News, Notes From Eagles Practice: Marcus Smith Tweaks Hamstring
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was the second day of joint-practice between the Eagles and Ravens, and all is well on the Eagles' front. For the most part.
While certain starters who missed the preseason opener like Kiko Alonso, DeMeco Ryans, and DeMarco Murray all looked sharp at practice on Thursday, one potentially ascending player suffered an injury.
- Early in practice during a special teams drill, second-year linebacker Marcus Smith injured himself and had to be carted off the field. Fortunately, Smith revealed it's just a "tweaked his hamstring" and called it "nothing serious." He will get an MRI.
- I'll keep writing about E.J. Biggers until people listen. Biggers continues to impress, as he came up with the play of the day on Thursday, a pick-six on Ravens backup QB Matt Schuab. Biggers is going to have a serious role on this team.
- Mychal Kendricks was all over the field and was especially excellent in coverage. Ravens' linebackers had trouble against Kendricks.
- New Eagles linebacker Brad Jones was beat all day. See, other than Steve Smith, especially with rookie WR Breshad Perriman injured, the Ravens do not have many weapons on the outside. They often feed their tight-ends and running backs, especially Justin Forsett, on short patterns and crossing routes. Therefore, linebackers are forced to cover. Kendricks could keep up, Jones could not.
- Speaking of Ravens' weapons, sixth round pick Darren Waller (who I just referred to as No. 12 until just looking him up), was giving the Eagles fits. Waller is a 6'6", 240-pound wide out, from Georgia Tech and he can go up and get it.
- As for Eagles' weapons, Riley Cooper had has best practice of the season, so far. He made a tough catch in one-on-one's against Ravens CB Tray Walker, who got physical with Cooper after the play. Coop also made an insane diving grab in 11-on-11's, that made everyone say, "Who was that? That's not Cooper, is it?"
- Oh, and the quarterbacks, of course. Same old stuff, mostly. Mark Sanchez was inaccurate again, Sam Bradford was leading touchdown drives, Matt Barkley was inconsistent, although he did lead a very pretty touchdown drive thanks to three straight difficult completions, and Tim Tebow was Tim Tebow. He threw the ball away, literally out of bounds, in 11-on-11.
- For whatever it's worth, there were a ton of flags and at least a handful of pass interference calls, if not more. Players from both teams , often receivers, were begging for a flag on every single play like it was a game.
- Chip Kelly spoke before practice and didn't say anything noteworthy really. However, the best exchange came when he was asked how many snaps he wants to see Bradford take in the preseason. When Kelly said he didn't think about that, he was pressed. "You don't have a number in your head." Chip sarcastically replied with, "One hundred and six...ideally."
- Kelly would not officially say Bradford will play on Saturday night, but sort of admitted it when he said "unless he rolls an ankle."
