The OTAs are over. All that remains for the Eagles is three days of minicamp, beginning Tuesday and ending Thursday.
What’s the difference?
Not much.
The players will still be wearing just shorts and helmets. No pads of any kind.
Occasionally, there’s some contact, because it’s football and that is unavoidable. But the rough stuff won’t take place until training camp ramps up at the end of July.
That’s why there hasn’t been much talk thus far about the offensive and defensive lines, because that’s where the rumbles take place.
Plus, the offensive line is a known commodity as far as the starting five go: Jason Kelce, Evan Mathis, Todd Herremans, Jason Peters and Lane Johnson. It will be, if it remains healthy, one of the best ‘O’ lines in the NFL, just as it was last season.
The defensive line is likely set, too, with Bennie Logan at nose and ends Cedric Thornton and Fletcher Cox.
There are other position groups that are easier to get a read on and make some deductions off the OTAs, keeping in mind, of course, that shorts and helmets don’t reveal the entire picture and head coach Chip Kelly cautions against trying to view the entire picture this soon.
Generally speaking, the Eagles are moving fast, but Kelly said that because the team is trying to run at least three offensive plays per minute, not much should be read into who has an inside track to be Nick Foles’ backup.
It looks to all the world that it’s Mark Sanchez over Matt Barkley, and even Barkley conceded last week that it appears to be the case. But Kelly said, well, not so fast.
“There is no decision,” said Kelly on who will be No. 2.
“There’s no decision,” said Kelly again. “We’re just getting reps, so there’s not a decision of who’s who.”
The coach then added: “If anybody is trying to make anything of who is playing what or how many reps, all we are trying to do is see if we can get three reps a minute as fast as we can go, get it on tape and coach off of that,” he said. “So there’s nothing to read into who is where, what, whatever, because we’re not playing a game until September. We are just trying to get as many plays as we can possibly get. So I would not read anything into who is where or what.”
Perhaps that is solid reasoning when talking about Jordan Matthews. The rookie receiver has looked terrific in shorts, but a reservation in the Hall of Fame should not be made yet, because the pads have yet to come on. Putting on pads — and the hitting that comes along with it — can make a world of difference.
Then we will see about Matthews. And first-round pick Marcus Smith, too.
Smith has impressed his teammates with the mental part of the game, but, as linebacker Connor Barwin warned, let’s see how Smith does when the hitting starts.
“The physical part, every rookie has to deal with that adjustment,” said Barwin. “Marcus looks good right now for a rookie. But we’ll know more when we put the pads on … The physical is going to come. You can tell early on if a guy has the mental capacity to kind of process things. Guys either get it or they don’t, a lot of times. And he clearly can handle it.”
Matthews has downplayed the impact everyone else seems to see him making on this season.
“I’m trying my best,” he said. “It’s definitely a learning process. Like I said when I first got here, I didn’t know anything, so I’m trying to learn, I’m trying to figure out what it means to be a pro and what it means to be an Eagle more importantly, then just trying to do my best at practice each day.”
Matthews is learning how to play both in the slot and on the outside, and has made an impression on his teammates, particularly slot cornerback Brandon Boykin, who has gone against him in practice.
“He’s a guy that comes and talks to me and asks me questions (about) what do I see from my point of view to help him,” said Boykin. “I always try to help him. He’s a guy that definitely has the ability to be special. He has the height and playmaking ability, especially lining up in the slot. With that size and speed, it’s a good combination.”
The thinking is that, with Matthews’ size and speed, he could be a difficult matchup for defenses when he lines up in the slot.
“Being a big guy in the slot, I will be able to go against what some people may view as smaller corners, but at the same time, they’re small, but they’re not down there for no reason,” said Matthews. “Those guys are strong and will be able to hold their own. Then you have safeties that roll down to the box and you have linebackers. Some people look at it as an advantage, but I still have to go out there and do my best.”
Another player who has opened some eyes, even in shorts and helmets, has been safety Malcolm Jenkins, and that is because Jenkins has a sharp football IQ.
“He’s been outstanding,” said Kelly. “He’s become the vocal leader on the back end for us, so we are excited to see where he’s going. It’s one of the reasons we targeted him (in free agency) and that’s what we were looking for and he had the specific skill set that we were looking for. So he was the No. 1 guy we were looking for in free agency.”
Others have shined, too, such as running back Darren Sproles and receiver Brad Smith. Even receiver Arrelious Benn has had his moments.
But it’s shorts and helmets. For three more days.
The real evidence on who ends up where on the depth chart won’t be revealed until later this summer.
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