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"Man, C.J., he’s definitely a special dude," said tight end Dallas Goedert. "My biggest thing for him is he’s the same person every day. He’s over the top with excitement, he loves being out here playing, he loves talking trash. But at the same time, you respect him, he respects you. It’s nothing disrespectful. It’s really fun. He brings the energy. If you have a bad play, he’s going to let you know about it. If you have a good play, he’s going to give you a high-five and that’s how it should be. He’s going to hold everybody accountable but that’s the same thing he holds himself to a high standard as well."
After joining the Eagles post-training camp in 2022 and spending a year in Detroit, CJGJ is experiencing his first training camp practices with the Eagles. His energy might be new to reporters, but his teammates knew exactly what to expect.
"I’m sure y’all going to hear him every day in practice," said Eagles corner Darius Slay. "That’s what he does. He brings a lot of swag, he brings a lot of effort. He goes out there each and every day to compete, to be his best. I’m the quiet voice, he’s the loud voice. It’s a good mixture of us together and should lead to a successful season."
Sirianni's Expanded Role
Head coach Nick Sirianni, now in a more CEO-like role, is learning to spread his time across different positions. With the Eagles no longer running his offense, Sirianni is spending more time with other positions and even the defense. His presence in various meetings has been noticed and appreciated.
A.J. Brown commented on Sirianni's impact in the receiver room, saying, "He kind of makes the young guys uncomfortable when he comes in the wide receiver room. Because he’s just holding everyone accountable. It’s new. Our guys only see the wide receiver coach most of the time and when you see the head coach come in there, it’s like, ‘Uh oh.’ They sit up straight and everything. It’s kind of funny. But he has been coaching everybody, doing everything."
Defensive end Bryce Huff also noted Sirianni's involvement in their position meetings. Sirianni’s effort to oversee the entire team extends to meeting rooms, as he has been attending defensive staff meetings and defensive team meetings during OTAs and training camp.
WR3 Position Battle
With the retirement of Jason Kelce, the right guard position is open, and second-year player Tyler Steen is the frontrunner to fill it. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland emphasizes the importance of getting the five starters to work together as much as possible.
Right tackle Lane Johnson supports this approach, saying, "Yeah, I would like to have a guy take over and build continuity with him. So it’s obviously going to be a dog fight for that position but I’m going to play with whoever’s next to me. But Steen had a good first day and we’ll know more when the pads come on."
Eagles' Discipline and Leadership
After the first practice of the summer, the Eagles' offensive linemen ran extra half-gassers to maintain their standards. Cam Jurgens and Jordan Mailata initiated this, emphasizing the importance of discipline and accountability.
"Just trying to maintain the standard," Mailata said. "Everybody thinks it’s a joke but it’s something we live by. It’s unacceptable that we had three false starts yesterday and that was including myself on the very first play of practice. So there needs to be discipline to uphold the standard and that’s where it came from. We didn’t like how we were letting the stuff that we can control dictate the practice. We thought it was necessary to discipline ourselves."
Wide Receiver Competition
The Eagles are still figuring out their No. 3 wide receiver. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are the top two, but the WR3 position is up for grabs, with Parris Campbell and John Ross emerging as top candidates.
"Yeah, really excited to get out here and see the candidates we have," said Eagles GM Howie Roseman. "We brought in guys that we think have talent and the ability to contribute for us, but to sit here and say like that's not something we're going to be watching every day and seeing who steps up and how the chemistry is with Jalen (Hurts), it's important."
Draft picks Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson, along with Britain Covey and Joseph Ngata, are also in contention for the WR3 spot. Roseman has a history of making training camp trades, so additional moves could still happen.
Brandon Graham's Farewell Season
Veteran Brandon Graham is soaking in every moment of his 15th and final NFL season. He expressed his gratitude and enjoyment for his last year, aiming to leave no stone unturned and make the most of every day.
"I’m thankful, man," Graham said. "Just trying to enjoy every day. Not in no rush. Obviously, I’m talking to y’all on the first day. Normally, I’d be inside but this is my last year, man, so I’m just trying to soak it all in. Trying to enjoy every day, trying to give it everything. No stone unturned. Making sure I’m talking and letting everyone know, just take care of today. And as we keep walking, keep stacking. It’s all about what we do today. Tomorrow, we’ll worry about it when it comes."
With these key storylines, the Eagles' training camp is setting the stage for an exciting season ahead. Stay tuned for more updates as the team continues to prepare for the 2024 NFL season.