Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/3s8ubs3m

Originally published Oct. 5, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — Following back-to-back embarrassing losses, the Eagles are officially in crisis.

They blew a two-score lead against the Los Angeles Rams at home six days after getting routed by the Bears in Chicago.

Much of the problem starts with the offense. Through four games, the numbers are in. And they’re not good.

Sean Mannion’s offense ranks 29th in gross passing yards (713), 15th in rushing yards (436), 30th in total yards (1,079) and tied for 18th with nine touchdowns.

Even worse, the Birds are 31st in net passing yards (643) because Jalen Hurts has been sacked 12 times behind a porous, patchwork offensive line. He had a miniscule 68 net passing yards against L.A.

“I don’t think we really know our identity of what we want to be,” coach Nick Sirianni said Monday. “We know where we’re going, we know what we need to be able to do, but there’s still some identity questions that we still have to continue to answer as we continue through this.”

An offense that showed flashes of great potential the first two weeks has actually regressed. The Birds are inept in short yardage and scoreless in the second half the last two weeks. And quarterback Jalen Hurts looks flatout uncomfortable operating the system.

When Hurts said the problem was execution — a word he repeated at least seven or eight times — it sounded overly simple, but he was right. He is hesitant and not executing the offense, and as a group the Eagles aren’t operating cleanly. That includes Cam Jurgens, a natural center, who is struggling out of position at left guard (where he received no reps in the preseason).

“We’re finding our flow of things, and ultimately, it comes down to execution,” Hurts said. “I think everyone in the locker room would say that, and everyone will look internally first with that. So, (it’s about) controlling the things that we can control and being better at executing.”

The defense, which came up with two picks and held L.A.’s top-rated attack in check most of the game, fell apart late — including giving up a 98-yard touchdown drive. Perhaps the unit was gassed because the Eagles’ offense was 0-for-12 on third down and 1-for-4 on fourth.

Injuries continued to stack up, and that’s real. It’s tough to win in the NFL when many of your best players aren’t on the field.

The Birds entered without DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Zack Baun, Fred Johnson, Hollywood Brown, Marcus Epps and Landon Dickerson, plus Lane Johnson for personal reasons. And during the game, Saquon Barkley, Quinyon Mitchell, Jonathan Greenard and Tank Bigsby all went down.

But when you have a 10-point lead and the opponent pinned at its own 2-yard line with 6:45 remaining, the injury excuse doesn’t hold up.

“The biggest thing is finishing the game,” cornerback Cooper DeJean said. “We’ve got to finish drives at the end of the game to hold our lead. Whatever’s going on in the game, it’s on the defense. It’s on us, and we’ve got to be able to close it out.”

Two years ago, the Birds had a Week 5 bye to reset and went on a Super Bowl run. There’s no such reprieve this season. Their bye isn’t until Week 10 — nearly a month and a half away — and in the meantime they face the likes of Jacksonville, Carolina, Dallas and the New York Giants, teams that are all in the playoff hunt.

The Jaguars, Panthers and Giants are in first place in their respective divisions, and the Cowboys are neck-and-neck with the Eagles in the NFC East, behind New York.

“It’s never just one thing,” Sirianni said. “We’re working through that of what our best answers are, what our best solutions are. That’s what today’s is about: to watch the tape, to figure out what went wrong, what went right, to hold everybody accountable, yourself first, then coaches and players, and then move on and get better from it. No doubt, we do have to get better from it and find solutions to it.

“When you haven’t been consistent enough in both coaching and playing, then you are searching for the things that you’re supposed to do well. There were good moments as well, but not nearly as consistent as we want it to be. That’s every phase of what’s happening on offense right now.”

With a 2-2 record, it’s too early to panic. The problem is, the Eagles have been trending in the wrong direction.

Notes

● Sirianni offered no status update on Lane Johnson or any of the injured players. However, in another blow, Jurgens is now in concussion protocol, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo later reported.

Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard (ankle) is considered day-to-day while running back Tank Bigsby will land on IR and requires core muscle surgery, which could sideline him for six weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Saquon Barkley (hamstring) could miss this week’s game, which would leave Will Shipley as the only healthy running back. The Eagles could elevate Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele and/or Jaydon Blue from the practice squad.

The Eagles will release their first injury report of the week Wednesday evening.

● The Eagles are leaving for London, which is five hours ahead, on Friday. They play the Jaguars Sunday at 2:30 p.m. local time (9:30 a.m. ET).

“We felt like leaving Friday was best for our team,” Sirianni said. “A lot of research obviously went into it. I’ve discussed these things with you about short weeks, long weeks, rain weeks, hot weeks, whatever it may be, international weeks, of how to go about it.

