongs to stay on the field as much as possible. 'I just feel like I just wanna come out there and put my best foot forward, and man, just give (Fangio) no choice,' Ringo said. The Eagles fielded their Dime package for the first time in training camp on Saturday. Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown played safety; DeJean and second-round rookie Drew Mukuba played in the slot. The first-team defense fielded this unit at least four total times. Mukuba's involvement is most notable. He started at free safety as a true freshman at Clemson, but moved to nickel for two seasons after former defensive coordinator Brent Venables became Oklahoma's head coach. Mukuba transferred to Texas for his final season partly because he felt like he was plateauing at nickel, and he recorded a career-high five interceptions after switching back to free safety. Still, the Eagles viewed Mukuba's experience in the slot as something they could cultivate. Advertisement On draft day, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman emphasized how 'it's really hard to find cover safeties and guys who have the ability come down and play over the slot, play in the middle of the field, have natural instincts, play the ball.' Mukuba's possessions of those traits were partly why the Eagles decided to draft a safety in the second round for the first time since 2011. That they're already deploying him in Dime packages with the first-team defense is significant. DeJean remains the team's starting nickel. McWilliams has been taking nickel reps with the second-team unit. That Mukuba hasn't yet taken reps at nickel suggests Fangio sees Mukuba as a safety-only, at least for now. Former defensive back Avonte Maddox was a backup safety last year and was often deployed in Dime packages. Mukuba could have a similar role with similar responsibilities. In Dime, Ringo dislodged a Hurts pass intended for Jahan Dotson on a short out along the left sideline during an 11-on-11 series. Hurts was later forced to lob a pass out of bounds, in the direction of Smith, covered closely by Mitchell. Mukuba, playing Dime with the second-team defense, later collided with Danny Gray as the wide receiver made a diving catch downfield. Mukuba left the field and kneeled next to trainers along the sideline. Practice ended a few plays later, and Mukuba walked to the locker room. Kenyon Green returns to practice: Green, whom the Eagles acquired in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade, practiced for the first time in training camp on Saturday after initially being sidelined with a knee injury. He debuted at left guard with the third-team offense in the first sequence of 11-on-11 drills. Saturday's rotations were… First team: LT Jordan Mailata, LG Landon Dickerson, C Cam Jurgens, RG Tyler Steen, RT Lane Johnson. Second team: LT Kendall Lamm, LG Brett Toth, C Drew Kendall, RG Matt Pryor, RT Darian Kinnard. Third team: LT Myles Hinton, LG Kenyon Green, C Kendall, RG Trevor Keegan, RT Cameron Williams. Sydney Brown on his first full offseason under Fangio: The third-year safety, who underwent ACL surgery at the end of the 2023 season, is entering his first training camp under Fangio. He returned in Week 7 of the 2024 season and played in 11 games, mostly on special teams. Brown said 'as much as I wanted to be 100 percent (then), I wasn't fully 100 percent yet. And now my knee's feeling perfect. And I feel right where I need to be.' A year ago, Brown could only stand far behind the defense during training camp practices and shadow the action. Now, he's rotating with Mukuba with the first-team defense in a competition for the starting job opposite Reed Blankenship. 'I'm just doing my job,' Brown said. 'I think every single day you build trust and respect. I think that's the only thing I can do. That's the only thing I focus on.' Quinyon Mitchell continues to impress: The 2024 first-round pick and runner-up for defensive rookie of the year is performing with promise through three training camp practices. On Tuesday, Mitchell, who is playing left cornerback partly to train for traveling in man coverage, swatted loose a deep challenge from Hurts down the right sideline intended for Brown. On Saturday, Mitchell swatted away yet another deep challenge along the right sideline — this time against Smith. Brown and Smith are generally snagging their targets against other defensive backs. It's notable that Mitchell is defending them so consistently. Cooper DeJean challenged for first time at safety: DeJean was tested for the first time in coverage while playing safety. In a red-zone, 11-on-11 drill, the Eagles fielded their base defense on a second-and-5 situation inside the 15-yard line. DeJean defended Smith on an RPO play; Hurts hummed a pass to Smith, who caught it and fell near the goal line. Advertisement Jihaad Campbell plays in Dime and on the edge: The No. 31 pick continued to play off-ball linebacker mostly with the second-team defense alongside Smael Mondon on Saturday. But Campbell was notably deployed as the first-team defense's only linebacker on a Dime snap. Campbell also played along the edge for one play during red-zone drills with the second-team defense, battling tight end Nick Muse against on a run play. The useage underlines the versatility the Eagles believe Campbell possesses, both in coverage and as a rusher. (Photo of Patullo: Bill Streicher / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles OC Kevin Patullo to call plays from the sideline rather than the coaches' booth
Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has completed two training camp practices and already has a steady idea of how he'll interact with the NFL's most explosive offensive unit. Patullo held his first training camp press conference and revealed that he'll call plays from the sidelines. Patullo told the media that he wants to be closer to the Eagles' quarterbacks, mainly Jalen Hurts. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Kevin Patullo will call plays from the sideline in 2025
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Eagles OC Kevin Patullo to call plays from the sideline rather than the coaches' booth
New offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo wants to be close to the quarterback during games and will call the Eagles' offensive plays from the sidelines Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has completed two training camp practices and already has a steady idea of how he'll interact with the NFL's most explosive offensive unit. Patullo held his first training camp press conference and revealed that he'll call plays from the sidelines. Patullo told the media that he wants to be closer to the Eagles' quarterbacks, mainly Jalen Hurts. The biggest question for every new player caller in the NFL is always the same, and Patullo is tasked with ensuring "offensive continuity" for the league's top unit. Patullo has collaborated with Hurts for four seasons, giving him a deep understanding of Hurts' preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. Patullo also comprehends the abilities of running back Saquon Barkley, as well as wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The 2025 season will be his 16th season coaching in the NFL, all on the offensive side of the ball, primarily working with wide receivers and quarterbacks. Patullo understands the Eagles' offensive process and identity after working alongside and watching Shane Steichen (offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022, who is now the head coach in Indianapolis), Brian Johnson (now the assistant head coach with Washington), and Moore (who helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX). Unlike Brian Johnson and Kellen Moore, Patullo has coached both quarterbacks and wide receivers, which could help the Eagles' new play-caller avoid some of the former pitfalls.
CBS News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Philadelphia Eagles 2025 training camp storylines to watch
The Philadelphia Eagles report to training camp Tuesday for the 2025 season after their second Super Bowl win in franchise history. After beating the Kansas City Chiefs, the Eagles went through an offseason marked by the loss of their offensive coordinator and several key defensive players. Here's a storyline to watch about every position group entering training camp Jalen Hurts delivered in the biggest moments last season and helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX. When NFL teams have success, coaching staffs get poached, a trend that has become the norm for the Eagles during the Hurts and Nick Sirianni era. Enter Kevin Patullo, who became the offensive coordinator after Kellen Moore departed for the New Orleans Saints' head coaching job. Patullo will be the sixth play caller Hurts has had since he entered the league in 2020, and his third straight season with a new OC. So, how will Hurts adjust to another new play caller? Patullo, who hasn't called plays in the NFL, might be new to the role, but he'll be a familiar voice for Hurts and the rest of the team's offense. He has been on the staff since Sirianni was hired in 2021, serving as the passing game coordinator and associate head coach the last two seasons. Patullo said he plans on building upon what the Eagles do well on offense with new wrinkles, and all eyes will likely be on the team's passing attack, which struggled at times in 2024 and ranked at the bottom of the league. Hurts, even in his college days, has dealt with offensive coordinator changes and adapted well to them. Last year, he said 95% of the offense being installed was new with Moore in his first season. Hurts likely won't be dealing with that with Patullo, but their relationship will be something to watch. Saquon Barkley is coming off the best season of his career, when he was named AP Offensive Player of the Year and set numerous franchise records. With that, Barkley had the largest workload of his career. He had 436 carries, including the playoffs. With that in mind, will the Eagles make more of an effort to manage Barkley's carries moving forward? After the season, the Eagles signed Barkley to a historic contract extension that will keep him in Philadelphia through 2028. The Eagles could be more incentivized to manage Barkley's workload moving forward. However, that would come at a cost, as the Eagles' offense gets worse with Barkley watching from the sideline. Entering training camp, the two top options to be Barkley's backups are Will Shipley and AJ Dillon, who missed the entire 2024 season with a neck injury. Barkley said this offseason would be different for him compared to previous years due to his 2024 workload. The Eagles did very little at wide receiver in the offseason, which means the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will go to Jahan Dotson. When the Eagles acquired Dotson, many believed he would have had a greater impact. He only had 19 catches for 216 yards in the regular season, and most of them came in the team's regular season finale when they rested the starters. Dotson had a big game in the Super Bowl, catching two passes for 42 yards, including one where he nearly scored. Will he be more involved in 2025? In Philadelphia's offense, the No. 3 WR on the depth chart is never going to have a huge role behind Brown and Smith. Plus, tight end Dallas Goedert will eat up targets, and Barkley is also involved. If Dotson can provide the Eagles a reliable third option like he did