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New York Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Eagles camp: Jeff Stoutland receives lifetime achievement award, talks OL depth
PHILADELPHIA — Jeff Stoutland gestured for his wife, Allison, to stand beside him. She's been a part of what's being celebrated, after all. Stoutland has been coaching 43 years. Allison's been with him for 33 of them. Southern Connecticut to Cornell. Syracuse to Michigan State. Miami to Alabama. At last, Philadelphia. In the last 12 years, three offensive linemen coached by Stoutland were named All-Pros. Eight were named Pro Bowlers. Others graduated from what they still call 'Stoutland University' and established footholds in Philly or elsewhere. Some return. Matt Pryor, drafted by the Eagles in 2018, is back after spending four seasons with three different teams. He stayed in touch with Allison throughout. He calls her 'Mama Stout.' Advertisement So there the Stoutlands stood as a reporter presented Jeff with the Paul 'Dr. Z' Zimmerman Award, given for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL. Just moments before, Stoutland had been asked about his distinguished career and his place as a beloved figure in a sports-crazed city. 'I'm honored and I'm privileged and I feel unbelievably good,' Stoutland said. 'But at the end of the day, I really believe this: If you focus on what you're doing and the task at hand, and you really lock in and you're just blindfolded as to 'We have to get these things done,' and you just go about that and you don't get distracted by anything — usually good things happen.' Stoutland, the lone holdover from the Chip Kelly era, has experienced the entirety of the Eagles' golden era. They've played in three Super Bowls, winning two. They've won five NFC East titles and reached the playoffs seven times. Season after season, general manager Howie Roseman sends more students to his prized tutor. Other teams covet their offensive line's consistency. Four starters return this season, and, still, Roseman stocked depth by drafting three linemen in the fifth and sixth rounds. 'We've had a lot of great players,' Stoutland said. 'I think the relationships that we've had, both of us with the players, is probably the most fun. Just to watch these guys grow from young men to mature, develop, and then watching the great things happen to them is my most rewarding thing.' Jason Kelce stood beside Stoutland during Tuesday's practice. No one else embodies Stoutland's influence better. A sixth-round pick turned six-time All-Pro, Kelce is a future Hall of Famer relishing the duality of his new broadcast career and being a post-retirement presence in the NovaCare Complex. Kelce hollered encouragements as Stoutland doled out instructions. Tuesday was the first day of pads in training camp, a fitting time for Stoutland to discuss the development of his newest class of linemen. Advertisement • Tyler Steen: The 2023 third-round pick has spent the entirety of training camp at first-team right guard. Vacated by Mekhi Becton (who beat out Steen last year), right guard is the entire offense's only starting vacancy entering 2025. How ready is Steen? 'Well, he played a lot of football last year,' Stoutland said. 'You gotta realize he played like 450 something plays. So I think that helps a player develop confidence and he's acting that way right now. But there's definitely things … we've identified some things to work on. Today was a big day for Tyler Steen, in my opinion. He did some things that I've been talking to him about and he executed them and he did a good job.' Asked to give an example, Stoutland said: 'No.' • Kenyon Green: The player compensation within the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade, Green started practicing July 26 after missing the first two practices with a knee injury. Green, the No. 15 overall pick by the Houston Texans in 2022, is getting a fresh start in Philly after an underwhelming three seasons in Houston. He debuted as the third-team right guard in Monday's practice. He played with that rotation again Tuesday. During individual drills, Greg Austin, Philly's assistant offensive line coach, gave Green personal instruction on his footwork after appearing off-balance while engaging a dummy in a double-team with another blocker. Stoutland, who often cross-trains his linemen, says the plan is to keep Green at right guard 'for a little bit right now.' 'Guys get banged up and stuff and then he loses some reps,' Stoutland continued. 'And so we're trying to get more and more reps for him and soak him at that position and get him comfortable. We have some things that (we say to each group): 'You need to work on your balance and body control. Your hands are lacking.' You know? … So yeah. So, we try to target each day or each week what we need to do to help a player so they can achieve that in that practice.' • Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams: It was interesting that the Eagles spent pick No. 191 on Hinton, then No. 207 on Williams. Essentially, the front office enrolled two late-round offensive tackles in Stoutland University. The Eagles know they won't be likely to enjoy the luxury of having Lane Johnson under contract at the end of this decade. Having hit on Day 3 picks like Kelce and Jordan Mailata, the franchise is again making similar investments. 