“We’re trying to get a full week’s worth of practice in before we go up there.”

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/mvtmr497

Originally published Oct. 4, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles have no time to lick their wounds.

As home underdogs attempting to bounce back from last week’s ugly loss in Chicago, they will be shorthanded against the dynamic Los Angeles Rams today at the Linc. Just a month into the season, the Eagles have already been bitten by the injury bug.

Wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring), linebacker Zack Baun (concussion), safety Marcus Epps (groin), wide receiver Hollywood Brown (ankle) and tackle Fred Johnson (knee) are all out.

That means Jalen Hurts loses his top receiver while Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is expected to replace All-Pro Baun in the middle of a defense that has yet to force a turnover.

“Every opportunity he’s gotten a chance to play, whether it’s in preseason or in games, he’s done a really nice job,” coach Nick Sirianni said of Trotter, who would be a weekly starter for most teams. “I have faith in him.”

The injury hits come when the Birds are already beaten-up on the offensive line and at tight end. Zach Ertz’ role may expand.

Los Angeles is without defensive end Aaron Donald and is still missing Myles Garrett — obviously a pair of game-changers — but enters with the NFL’s No. 1 offense in yards per game despite a 1-2 record. The Rams rank second in passing and seventh in rushing, and reigning MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford should get Puka Nacua back after the receiver missed two games with hip and groin injuries.

“They’re really good,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said of the Rams. “They run it very well. They stay committed to the run and they’ve got a really good play-action game off of it.”

L.A. features a rejuvenated running game with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum along with coach Sean McVay’s multiple tight-end looks, which can create headaches without changing much of what the Rams do.

“That’s the beauty of their offense,” Fangio said. “No matter what personnel they have out there, they basically run it the same way. It’s just different people.”

The Eagles’ offense under Sean Mannion is hoping for more continuity this week against the Rams, where Mannion served as backup QB under McVay.

Injury report

Eagles

Game status: OUT – LB Zack Baun (concussion), WR Hollywood Brown (ankle), S Marcus Epps (groin), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), T Fred Johnson (knee), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring).

Friday practice report: DNP – LB Zack Baun (concussion), WR Hollywood Brown (ankle), S Marcus Epps (groin), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), T Fred Johnson (knee), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring). LIMITED – LB Jihaad Campbell (knee/rest). FULL – RB Tank Bigsby (abdomen), DT Jalen Carter (wrist), WR Darius Cooper (knee), DT Jordan Davis (calf), OLB Jonathan Greenard (pectoral), CB Jonathan Jones (quadriceps), DT Moro Ojomo (calf/elbow), RB Will Shipley (foot), DT Byron Young (toe).

LG Landon Dickerson and TEs Dallas Goedert, Eli Stowers and Grant Calcaterra are among the Eagles on IR.

Rams

Game status: OUT – DE Aaron Donald (back), TE Terrance Ferguson (ankle), CB Jaylen Watson (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE – TE Colby Parkinson (knee/shoulder), OLB Josaiah Stewart (groin).

Friday practice report: DNP – DE Aaron Donald (back), TE Terrance Ferguson (ankle), TE Colby Parkinson (knee/shoulder), OLB Josaiah Stewart (groin), CB Jaylen Watson (shoulder), TE Tyler Higbee (rest), OL Alaric Jackson (rest), OLB Byron Young (rest). FULL – WR Davante Adams (rest), NT Poona Ford (rest), S Kamren Kinchens (hamstring), ILB Nate Landman (shoulder), WR Puka Nacua (hip), CB Josh Wallace (shoulder).

DE Myles Garrett (knee) remains on IR.

Pregame position grades

Here’s how the teams match up by position group in Week 4, accounting for health. Performances will be evaluated postgame.

QB: Eagles B, Rams A-

RB: Eagles B+, Rams A-

TE: Eagles C, Rams A-

WR: Eagles B-, Rams B+

OL: Eagles C+, Rams B+

DL: Eagles B-, Rams B-

LB: Eagles B, Rams B

CB/S: Eagles B, Rams B

K/P: Eagles A-, Rams C+

Coaching: Eagles A, Rams A

On the air

Eagles (2-1) vs. Rams (1-2), Today, 1 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

TV: FOX: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi.

Radio/streaming: 94.1-FM WIP: Merrill Reese and Mike Quick (no official sideline reporter). Tico: Rickie Ricardo, Oscar Budejen and David Gerhardt. Sports USA: Josh Appel and Brandon Noble.

