The team has a mostly new coaching staff, new systems to be installed, and a semi-new starting quarterback in Jalen Hurts. In fact, all that returning veteran players thought they knew now has to be relearned.
Hence, the players and coaches in unison decided to spend most of the next few weeks in the proverbial classroom, as opposed to concentrating only upon field drills. On-field work will be done, of course, but more in the sense of walk-through instruction.
“It was great to get on the field with the rookies last week and now we’re excited to have the veterans back in the building,” new head coach Nick Sirianni said. “As coaches, what we’re looking forward to is taking what we’ve been teaching virtually and bringing it out onto the grass with the players. That’s the next step in the process as we build toward Training Camp and the regular season. Really excited for that.”
In the end, the team decided a modified schedule over the next three weeks was the best course of action. It’s a program that puts a premium on training, teaching, and physical conditioning in order to set the team up for Training Camp this summer.
Last week, the team was conducting Phase Two which included meetings and on-field sessions geared toward fundamentals, schemes, and strength and conditioning.
The next two weeks will fall under Phase Three OTA rules designed to provide more time for players and coaches to work together on and off the field. On-field drills will closely mirror that of Phase Two. This year, there will be no 11-on-11 or 7-on-7 work.
Following these three weeks of practices, the Eagles’ offseason program will conclude. The players will next convene for the start of Training Camp at the NovaCare Complex in July pending permission under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Meanwhile, the team signed Le’Raven Clark, an offensive tackle who started 15 games in four seasons with the Colts after Indianapolis made him a third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Per Dave Spadaro at PE.com, “adding Clark is an example of the Eagles continuing to look everywhere for help up front. They added tackle Casey Tucker to the roster on Tuesday to bring onboard more competition to a unit that suffered a myriad of injuries in the 2020 season. The expectation is that right tackle Lane Johnson, right guard Brandon Brooks, and left tackle Andre Dillard will all be healthy and ready to go for Training Camp, providing high expectations for the Eagles, a team that has annually had one of the top offensive lines in the league under Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Jeff Stoutland.”
Clark had a terrific career at Texas Tech, playing right guard and left tackle, and in his final season with the Red Raiders Clark was named for the third time a first-team All-Big 12 selection and for the second time a second-team All-American player.
The 82nd selection in the 2016 NFL Draft, Clark played in eight games as a rookie with Indianapolis, starting three games at tackle and then started five games in 2017 at right guard. Last season, he played in 148 offensive snaps with the Colts at tackle, committing one penalty and allowing one quarterback sack, according to Pro Football Focus.
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