'Myles is really talented,' Stoutland said. 'I call them critical factors — he's got lots of them. The technique now that we're teaching and why we're teaching it, that's the thing that he has to break through and master. And he has to push through that wall. And once he, like when Jordan got it all down, it's like all of a sudden the light comes on and everything starts clicking. He's not there yet. He's in the process. Advertisement 'Cameron Williams, again, like Myles, when you find tackles that are very athletic and smooth, they can slide their feet in protection, they're long — they're very valuable in this league. They're hard to find. So developing those two players, for me, is very exciting because they could become anybody they want.' • Trevor Keegan: The 2024 fifth-round pick was inactive for all but the regular-season finale during his rookie season. He played 33 snaps at left guard against the Dallas Cowboys. Backup guard is a crowded position in training camp. Brett Toth has taken the majority of snaps at left guard with the second rotation. Pryor began training camp as the second-team right guard, but he and Darian Kinnard (the second-team right tackle), have switched spots this week. Keegan has been taking snaps as the third-team center. Rookie Drew Kendall, the No. 168 pick, has been the second-team center. How Keegan performs at center could influence his standing on the 53-man roster. When asked why Keegan was playing center, Stoutland said, 'Well, we always try to have four centers hanging around and you like three of them to be active in the game, whether they play another position. And Landon (Dickerson) was always (the backup). So we're trying to find someone else, and he's doing a really good job of it. I'm impressed with his advanced knowledge. He must have been paying attention and not just listening to the guard play.' Eagles wide receiver Terrace Marshall appeared to injure his right leg after colliding with a teammate during an 11-on-11 drill. Marshall stayed on the ground for a moment after the play, hobbled to the sideline, then laid on his back while trainers checked on him. Marshall then walked off the field and into the NovaCare Complex. The Eagles will resume practice Thursday after holding a walk-through on Wednesday that is closed to media. Starting linebacker Zack Baun missed Tuesday's practice with a back contusion, his first absence of training camp. Starting edge rusher Nolan Smith also missed his first practice of training camp due to a concussion. Rookie safety Drew Mukuba (shoulder) and wide receiver Danny Gray (finger) remain sidelined after colliding with each other while both diving for a pass near the end of Saturday's practice. Mukuba's injury remains significant. He's in a position battle with Sydney Brown, who, again absorbed first-team reps in Tuesday's practice. Fangio had also begun deploying Mukuba in dime packages with Cooper DeJean. It was clear the Eagles anticipated the possibility of Mukuba holding a substantial role on the defense. His progression is now limited by his injury. 'He just has to pay attention to meetings to get mental reps,' Fangio said. 'But there's no replacing physical reps. You know, meetings and mental reps are good but the value of them compared to physical reps is night and day.' Rookie linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. returned to practice Tuesday after missing Monday's practice due to an illness. Advertisement 'Not enough' snaps yet for Cooper DeJean at safety: Fangio is having difficulty evaluating DeJean at safety in base packages because the offensive unit hasn't been deploying personnel packages that require the defense to play base. That's not altogether surprising. The Eagles played 11 personnel the majority of the time in 2024 (59.4 percent), according to TruMedia. New offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is also in the early stages of installing his offense, which is expected to also mostly be fielded in 11 personnel. But considering the important implications of DeJean's secondary position, it would behoove coach Nick Sirianni and Patullo to assist Fangio in finding a solution for more base reps. Of DeJean's progression at safety, Fangio said, 'I think it's going fine. We just haven't — to be honest, we haven't had enough snaps of (base) for him. Our offense is primarily playing 11 personnel out there against us. So we haven't had a ton of base snaps up to this point. (Would) like to see him get some more and get him tested. I don't know that he's ever truly been tested yet with a hard play.' Will Fangio coordinate more with Sirianni and Patullo? 