Last week: Eagles lost to the Bears 27-7. Rams lost to the Broncos 30-26.

Betting odds

Spread: Rams -3.5

Over/under: 42.5

Money line: Rams -185; Eagles +154

Notes

● The Eagles are 4-0 against the Rams under Sirianni. Overall, they’ve won 10 of the last 11 in the series.

● Hurts has 1,057 total yards and eight touchdowns in four games against the Rams. He has completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 836 yards and five TDs.

● The Eagles’ offense has a 46.3-percent conversion rate on third down, which is tied with Cincinnati for seventh in the league. But it’s significantly behind top-ranked San Francisco’s 63 percent.

● Nacua had 11 catches for 112 yards the last time he faced the Eagles.

● The Rams reached the red zone four times against Denver last week but scored only one touchdown.

● Stafford has thrown three interceptions in three games.

● The Eagles are the only NFL team that hasn’t scored a point in the first quarter this season.

● The Eagles’ Braden Mann ranks second in punts inside the 20-yard line (eight), behind Green Bay’s Daniel Whelan and Pittsburgh’s Cameron Johnston (nine). Also, he’s tied with the Las Vegas Raiders’ A.J. Cole for second in punts of 50-plus yards (seven), behind Corey Bojorquez of the Cleveland Browns (nine).

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/y6psu5hk

Originally published Sept. 29, 2026

On his only pass Monday night against the Chicago Bears, Andy Dalton did the only thing you couldn’t do: He threw an interception in the end zone.

It was finite, permanent, traumatic. You couldn’t undo it.

“We get down there, I can’t put ourselves in a bad position like that,” Dalton said. “I mean, costly turnover at a tough time, man. That’s points on the board.

“(The Bears) schemed it up pretty good. I obviously didn’t see the safety in the middle, and he just read my eyes. My eyes were over there, and he just made the play. Again, I can’t put our team in that situation. Costly decision.”

Dalton has experience in Sean Mannion’s type of West Coast offense, which is largely why he won the QB2 job over Tanner McKee this summer.

Not that McKee had a great training camp, especially early on, and it didn’t end well for him last season (an unstable performance against Washington). But the 26-year-old has a solid history with the Eagles and perhaps should have been Jalen Hurts’ backup instead of the veteran Dalton.

But that was the choice by Mannion, the Eagles’ rookie offensive coordinator, and head coach Nick Sirianni. And maybe general manager Howie Roseman, who even mentioned McKee’s strong “body of work” at the end of the preseason.

Yet as much as Dalton would like to have that throw back, it was hardly the only problem in Monday’s brutal, 27-7 whooping by the Bears.

“I think we all have to own that loss right there,” Sirianni said. “I don’t think anybody coached well. I don’t think anyone played well. It was a true team loss, and when it’s a true team loss, I have to look at myself first.”

Somehow Hurts, after returning from a concussion evaluation to relieve Dalton, helped the Birds regain the mojo Monday with that badass tush-push touchdown as the clock hit triple zeros before halftime. They only trailed by three points at the break and came out with the ball in the third quarter.

But then they failed to answer the bell in the second half.

As outcoached and outplayed as the Eagles were by Ben Johnson’s Bears, the Birds also beat themselves. Eliminate Dalton’s crushing turnover (if only), Tank Bigsby’s fumble deep in Eagles territory and Jalen Hurts’ interception in the second half — not to mention some of the 10 Eagles penalties, including Moro Ojomo jumping offsides — and it’s a very different game.

Granted, that’s a lot to erase, but the point is this: Even though Chicago outcoached and outplayed the Eagles, Philadelphia actually had the game in its grasp.

That’s why Sirianni was unfazed, even though his team got beaten up in all phases. He took responsibility, but his demeanor wasn’t one of panic.

He knows it was a bad game, an awful game. It doesn’t need to be a defining game. It can be a springboard to something positive.

“We weren’t ready to coach, we weren’t ready to play,” Sirianni said. “And that ultimately starts and ends with me.”

This week and next, against the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars, are pivotal. Those could be season-defining games, one way or another.

Eagles bolster secondary

The Eagles on Tuesday signed defensive back Kenny Moore from the practice squad to the active roster as a reinforcement at safety. Moore, 31, joined the practice squad last week after spending nine seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.

He was undrafted out of NCAA Division II Valdosta State in 2017. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2021

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/5cn2suhm

Originally published Sept. 28, 2026

Caleb Williams won’t be on the field tonight. The Bears’ running game will be.

