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New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Eagles training camp takeaways: Why the cornerback battle may be spelling trouble
PHILADELPHIA — Quinyon Mitchell grinned when considering the catch his coordinator isn't certain he'd have made a year ago. There's pleasure in progress, in proving your worth can't yet be measured. Mitchell is no longer the runner-up rookie of the year cornerback who was still relentlessly ribbed by Darius Slay for being unable to catch. He's an offseason older than the newcomer who didn't record any interceptions until the playoffs — and still bobbled both. He's the second-year starter who leaped along the right sideline in Monday's practice and picked off Jalen Hurts for the first interception of training camp. Advertisement 'I don't know if he makes it last year,' defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said a day later. Fangio said he believes ball skills can improve with work and believes Mitchell has put in the work. Mitchell owes part of his progress to an interesting off-the-field drill. Mitchell said he does a drill every day before practice with Fernando Noriega, the team's strength coach and director of sports science, that involves a computer screen, a tracking application and a device to catch. Someone throws the device up, names one of three colors — red, yellow and blue — and Mitchell must catch the color they say. 'It's something I've been really just been trying to work on each and every day,' Mitchell said. Mitchell is noticeably more advanced entering his second training camp with the Eagles. The 2024 first-round pick warranted attention immediately. On the first day of training camp, Hurts challenged Mitchell by unfurling a pass to A.J. Brown deep along the right sideline with his fifth throw of seven-on-seven drills. Mitchell dislodged the ball just yards away from the pylon. On Saturday, Mitchell swatted yet another deep challenge along the right sideline — that time against Smith. Mitchell's consistency suggests he's poised to further ascend toward the highest class of cornerbacks in the league, a development the Eagles defense may need. The cornerback battle for Slay's vacancy is veering away from the youth the Eagles invested in. Kelee Ringo, the team's 2023 fourth-round pick, the physically gifted 23-year-old who entered training camp with his best chance to start yet, practiced Thursday with the second-team defense or against the second-team offense. It was the first sign that Adoree' Jackson, 29, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason, is Fangio's preferred option. It's not an altogether encouraging development. The New York Giants — who ranked 27th in defensive pass EPA per play in 2024, per TruMedia — relegated Jackson to a reserve role in which he subbed in as an outside cornerback in nickel packages. Fangio's Tuesday comments suggest he isn't yet convinced of Jackson himself: 'It's time to show who he is — or who he isn't.' Jackson held his own during Thursday's practice. During red-zone drills, he boxed out Jahan Dotson on a Hurts pass that fell incomplete near the left pylon. Jackson prevented another explosive completion while defending Dotson along the left sideline during 11-on-11 drills. Meanwhile, Ringo's performance was inconsistent. During 11-on-11 drills with the second-team units, Darius Cooper, an undrafted rookie out of Tarleton State, got ahead of Ringo on a crossing route and reeled in a long completion. Later, during red-zone drills with the second-team units, Ringo leaped and swatted a Tanner McKee pass away from Johnny Wilson near the left pylon. Advertisement The Eagles know how narrow the margin of error is along the defensive perimeter. Matthew Stafford nearly engineered a game-winning drive in the final minutes of last year's NFC divisional round. Were it not for Slay's defense against Puka Nacua on an errant fourth-down throw, perhaps the Eagles don't win their second-ever Super Bowl. If neither Jackson nor Ringo proves themselves reliable during the preseason, it's worth wondering what measures the Eagles coaching staff and general manager Howie Roseman might take to secure stability. Could fifth-round rookie Mac McWilliams (who has taken first-team reps at cornerback and nickel) become an option? Could Cooper DeJean play cornerback? Veterans like Asante Samuel Jr. and Rasul Douglas remain available in free agency, and the Eagles have 10 draft picks (plus three potential compensatory picks) Roseman could use in a trade package. In the meantime, Fangio's on-field advancements in the way Mitchell is deployed could mitigate shortfalls in the secondary. Mitchell is three practices into playing both left cornerback and right cornerback. Fangio said he's training Mitchell to 'know how to play both sides' if the Eagles ever need to match him with a particular receiver during a game, which would require Mitchell to travel across the field. Mitchell played every snap of his rookie season on the right side; the collective reliability of the Slay-Mitchell pairing is partly why neither cornerback traveled. The 2025 Eagles may require Mitchell to travel with the opponent's top receiver. That arrangement could prove complicated against teams with significant depth at wide receiver, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. Fangio's management of an overhauled secondary was already one of the major storylines of the 2025 season. Rookie safety Drew Mukuba's shoulder injury has further complicated Fangio's solutions. Mukuba has now missed three practices. Sydney Brown, a third-year veteran, has absorbed Mukuba's first-team reps. But Fangio had also begun deploying Mukuba as the second slot defender in dime packages