'Yeah I mean we'd like to be able to. Right now we haven't be able to.' Adoree' Jackson's opportunity: The cornerback battle between Kelee Ringo and Jackson is entering its second week with neither player gaining a substantially larger share of first-team reps. Jackson, 29, drew attention Monday when he leaped along the left sideline and broke up a downfield pass from Tanner McKee to Marshall. Jackson, a 2017 first-round pick, is entering his ninth NFL season. Fangio said, 'It's too early to say what his experience is or isn't right now.' In a comment that underlines the competition at hand, Fangio said, 'It's time to show who he is — or who he isn't.' Will Jalen Hurts continue to run as frequently? Hurts has totaled 674 rushing attempts in five seasons with the Eagles, four within the run-oriented system of the Sirianni era. Patullo will be the sixth play caller to decide how frequently he'll leverage the two-time Pro Bowler's ability as a rusher in bootlegs, draws, zone-reads, RPOs and the Brotherly Shove. Hurts leads the NFL with 52 rushing touchdowns since 2021. His 55 career rushing touchdowns are the third-most by a quarterback in NFL history. Hurts turns 27 on Aug. 7. He's under contract through the 2028 season. Can he keep up this pace in the run game? 'It's not about maintaining the pace, it's about doing whatever it takes to win, and that's something that evolves from year to year,' Hurts said. 'So I'll continue to have that approach.' Quote of the day: The Eagles moved practice up an hour to 9 a.m. due to heat concerns. It was also the first day of full pads. Fangio, a seven-time defensive coordinator known for his old-school tendencies, was asked about the weather, which had already climbed to 90 degrees. 'It's not hot out there today,' said Fangio, wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants. 'That's a mindset.' It was the subsequent mindset of Eagles decision-makers to stop practice several times for water breaks. (Top photo of Stoutland: Kyle Ross / Imagn Images)
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Eagles' training camp: 5 things to watch during the first padded practice
With Day 5 of practice set to begin, we're looking at five things to watch The Eagles are back at practice for the second time this week, and Tuesday brings the first fully padded training camp practice. All NFL players look good in shorts, but the helmet and full pads allow players on the roster bubble to separate themselves. Position battles are starting to heat up, and cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell, Isaiah Rodgers, and Kelee Ringo have ample opportunity to make a statement while covering A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. With Day 5 of practice set to begin, we're looking at five things to watch. Saquon Barkley/AJ Dillon The 'Quad Bros' are tough to bring down, and Tuesday offers the first opportunity for Dillon to bring the thunder to an opponent in over a year. Jordan Davis The dynamic duo from Georgia has added responsibility with Milton Williams departing in free agency. Jalen Carter returned to practice on Monday. Meanwhile, Davis lost weight and looked dominant early on, and will be a player to watch when the pads come on. Jihaad Campbell The rookie linebacker looks like he was made to play football, and the Eagles will get their first opportunity to see the Swiss army knife move around in real time. A.J. Brown The All-Pro wide receiver has been baptizing cornerbacks through the first four days, and the pads allow for added physicality in his matchups with Kelee Ringo. Eagles offensive line Four of the starters are Pro Bowlers, All-Pros, or both, and when this unit comes together like Voltron, the Eagles' offensive line can be a scary sight.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Vikings' Dallas Turner opens up about his offseason plan for a breakout 2025
Dallas Turner is under a microscope heading into his second year, especially with the team having to look around and see the likes of Chop Robinson and Jared Verse thrive with the teams that picked them. While Turner was drafted 17th overall, Verse was drafted 19th by the Rams, and Robinson was selected 21st by the Dolphins. While Turner looks to join his draft classmates in the top tier of pass rushers, he took some steps this offseason to get there. Speaking at training camp, Turner gave everyone a glimpse into who he worked with and how he is getting ready for the new season. Turner explained his offseason work and the urgency he had, saying, 'Right after the season… [Greenard and I] were hitting it strong in the weight room, watching film, picking each other's brain. He has a lot of knowledge. He's one of the best vets on the team… it was a good opportunity to be around him and spend time with him and see how he got to this point in his career.' For Turner, he is behind two Pro Bowlers, compared to Robinson and Verse, who are on the same team as Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard. What is going to turn Turner, though, is that Brian Flores has shown he will use a rotation of pass rushers in his schemes. Turner didn't get a lot of playing time last year, so tracking his snaps in the preseason will be critical to setting expectations.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Miami Dolphins training camp opening: 5 reasons for optimism