That, more than the quarterback change, is what matters to the Eagles. Williams was ruled out with a hamstring injury he suffered last week against Minnesota. Backup Tyson Bagent cleared enough of the concussion protocol to practice and is questionable. If he can’t go, 38-year-old Case Keenum gets the call.

For Vic Fangio, the name behind center doesn’t change the plan.

“We’re preparing for Chicago’s offense,” the Eagles’ defensive coordinator said. “I don’t think their offense will change a whole lot schematically, so that’s what we’ll prepare for.”

Williams presents a problem neither Bagent nor Keenum can duplicate. He can escape a perfectly defended play and turn it into something else. That headache is gone. The other one isn’t.

Last Black Friday at Lincoln Financial Field, Chicago ran the Eagles out of their own building 24-15. The Bears dominated up front and piled up 281 rushing yards. Kyle Monangai had 130. Former Eagle and St. Joseph’s Prep grad D’Andre Swift had 125.

Fangio remembers. The film won’t let him forget.

“You aren’t going to be able to flush it away,” Fangio said. “It’s going to be on our cutups, so (our players) will be seeing it.”

Williams’ absence shouldn’t alter that part of the equation. Fangio noted Chicago operates extensively from under center rather than building its running game around quarterback reads.

“They’re under center, handing it off,” Fangio said. “They do a great job of blocking.”

The Birds, still thin on the O-line, would like to see some better rhythm from their own offense. Tight end Zach Ertz, signed last week, could be elevated from the practice squad for his first Eagles game since 2021.

Injury report

Eagles: Game status: OUT – WR Hollywood Brown (ankle), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), T Fred Johnson (knee). QUESTIONABLE – OLB Jonathan Greenard (pectoral).

Saturday practice report: DNP – WR Hollywood Brown (ankle), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), T Fred Johnson (knee). LIMITED – RB Will Shipley (foot). FULL – RB Saquon Barkley (stinger), RB Tank Bigsby (abdomen), DT Jalen Carter (wrist), OLB Jonathan Greenard (pectoral), S Andrew Mukuba (knee), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), G Tyler Steen (shoulder).

Bears: Game status: OUT – QB Caleb Williams (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE – QB Tyson Bagent (concussion).

Saturday practice report: DNP – QB Caleb Williams (hamstring). FULL – QB Tyson Bagent (concussion), DL Grady Jarrett (rest), RB Kyle Monangai (knee), K Cairo Santos (right hip), DB Tyrique Stevenson (hamstring), OL Joe Thuney (rest).

Pregame position grades

Here’s how the teams match up by position group in Week 3, accounting for health. Performances will be evaluated postgame.

QB: Eagles A, Bears D+

RB: Eagles A-, Bears A-

TE: Eagles C-, Bears B+

WR: Eagles B+, Bears B+

OL: Eagles B-, Bears A

DL: Eagles A-, Bears B

LB: Eagles A, Bears B-

CB/S: Eagles A-, Bears C-

K/P: Eagles A-, Bears B+

Coaching: Eagles A, Bears B+

On the air

Eagles (2-0) at Bears (1-1), Tonight, 8:15 ET, Soldier Field, Chicago

TV: ESPN: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters, Laura Rutledge.

Radio/streaming: 94.1-FM WIP: Merrill Reese and Mike Quick (no official sideline reporter). Tico: Rickie Ricardo, Oscar Budejen and David Gerhardt. Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner.

Last week: Eagles beat the Titans 24-20. Bears lost to the Vikings 9-3.

Betting odds

Spread: Eagles -4.5

Over/under: 41.5

Money line: Eagles -238; Bears +195

Notes

● The Eagles are 2-0 for the fourth time in Nick Sirianni’s six seasons as head coach.

● The Eagles have held each of their first two opponents below 300 total yards — Washington to 295 and Tennessee to 291. It is the first time they have opened a season with consecutive sub-300-yard defensive performances since 1995.

● Chicago leads the all-time series, 30-17-1.

● Chicago opened this season by rushing for 291 yards against Carolina, then was held to 134 yards on 31 carries in the loss to Minnesota.

● DeVonta Smith is coming off a 10-catch, 117-yard performance at Tennessee. His 13 targets tied his career high.

● Bears WR Kalif Raymond leads Chicago with 13 receptions. Six have converted third downs.

● Bears TE Colston Loveland has been held to one reception for three yards through two games after catching 58 passes for 713 yards and six TDs as a rookie in 2025.

● Bears C Garrett Bradbury was penalized four times against Minnesota — twice for holding and twice for false starts — and now draws an Eagles interior featuring Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Moro Ojomo.