in the postseason, that's all they need in 2025. But if Brown or Smith were to go down with a significant injury, would Dotson be able to step up? Time will tell. After an offseason filled with trade rumors, Goedert is back for an eighth season, but at times, it didn't seem like he'd return. Goedert and the team reworked his contract to return for this season. So, what should the Eagles expect from Goedert in a contract year? This season could be Goedert's last in midnight green. Goedert has been one of the better tight ends in the league over the last few seasons, but staying on the field has been an issue. When he's able to play, production isn't a problem. Goedert led Philadelphia in receiving in the playoffs en route to a Super Bowl LIX title. The 30-year-old will likely be a little more motivated to earn another contract, and that's a good thing for the Eagles. For the third straight season, Tyler Steen will have a chance to win the starting right guard job. Maybe the third time will be the charm for the former Alabama product. Entering camp, Steen is the frontrunner to land the job to start between center Cam Jurgens and right tackle Lane Johnson. Steen was the favorite to start last year until he got hurt in camp, leading to Mekhi Becton stepping into the role and never looking back. Steen's main competition for the right guard job will be Kenyon Green, who was acquired from the Houston Texans in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade, and Matt Pryor. The Eagles lost key pieces on the defensive line as Josh Sweat and Milton Williams departed in free agency, and Brandon Graham retired. Did they do enough to address the pass rush? While the Eagles are thinner than usual at edge rusher, they're expecting Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt to each take the next step and play larger roles. They signed Azeez Ojulari and Joshua Uche to add depth, but the two have had up-and-down NFL careers. On the D-line's interior, Jalen Carter enters his third year as one of the best defensive tackles in football. Jordan Davis enters a pivotal year, as the team is optimistic about his potential as a pass rusher. Moro Ojomo, who emerged in 2024, is expected to fill the void left by Williams' departure. Jihaad Campbell became the first linebacker the Eagles picked in the first round in more than 40 years in April's draft. The selection of the Gloucester Township, New Jersey, native was largely seen as a steal, but what type of impact will he make in 2025? In June, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters Campbell wouldn't practice until August. Last year, Cooper DeJean missed the beginning of Eagles training camp with an injury, but that didn't stop him from making an impact on Philadelphia's Super Bowl season. If Campbell, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, stays healthy, he could add another chess piece to Fangio's defense alongside All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun. With Nakobe Dean expected to miss time, Campbell could fill the void and start in his place if he's healthy. Fangio said Campbell will begin at linebacker, but he could even get snaps at EDGE, the position he was recruited to play at Alabama. With the Eagles trading Gardner-Johnson to the Texans, the other safety spot is wide open. So, which Eagles player will take the reins? The favorite is rookie Andrew Mukuba, who the Birds selected with the No. 64 pick in the 2025 draft. Mukuba's main competition for the starting job will likely be third-year safety Sydney Brown, who has dealt with injuries throughout his time in Philly. He also isn't an ideal fit for Fangio's scheme. Fangio also said that Tristin McCollum, who joined the Eagles in 2023, will be involved in the competition. DeJean might even see time at safety this season. Fangio said the battle for the second starting safety spot will take all of training camp and into the preseason. Quinyon Mitchell and DeJean will both return as starters after excellent rookie years, but Philadelphia's cornerback depth is thinner than it was in 2024. Will third-year cornerback and former Georgia Bulldog Kelee Ringo make the leap and earn a starting role for the 2025 season? Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers are both gone. All the team did at cornerback in the offseason was sign veteran Adoree' Jackson and draft UCF's Mac McWilliams in the fifth round. Based on the moves, the Eagles are hoping Ringo, 22, becomes the starter on the outside alongside Mitchell. Dependable kicking in the NFL is hard to come by. For the past eight seasons, Jake Elliott has been better than dependable for the Birds as one of the league's best kickers. But last season, Elliott struggled at times. In 17 regular-season games, Elliot went 28 for 36 (77.8%) on field goal attempts, the second-worst mark of his career. Elliott also went 1-for-7 on field goal attempts for 50 yards or more. However, Elliott rebounded in the playoffs, despite missing three extra-point attempts. He connected on 10 of his 11 field goal attempts as the Eagles won another Super Bowl. The Eagles have confidence in Elliott. They handed him a four-year contract extension before the 2024 season, but his performance in 2025 will be worth monitoring.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top 5 Philadelphia Eagles Questions for 2025 NFL Training Camp
As the Philadelphia Eagles gear up for the 2025 NFL training camp, we dive into the biggest questions following their 2024 Super Bowl victory. Can Jalen Hurts adapt to new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo? Will Saquon Barkley hold up after a massive workload? Can Dallas Goedert stay healthy, and who will claim the right guard and swing tackle spots?