MIAMI GARDENS ― The Miami Dolphins are opening training camp on Tuesday July 22, and there are plenty of concerns. But we're not here to talk about culture and cornerbacks and injury risk and about just how long y'all have lived without a Dolphins playoff win. We're here today to talk about and think about the bright side of life. What if the Dolphins could manifest wins and good fortune? Perhaps these words will assist. I officially present five reasons for Miami Dolphins optimism. Miami Dolphins optimism entering training camp Miami Dolphins still have Pro Bowl talent The Dolphins have a player on offense and a player on defense with a total of 13 Pro Bowl appearances. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill (8 Pro Bowls) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (5 Pro Bowls) have been at the top of their craft in the recent past. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, edge rusher Bradley Chubb, tight end Darren Waller, fullback Alec Ingold have all been Pro Bowlers. Potential future Pro Bowlers include running back De'Von Achane, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and defensive tackle Zach Sieler. The Dolphins are hoping the results are better than the sum of their parts in 2025, but make no mistake — there is still enough talent to make the playoffs. Tua Tagovailoa's play should be good enough Tua Tagovailoa has led the NFL in passing yards, completion percentage and passer rating. If Tagovailoa stays healthy, he can perform at or close to a level of AFC stars Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert. Tagovailoa is about to begin his sixth season. But this also his fourth consecutive season with coach Mike McDaniel, so there are no excuses. Tagovailoa should have complete and total command of the offense and in the locker room and on the field as a matured leader. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver returns The Dolphins are very fortunate that standout defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was not hired away as a head coach this offseason. Weaver, a rising star, helped the Dolphins to 4th in the NFL in yards and 10th in points last season. Weaver had a good plan and has the respect of players. Did you even know the Dolphins had the NFL's 4th-ranked defense last season? Yes, they've lost Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland and Calais Campbell. Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kenneth Grant are a good way to start in filling voids. There were improvements by Weaver over Vic Fangio and Josh Boyer, each of whom lasted only one season. Operating the same defense for a second consecutive season should be a plus. Dolphins' depth at WR, RB and edge rusher The Dolphins have obvious concerns at cornerback, defensive line and tight end. It would appear they've improved at guard and backup quarterback. James Daniels, Jonah Savaiinaea and Zach Wilson should be positive additions. But in particular, Miami's talent and depth at wide receiver, running back and edge rusher are near the top of the league. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle had setbacks in 2024, but are poised for bounce-backs and should be assisted by Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Malik Washington, Tahj Washington and/or Dee Eskridge and/or Erik Ezukanma. De'Von Achane had a setback in 2024 but should return to rookie form and be assisted by Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon and Alexander Mattison. If healthy, the trio of Bradley Chubb-Jaelan Phillips-Chop Robinson could be as dangerous as any in the league and could ease some pressure on the corners. Mike McDaniel still smart and creative; pledging adjustments The Dolphins don't have a playoff win in three seasons under Mike McDaniel. But McDaniel's 8-9 setback was mostly a result of Tagovailoa's injuries and a bad chemistry mix on the roster. McDaniel has always been, and will always be, transparent. He knows the Dolphins need to run the ball more and run it better. McDaniel knows he needs players to be more locked in from the first training camp practice and has pledged to hold them accountable. McDaniel didn't become dumb overnight. McDaniel is still a bright, sharp offensive mind. And a high percentage of players appreciate that he treats them with respect and is determined to find the best ways to help them and the team succeed. McDaniel deserves this chance to right the ship. With at least a one playoff win in the 2025 season, he will have put things back on course. Why Tyreek Hill is still No. 1: Miami Dolphins Top 10 players countdown Can you help a superfan? Ian 'Big E' Berger in need of partial liver donation 7 players under most pressure: Miami Dolphins training camp preview Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@ and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins: 5 reasons for optimism entering training camp