● Tonight is the first of five prime-time games for the Eagles this season. They play eight standalone games.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/yrnma3w3

Originally published Sept. 19, 2026

The Eagles flew to Nashville Friday evening instead of the usual Saturday for away games to help acclimate to the weather in Tennessee, where a “heat dome” is bringing triple-digit temperatures, heavy humidity and virtually no wind.

“You are constantly tweaking your schedules just to constantly improve your process,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We felt like, ‘Hey, when we went to Tampa last year and did this, with the addition of other things that we changed in our schedule as well, it benefited us.’ And that’s why we decided to do that again.”

The Eagles, who take pride in their conditioning under Sirianni, beat the Buccaneers 31-25 in steamy Tampa last September after struggling in the heat there in 2024. They play the Titans in downtown Nashville today at 1 p.m. ET.

Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward, whom the Titans (0-1) selected out of Miami with the first overall pick in 2025, has a new head coach in Robert Saleh and new offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll. It’s a pivotal year for Ward, whose squad lost to the lowly New York Jets 23-10 in Week 1.

The Titans’ best player is four-time All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. He mentioned the Titans’ strategy against Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.

“We just need to make Jalen Hurts be a QB. Stop his runs, make sure Hurts doesn’t get out of the pocket and make plays,” said Simmons, who had 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss last season.

Late last week, the Eagles (1-0) were monitoring the health of one of their own star D-tackles, Jalen Carter, as well as nickelback Cooper DeJean and safety Andrew Mukuba.

Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, whom the Birds acquired in the offseason, has been out since the start of training camp and will miss at least one more week.

With Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson (knee) placed on injured reserve, it appears the Eagles will go with Drew Kendall to replace him. However, Fred Johnson, who has NFL experience at guard (on the right side, not the left), got some reps there in practice last week.

Also, center Cam Jurgens could move to left guard with another answer at center, perhaps Willie Lampkin. But Micah Morris and Lampkin both played significant reps at left guard in college.

Injury report

Eagles: Game status: OUT – OLB Greenard (pectoral). QUESTIONABLE – S Mukuba (knee).

Friday practice report: LIMITED – DT Carter (wrist), OLB Greenard (pectoral), S Mukuba (knee). FULL – DB DeJean (calf/abdomen), WR Hollywood Brown (hamstring), WR Elijah Moore (neck).

The Eagles elevated safety Maximus Pulley, a rookie out of Wofford, from the practice squad Saturday.

Titans: Game status: QUESTIONABLE – LB Cedric Gray (concussion), LB James Williams Sr. (elbow), CB Cor’Dale Flott (quadriceps).

Friday practice report: DNP – CB Cor’Dale Flott (quadriceps). LIMITED – LB James Williams Sr. (elbow). FULL – LB Cedric Gray (concussion).

Pregame position grades

Here’s how the teams match up by position group in Week 2, with health included. Performances will be evaluated postgame.

QB: Eagles A, Titans C

RB: Eagles A, Titans C+

TE: Eagles A, Titans C

WR: Eagles B+, Titans B

OL: Eagles B, Titans C+

DL: Eagles A, Titans C

LB: Eagles A, Titans C

CB/S: Eagles A-, Titans C+

K/P: Eagles A-, Titans B

Coaching: Eagles A, Titans C

On the air

Eagles (1-0) at Titans (0-1), Today, 1 p.m. ET, Nissan Stadium, Nashville

TV: FOX: Adam Amin, Drew Brees, Kristina Pink.

Radio/streaming: 94.1-FM WIP: Merrill Reese and Mike Quick (no official sideline reporter). Tico: Rickie Ricardo, Oscar Budejen and David Gerhardt.

Last week: Eagles beat the Commanders 24-22, Titans lost to the Jets 23-10.

Betting odds

Spread: Eagles -7

Over/under: 39.5

Money line: Eagles -310, Titans +250

Notes

● Hurts is 0-2 as a starter against Tennessee head coach Robert Saleh-coached defenses (Jets and 49ers), completing 48 of 80 passes for 448 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions with a 69.5 passer rating. He has also rushed 13 times for 61 yards and a TD.

● The Eagles’ last trip to Nashville was Sept. 30, 2018, when the Titans won 26-23 in overtime. Marcus Mariota threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis with five seconds remaining in overtime.

● The Eagles have never won at the Titans’ current stadium, which opened in 1999. They have played there three times (2002, 2010 and 2018).

● The Titans’ new stadium, which will be enclosed, opens next year near the present location.

● Tennessee is trying to avoid its third straight 0-2 start.