with DeJean. McWilliams and Eli Ricks shared first-team reps in dime packages on Thursday. Ricks, a third-year veteran, had been playing outside cornerback with the second-team units. The inclusion of Ricks, 23, was notable. He played 301 defensive snaps as an undrafted rookie and made the 53-man roster in 2024, but he rarely played on defense last year while contributing 51 snaps on special teams. Ricks may have earned more playing time Thursday by intercepting Hurts during red-zone drills. Hurts overthrew Saquon Barkley over the middle, and the pass struck Ricks in the chest. First-round rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell has been distinguishing himself as an active defender throughout training camp. His reps with the first-team defense have increased; Zack Baun missed his second practice with a back contusion. While the Eagles likely welcome Campbell's aggressive nature, there's at least one injury and other close calls that underline how it may be in their best interest to reel the rookie in — at least during practice. Advertisement In a Monday situational fourth-and-goal drill with the second-team squads, Campbell punched the ball loose from McKee's hands. Contact with a team's quarterback, particularly their throwing hand, is discouraged. During Tuesday's seven-on-seven drills, tight end Dallas Goedert had his back turned while making a catch when Campbell crumpled him to the ground. (Campbell quickly helped Goedert up, as if he didn't know his own strength.) On Thursday, Campbell shoved Ben VanSumeren to the ground while shedding the fullback's block on a run play. VanSumeren hobbled to the sideline holding his left knee, lay down while getting checked on by a trainer, then walked inside the NovaCare Complex. VanSumeren did not return to practice. Soon afterward, Campbell tackled a ball-carrier along the edge and rolled up on wide receiver Giles Jackson, who was engaged in blocking. It is not a new phenomenon for NFL teams to manage the intensity of their players in practice. Linebacker is an inherently aggressive position. Offensive players sometimes relish the intensity; some believe it makes them better. But players learn to strike a balance with their teammates. 'I think his intensity is great,' Goedert said. 'Obviously, the one he tackled me on a little bit — maybe that's not a play we want in practice, when the back's turned, a shot like that. It didn't bother me, though. I'm excited for him. … You've got to be like, 'Hey, you're playing a little bit too hard, let's tone it down a little bit.' He's definitely got that in him. He's doing a great job.' More safety reps for DeJean in base: Fangio said Tuesday that he wanted to see DeJean challenged more at safety, which was complicated given how little they were deploying their base packages against the offense during practice. Fangio said he'd like to coordinate with Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to create more opportunities. The Eagles' offense practiced more 12 personnel on Thursday, which naturally called for more base. DeJean was challenged during 11-on-11 drills. Hurts completed a first-down throw to tight end Grant Calcaterra along the left sideline with DeJean closing late. Injury report: Wide receiver Terrace Marshall did not practice Thursday due to a knee injury, according to the team. Marshall left Tuesday's practice limping on his right leg. Tight end E.J. Jenkins missed his first practice of training camp with a hamstring injury. Starting wide receiver DeVonta Smith missed his third straight practice with back tightness. Starting edge rusher Nolan Smith missed his second practice with a concussion. Running back A.J. Dillon popped up on the practice report as a limited participant with a back injury. Notable plays: ShunDerrick Powell, an undrafted rookie running back from Central Arkansas, made an impressive cut to the outside in 11-on-11 drills with the third-team rotation. He burst into the open and was chased down after an explosive gain. Barkley ran out to meet Powell and hollered in encouragement. Starting defensive tackle Jordan Davis sacked (well, stared down — there's no contact) Hurts in red-zone drills on the last play of practice. Participants in punt return drills: DeJean, Adoree' Jackson, Jahan Dotson, Avery Williams, Ainias Smith, Taylor Morin, Giles Jackson. Advertisement New long snapper: The Eagles signed a new long snapper after Rick Lovato's contract expired after spending nine seasons in Philadelphia. Charley Hughlett, 35, spent 11 seasons with the Cleveland Browns before signing a one-year deal with the Eagles in free agency. What prompted the change? 'That's just the nature of the beast in the NFL,' special teams coordinator Michael Clay said. 'The roster's always turning over, new adventures, a new player. So very excited for Charley to be on our team.' Why Philly? 'Well, I was a free agent for two or three weeks and then as free agency started heating up, kind of got a call from my agents saying they're interested here,' Hughlett said. 'And I was gonna jump on it. The world champions come calling, you're gonna go. So that was really pretty much it.' How is the unit melding? 'It's been an easy transition,' kicker Jake Elliott said. 'Just kind of building chemistry every day, feeling the rhythm of the operation. And it's been — I mean, we've been working together since OTAs now, so we've had a little bit of time.' (Top photo of Quinyon Michell: Kyle Ross / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell gives key team takeaways on 'Inside Training Camp Live'
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell provides some key points about this team and their readiness for the 2025 NFL season while on "Inside Training Camp Live".
