The Philadelphia Eagles showed up to joint practices with the New England Patriots last week doing something absolutely wild: they ran plays with 13 men in the huddle. And get this, it was on purpose, every single time. It feels like we’re past the midpoint of preseason, with the regular season drawing near, and frankly, some teams are just not ready. The Eagles, apparently, are trying some next-level mental gymnastics to get there.
DeVonta Smith’s Hamstring and the New Playbook Language
So, why the extra bodies? Receiver DeVonta Smith, who’s been battling a hamstring injury, was reportedly strolling into the huddle without his helmet to listen to every single play call. After hearing it, he’d go stand with the backup quarterbacks and just watch the play unfold. This guy is literally getting every single mental rep he can, and you gotta respect that hustle. Smith himself confirmed it’s “helping my process every play , hearing a play call, hearing the words coming out of Jay’s [Jalen Hurts] mouth, and just overall … what I’m thinking of, what I see, and things like that.” Think about it: going from WR2 to WR1 after the A.J. Brown trade is a massive jump. Now, add learning a completely new offense under freshly-hired OC Sean Mannion, all while not being able to take many actual reps in August. This new playbook is a new language, and Smith needs to be fluent. The Eagles are gonna lean hard on him, so making up for lost time is crucial.
Rookie Makai Lemon Facing Immediate Pressure
Smith wasn’t the only one in the huddle on the regular, though less frequently. Rookie receiver Makai Lemon, a first-rounder, is also nursing a hamstring injury. Talk about tough breaks! It’s already hard enough to be a rookie, but being a first-rounder brings expectations to contribute immediately as the team’s WR2. Hurts acknowledged the challenge for Lemon, saying, “It’s a challenge because he’s not out there getting the actual reps. But just being intentional with the walkthroughs, being intentional with the moments we have off the field and after practice.” They’re trying to fast-track this kid, which shows you how much they need him. For some teams, preseason can drag, but for the Eagles, it must feel like the clock is absolutely ticking, with only a few weeks until they kick off the regular season against the Washington Commanders.
Hurts’ Experience and Barkley’s Impact
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The Eagles have a couple of big advantages in their corner. First up, their quarterback Jalen Hurts has been through this kind of change before. He’s had a new offensive coordinator in all but one of his seven seasons in Philly. The man’s a chameleon, telling reporters, “I don’t know it any other way.” That kind of veteran adaptability is huge when the playbook is basically getting rewritten. The other massive advantage they have is three-time Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley. He seems to be this offense’s identi.
The regular season is right around the corner. The Eagles open against the Commanders, and with these mental reps being so critical, it’s clear they are pushing hard to ensure everyone is on the same page. Can they make up for lost time and get this offense clicking? We’ll find out soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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