● The Eagles will be wearing their all-white uniforms with midnight green numbers and stripes.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/4v7jwrh8

Originally published Sept. 15, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — One game can lie to you. It can tease, flatter and make promises a long season has no intention of keeping.

But if Eagles fans take anything away from the season-opening victory against the Commanders, it should be this: Sean Mannion is the right man to run the offense.

Jalen Hurts’ 64-yard play-action completion to Dontayvion Wicks late in the first quarter, which set up an eventual Dallas Goedert touchdown reception, encapsulated why.

The Eagles were in 13 personnel (one running back, three tight ends). It drew the safeties in looking for a run or intermediate pass. Wide receiver Wicks ran a deep route meant to draw them away and create room underneath.

“It was a clearout,” said Wicks, who scored a touchdown later in the game.

But the safeties didn’t fully bite (instead biting on Hurts’ fake handoff from under center), leaving Wicks one-on-one against Washington cornerback Mike Sainristil.

“With J, if he trusts you, he’ll put it up there,” Wicks said. “Once I broke out and deep, I saw the ball in the air and just kept running.

“It was put on the money so I was able to run under it.”

Wicks came down with the catch for a huge gain. The play was a thing of beauty — not only because Hurts found Wicks one-on-one, but because multiple receivers were open, including Goedert in short yardage and Saquon Barkley for an outlet pass.

It was one of several times Sunday that Mannion schemed multiple guys open. And Hurts chose the correct and bold read — and delivered a dime.

The entire offensive unit bought in and executed.

“I don’t want to disclose too much about our progressions, but it’s funny,” Mannion said Tuesday. “Tay had that same exact rep in practice, and he ran full speed, full tilt, great effort — didn’t get the ball (it went to someone else). We showed it in the offensive meeting; it’s not an accident. You give great effort at practice with or without the ball, good things are going to happen.

“I think it was a very emblematic play of what we want to be as an offense, giving great effort at practice, getting your brother open in practice. Then, sure enough, you get into the game and the ball finds you. I’m a believer that those types of things happen when you give great effort day in and day out. There are so many examples of it, so many examples that go unseen. The protection unit, right? That was one of our cleanest pockets of the night, led to an explosive play.”

It all seems simple enough, but the execution and buy-in made it look that way. Mannion lives for this. And Wicks, in whom Mannion always saw potential when they were both in Green Bay, is all in.

“I trust Jalen that we built that chemistry with plays in camp … and in the offseason, not in the building,” Wicks said. “That’s him trusting me, and me going up and making plays. And that just comes to light when we go out on Sundays and are playing the game. Just keep building that trust, just keep making plays for him.”

And because the play was a run fake, it made the defense damned if it did, damned if it didn’t. If the Commanders committed either way, to the run or the deep route (or something intermediate), they were in trouble. It gave Hurts options.

Also, Mannion and the Eagles made adjustments as the game wore on — using Washington’s aggression against it with play-action, shots downfield and throws into the vacated middle. And they built a play-calling narrative and planted Easter eggs early for calls late.

Last season was defined by offensive haphazardness and a lack of in-game adjustments and basic ingenuity. And, unsurprisingly, a lack of player buy-in.

Mannion’s offense wasn’t perfect Sunday, but it was highly encouraging for Week 1 against a division opponent with its own first-year coordinators and unknowns. It looked like an offense with answers.

One game can lie to you. But sometimes it tells you something worth believing.

Notes

● Mannion wouldn’t say whether Drew Kendall or Willie Lampkin would replace Landon Dickerson at left guard while Dickerson is on injured reserve. He also wouldn’t specify if other guys would shift positions on the offensive line.

● Mannion said the Eagles need to improve offensively on early downs after repeatedly playing from behind the sticks against Washington.

● Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio felt the Eagles’ pressure up front should have gotten home more often. The Birds had just one sack.

“There’s a lot of reasons here and there,” Fangio said. “Mobile quarterback (Jayden Daniels) plays into that. We just didn’t win enough of our one-on-ones across the board.”

He was also disappointed in Washington’s three scoring drives: “There’s some scoring drives you give up where the other team just beats you,” Fangio said. “They’ve got good players and good coaches, too. But I think we could have played a little better in some of those instances from just our overall play, so that was a little frustrating.”

● The Eagles signed punt returner Britain Covey to the active roster. He had returned punts in the past and was elevated from the practice squad for Week 1, in which he averaged 9.3 yards with a long of 15 on four returns.