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
6 reasons for optimism as the Philadelphia Eagles enter training camp
After months of waiting, the Eagles will get their Super Bowl rings on Friday night for one final celebration, before the team gathers one week from Tuesday for the start of training camp at the NovaCare Complex. Howie Roseman has retooled both sides of the football, and a defense that saw seven starters depart could be just as dominant, depending on several roster competitions. Philadelphia rookies and veterans will report for training camp on July 22, and we're examining six reasons why the Eagles should be optimistic about the 2025 NFL season. 1. DC Vic Fangio A retooled defense would normally face some reservations about taking a step back in production, but most defensive units don't employ a coordinator like Vic Fangio. In his first season with the Eagles, Philadelphia (278.4 ypg) led the league in total defense for the seventh time in team history, having previously accomplished the feat in 1991, 1981, 1953, 1949, 1945, and 1944 (excludes the 1943 Steagles). Philadelphia ranked 1st in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (174.2) for the second time in the last three years (also 2022, 179.8). Furthermore, the Eagles finished with the NFL lead in defensive points allowed per game (16.9 — their best figure since 15.8 in 2008), opponent three-and-out percentage (39.0%), and FFs (18, tied). 2. HC Nick Sirianni Jalen Hurts will have another offensive coordinator, and the Eagles will face every team's best shot, but a Super Bowl-winning head coach adds calm to a 2025 squad looking to repeat. Sirianni is battle-tested and has faced every scenario imaginable, having led Philadelphia to the postseason in four consecutive seasons. According to Elias Sports, Sirianni (.706, 48-20) owns the 3rd-highest regular-season winning percentage by a head coach in the Super BowlEra (min. 50 games), trailing only John Madden (.759, 1969-78) and George Allen (.712, 1966-77). Overall, it is the 6th-highest mark in NFL history, behind Guy Chamberlin (.784, 1922-27), Madden, Vince Lombardi (.738, 1959-67, '69), Ray Flaherty (.720, 1936-42), and Allen. 3. Eagles' offensive line The Eagles have studs at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end, but the overall team success starts and ends with a dominating offensive line. Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson are among the two highest-graded offensive tackles in the NFL, and both are All-Pros, while left guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens are Pro Bowlers. The right guard position is the only weakness, but this dominant union provides comfort for the entire offense. 4. DT Jalen Carter We talked about Philadelphia having studs at all three levels, and Carter is among the top three players at his position. The third-year defensive tackle has improved leaps and bounds each year, and could very well reset the market for all non-quarterbacks with another huge season. After earning All-Rookie Team honors, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft had 42 tackles, 12 for loss, 4.5 sacks, 61 combined QB hits and pressures, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Carter performed at a high level despite playing 80 percent of the defensive snaps, up from 48 percent as a rookie. 5. DeJean and Mitchell DeJean was among the highest-rated players in the slot, holding opponents to 50 receptions. He had five pass breakups, and quarterbacks had an 82.2 passer rating against him. Mitchell ranked 3rd among NFL CBs with 16 forced incompletions, trailing only Zyon McCollum (17) and Denzel Ward (17). He was 3rd among CBs in yards allowed per coverage snap (0.8) behind Pat Surtain (0.6) and Derek Stingley (0.7) (min. 600 coverage snaps). Even with the loss of Darius Slay, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Isaiah Rodgers, and others, Philadelphia can be optimistic about having two Defensive Rookie of the Year finalists in their secondary. 6. Zack Baun An outstanding inside linebacker can erase a ton of mistakes and make a defense elite, and that's precisely what Zack Baun did for the Eagles in 2024. Signed to a one-year deal with the idea that he'd add versatility as a pass rusher and linebacker, Baun earned All-Pro honors, and was a finalist for AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Zack Baun was thehighest-graded LB (90.1) by PFF in the regular season, producing 150 tackles and five forced fumbles (2nd in the NFL, behind T.J. Watt – 6). In the playoffs, Baun became the second NFL linebacker since 1991 to generate takeaways in each of their first four career postseason starts (Devin White in 2020), which included a diving interception of Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX. Baun returns after agreeing to a contract extension, and his presence gives a retooled defense a stud performer at all three levels. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 6 reasons for optimism as the Eagles enter training camp
