Tuesday was a good day for the pro-Carson Wentz crowd.
Related: Carson Wentz already getting MVP buzz
Wentz was on fire for his second OTA of the offseason that was open to the media, picking apart the Eagles' defense and dropping perfect passes throughout the day.
Here is a complete look at the practice, with some observations:
Wentz: The story of the day was Wentz. To start, the fact he was practicing was a great sign — Wentz seems completely healed from both the back injury and the torn ACL that have ended each of his last two seasons. Without the brace and free to take part in all drills, Wentz showed great accuracy and looked very comfortable in the pocket.
One of his best passes of the day was to tight end Zach Ertz, as he lofted the pass about 25 yards down the field over two defenders and right into Ertz's hands. Wentz followed up that pass with a laser to receiver DeSean Jackson over the middle of the field, and Jackson did the rest running it in for a touchdown.
Yes, it is OTAs, and until the pads come on it is always fair to be a little skeptical of what is happening in May. Still, Wentz can only take his comeback tour one day at a time, and on Tuesday, he looked every bit the part of a player that is already getting MVP buzz for 2019.
Brandon Graham: Speaking of comeback seasons, Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham — who got a new deal this offseason — also looks primed to have a monster 2019. Graham looks to be in great shape, which is a big deal considering how big of an impact his foot injury from last offseason had on him. Graham's having to rehab all offseason made him miss most of training camp, and although he didn't have a bad season, he wasn't the same player he was in 2017. Graham has clearly been working out this offseason. The Eagles badly need a big season from Graham and it looks like he is set to give it to them.
DeSean Jackson: Jackson was the beneficiary of Wentz's great day, as the wide receiver got the ball time-and-time again in team drills. Jackson looks every bit as fast and smooth as he did during his first stint with the Eagles. The vanity of ways the Eagles used Jackson was interesting to see. Jackson caught short passes, screen passes, passes over the middle, and of course, was targeted deep.
Wentz and Jackson getting these reps together now in the offseason is huge for the Eagles. Timing is everything between a quarterback and a receiver, especially one like Jackson, who is likely going to be sent deep quite a bit. Jackson and Wentz spent plenty of time during practice in-between drills talking, going over previous plays. Those conversations might be more important than the actual production on the field, and the fact that they are getting so many reps together in May is going to end up really helping this team come September.
Sidney Jones: Prior to practice Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz mentioned that this was going to be a big offseason for cornerback Sidney Jones, who is coming off of a disappointing second season with the team. Jones played with the starters on Tuesday and the good news is he looked healthy and in great shape throughout the practice. The bad news is he got beat for a touchdown during team drills by rookie J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who beat him on a 50/50 pass in the corner of the endzone.
Miles Sanders: Rookie running back Miles Sanders did not practice last week, and that was the case again on Tuesday, as he ran out onto the field about 30 minutes into the practice with a hat on. Sanders missing these reps is not ideal, especially as he tries to begin his adjustment to the NFL. Sanders' availability the rest of the offseason leading up to OTAs is definitely worth monitoring.
Clayton Thorson: If everything goes to plan this season Eagles rookie quarterback Clayton Thorson won't be seeing the field. That is probably a good thing considering some of the decisions he made on Tuesday. Still, the more I see Thorson in person, the more it is easy to see why the Eagles drafted him. Thorson is big, has a strong arm and throws a great ball. Thorson's arm strength is obvious when you see him throw, especially compared to Cody Kessler's arm. It will be interesting to watch Thorson develop over the year. The tools might be there to turn into a very quality backup.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