● The team signed veteran TE Josiah Deguara to the practice squad. The 29-year-old, a 2020 third-round pick by Green Bay out of the University of Cincinnati, has appeared in 77 regular-season games in the NFL with 53 catches for 471 yards and three touchdowns. He spent four seasons with the Packers before stops in Jacksonville and Arizona and is now the only tight end on the Eagles’ practice squad. He spent the summer with the Giants.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/y9ryu6rp

Originally published Sept. 14, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — When asked straight-up if former Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson is still capable of playing at the level the Eagles need, the first word out of Nick Sirianni’s mouth wasn’t “yes.”

But he did defend his player — whom the Eagles placed on IR a few hours later with a knee injury.

“I think what you see with Landon is his extreme power,” the head coach said Monday. “He’s a big man who is able to move guys off a spot.

“If you go back and look, OK, so he gives up some pressures. But he also caved in the side (of the Washington defensive line) on Saquon’s long run on that third down and just did a good job of pushing their defensive tackle and displacing him, which is a big job description for him.”

Sirianni was referencing Barkley’s 42-yard burst on third-and-2 midway through the second quarter of Sunday’s win. But Barkley frequently had defenders in his face behind the line of scrimmage. Dickerson, who turns 28 this month (prime years), allowed four pressures and a quarterback hit, according to Pro Football Focus. Center Cam Jurgens also struggled.

Dickerson had a down year in 2025, when he played through knee, back and ankle injuries. In camp last month, he said he was feeling fully healthy, but clearly he’s been hampered. He had meniscus surgery just before the start of last season.

“He’s tough as heck,” Sirianni said. “We’ve won a ton of games with Landon, and there’s a lot of good things that he can do. Just like every player on our team from yesterday’s game, and every coach for that matter, there’s good moments and there’s moments that we’ve got to fix. And that’s where we are. I can’t tell you how much I think of Landon and the player that he is, particularly that power and that size, where he can move guys off their spot at will, against their will.”

Dickerson, who made three straight Pro Bowls from 2022 to 2024, will be eligible to return from injured reserve after he misses four games.

Hurts is off to a good start

Quarterback Jalen Hurts was 14 of 25 for 203 yards with three touchdowns and no picks for a passer rating of 122.2. He also ran seven times for 46 yards. Most of all, he showed comfort, command and versatility in the new offense (despite having to scramble under pressure at times), including operating from under center, reading route progressions and making rare seven-step drops.

“I think he did a really nice job, had a really nice game and made a lot of plays,” Sirianni said. “He made plays that only Jalen Hurts is capable of making … across the entire league. But with some of those new things we were doing, I thought he did a nice job.

“It’s not a surprise to me. We had 46 days or 47 days in training camp to get ready for that first game, so we’re seeing that on a daily basis, hat improvement. … I thought he handled those things well. And to be quite honest with you, we wouldn’t have put those things in if we didn’t think he could function in them at a very high level.”

The deep drops aren’t traditionally part of a West Coast attack, but Hurts is such a good deep-ball thrower, first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion wanted to include them on the menu. Although he brings a West Coast system, Mannion clearly showed flexibility in catering to the personnel of the roster. His replacement could include Willie Lampkin or Drew Kendall.

Notes

● WR Hollywood Brown, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason, didn’t play at all Sunday. Sirianni said he expects that to change going forward.

● RT Lane Johnson appeared in the 169th regular-season game of his Eagles career, tying Chuck Bednarik (1949-62) for eighth in franchise history. Among Eagles OL, only Jason Kelce (193, 2011-23) has played in more games. DE Brandon Graham (215, 2010-25) played the most

● On six defensive targets, linebacker Zack Baun allowed three catches for minus-2 yards, according to NextGen Stats.

● The Eagles’ offense ran 25 passing plays and 25 rushing plays against Washington.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/3sujmmns

Originally published Sept. 13, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — The good vibes are overflowing inside the Eagles’ complex, the kind of vibes that teams have when they know they have something special.

With a loaded roster that’s almost entirely healthy at the moment, a drama-free training camp and a new West Coast offense, the players, coaching staff, front office and ownership can’t hide their excitement about this season (even if they downplay it publicly).

“I feel good about who we have on our team and I feel good about where we’re at, but there’s always room for improvement and growth,” said Nick Sirianni, who is 5-0 in Week 1 games as head coach. “You’re always trying to get better every single day, and that’s all of us.”

Owner Jeffrey Lurie was at practice Friday as the Eagles prepped for their season opener today at 4:25 p.m. against division opponent Washington at Lincoln Financial Field. The Commanders, including quarterback Jayden Daniels, were ravaged by injuries in 2025 after reaching the NFC Championship Game against the Birds the previous season — when Daniels was Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Despite the health issues, Washington fired some of its top coaches and has a first-year offensive coordinator in David Blough and first-year defensive coordinator in Daronte Jones, which leaves the Eagles wondering what to expect this afternoon.