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Recapping Day 4 of Philadelphia Eagles training camp
After taking Sunday off, the Eagles returned to the NovaCare Complex for a Monday morning session. Philadelphia was on the field for approximately 90 minutes on Monday and will return to action on Tuesday, followed by a walkthrough on Wednesday. With the session complete and players speaking to the media, we're recapping the sights and sounds from Day 4 of training camp. What we learned Dallas Goedert's demised has been greatly exaggerated. The Eagles star tight end has been dominant in one on ones and seven on seven periods, looking to have a breakout campaign in what could be his final season in Philadelphia. Eagles defense had the upper hand: It wasn''t an overwhelming performance, but the defense clearly was more efficient and locked in during Monday's workout. Jihaad Campbell was built to play linebacker: Championships are won in shoulder pads and shorts, but Campbell looks like the complete package. 4. Dorian Thompson Robinson is starting to pressure Kyle McCord: McCord was the sixth-round draft pick and presumed No. 3 quarterback but Thompson-Robinson is starting to string together good practices. 5. Quinyon Mitchell the traveling cornerback: Mitchell is a lockdown player and that means traveling to cover star wide receivers. After spending his rookie season on the right side, Mitchell has been working on the left. 6. Sydney Brown got his shot With Andrew Mukuba dealing with a shoulder injury, it was Brown who got all of the first team snaps. Brown has reportedly performed underwhelmingly and Monday was important for the hard-hitting safety. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles' training camp: Recapping Day 4 of practice
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Eagles DC Vic Fangio hints at Quinyon Mitchell traveling with the opposing team's best WR
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell could begin traveling with the opposing team's best wide receiver after stating he's been getting his feet wet at both outside cornerback positions. Eagles standout cornerback Quinyon Mitchell stayed on one side of the field for the majority of his rookie season. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will be moving him around in 2025. Before the Eagles' second practice of training camp on Thursday, Fangio told reporters he's having Mitchell play both sides of the field so he can shadow the NFL's top pass-catchers during the regular season. Mitchell finished his rookie campaign with 12 pass breakups and forfeited just 472 yards in coverage last season. Quarterbacks completed 54.7% of pass attempts when targeting Mitchell as the nearest defender. He only allowed 74 yards after the catch (4.6 yards per contest); receivers went down nearly instantly when catching balls in Mitchell's vicinity. The Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up held several household names in check last year: With Darius Slay leaving in free agency, Mitchell is now the de facto shutdown cornerback in Philadelphia and will be responsible for covering opposing teams' primary receivers.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Quinyon Mitchell recognized as top-10 cornerback by NFL execs
Quinyon Mitchell's stellar rookie season has garnered him national attention Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell took the NFL's top pass-catchers out of games last year, and league circles are taking notice. ESPN released their latest position rankings on Thursday, listing the top-10 cornerbacks heading into the 2025 season. Mitchell came in at No. 9 according to league executives, coaches, and scouts. Here is the full top 10 from ESPN's poll: 9. Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles Mitchell, the youngest player on this list, turns 24 tomorrow, signaling the Eagles have the outside covered for years to come. Mitchell was stellar in the predraft process in 2024 and continued that momentum throughout his rookie season. When a receiver catches a pass in Mitchell's vicinity, he doesn't go far. Mitchell allowed an average of 1.5 yards after catch as the nearest defender in coverage last season, the fewest by any player with at least 30 targets. The next closest was Surtain at 1.9. In three playoff games, Mitchell allowed seven yards after the catch on five receptions. "Loved him coming out -- heard a lot about him throughout the season, and it looked like teams tried to find ways to throw away from him," an NFL coordinator said. "He proved to be able to handle 1s." "His biggest thing is confidence," an NFL passing game coordinator said. "He barely played press in college but got in people's pockets. He got really good at that." Mitchell was a projected top-15 pick coming into last year's draft, but a run of offensive selections pushed him down the board. When he was available at No. 22 overall, GM Howie Roseman sprinted to the podium and never looked back. The Eagles received early returns on their investment — Mitchell finished the 2024 season with 12 pass breakups and forfeited just 472 yards in coverage all year. Opposing quarterbacks completed 54.7% of pass attempts when targeting Mitchell. He only allowed 74 yards after the catch (4.6 yards per contest); receivers went down nearly instantly when catching balls in Mitchell's vicinity. Vic Fangio knew early last spring what he had in Mitchell. The Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up played in 96% of the defensive snaps, holding down his side of the field opposite Darius Slay en route to a Super Bowl title. With Slay signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency, Mitchell is now the certified CB1 in Philadelphia for 2025 and beyond.