“It’s a little different than normal,” Eagles DC Vic Fangio said. “You really don’t know a whole lot about the offense either way, what it might, might not be. You make the assumption, right or wrong, that they’ll still do some of the stuff that Daniels was good at and comfortable with. They’ll do some stuff that the new guy wants to do. It’s a little bit of a crapshoot.”

Blough, a former quarterback, comes from a background that mixes West Coast concepts with an Air-Raid spread attack in the lineage of Hal Lumme, Mike Leach and ex-Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury.

Jones’ defensive background is pressure-oriented with multiple looks, disguises and adaptable game plans in the tradition of Brian Flores in Minnesota and Bill Belichick. That’s not particularly in sync with head coach Dan Quinn, who made his bones with Pete Carroll in Seattle running a line ‘em up 4-3 and Cover 3 with the “Legion of Boom.”

Jones’ promotion signals a new direction for Quinn and Washington, though Quinn will still put his own stamp on the defense.

“You don’t really know what you’re going to get,” said Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who’s also 5-0 in NFL season openers. “You try and dig into their background and where they come from, the (coaching) tree that they’re in, and that’s something that you honor.

“I think just going into a Week 1 in general, it comes down to playing clean football, playing with good fundamentals, playing together, everybody being aligned and trying to keep the focus on those things, the things that we can control.”

The Eagles should be able to exploit Washington at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Saquon Barkley has the potential for a big day. In four games against the Commanders since he’s been in Philadelphia, he has averaged 136.5 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns.

Injury report

Eagles: Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard (pectoral) is OUT. The Eagles acquired Greenard in April from Minnesota and signed him to a four-year, $100 million extension with $50 million guaranteed. He missed all of camp with a weightlifting injury and will miss Game 1. He had practiced on a limited basis during the week.

Tight end Eli Stowers (hamstring, quadriceps), a rookie second-round pick out of Vanderbilt, was also downgraded to OUT and placed on IR. He had said earlier in the week that he planned to play and was initially listed as questionable with just the hamstring strain. He will be eligible to return after Week 5.

Wide receiver/punt returner Britain Covey was elevated to the active roster.

Injured reserve: CB Jakorian Bennett (knee), TEs Grant Calcaterra (back) and Stowers (hamstring), S Andre’ Sam (foot), WR Johnny Wilson (knee). Bennett, Calcaterra and Stowers are eligible to return after four weeks. Sam and Wilson are out for the season.

Commanders: No one on the active roster is listed, even though both of their starting edge rushers — Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson — and their top running back, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, were limited in practice all week.

A handful of key Washington players have long-term injury designations, with two starters leading the bunch in LT Laremy Tunsil (triceps) and CB Trey Amos (ankle).

Pregame position grades

Here’s how the teams match up based on Week 1 knowledge and health. Performances will be evaluated postgame.

QB: Wash B-, Eagles A

RB: Wash C-, Eagles A

TE: Wash C+, Eagles A-

WR: Wash B, Eagles A-

OL: Wash C-, Eagles A

DL: Wash C-, Eagles A

LB: Wash B, Eagles A

CB/S: Wash D+, Eagles A-

K/P: Wash A, Eagles A

Coaching: Wash C+, Eagles A

On the air

Eagles (0-0) vs. Commanders (0-0), Today, 4:25 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field.

TV: FOX: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi.

Radio/streaming: 94.1-FM WIP: Merrill Reese and Mike Quick (no official sideline reporter). Tico: Rickie Ricardo, Oscar Budejen and David Gerhardt. Compass Media radio: Chris Carrino and Brian Baldinger.

Betting odds

Spread: Eagles by 6.

Over/under: 44.5.

Money line: Eagles -250, Commanders +205.

Aussie rules

Jordan Mailata had a personal interest in the NFL’s historic trip Down Under on Thursday night, when the San Francisco 49ers routed the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in the league’s first regular-season game in Australia, which was broadcast on Netflix.

More than 100,000 fans filled the stadium in Melbourne — a source of pride for Mailata.

The Eagles’ Australian-born left tackle has watched the NFL’s popularity grow back home during his rise from rugby league project to NFL All-Pro and Super Bowl champion. He has become one of the sport’s most recognizable Australian faces.

Mailata doesn’t take credit for the NFL’s growth on the standalone continent — pointing out that other Aussies have done well in the league — but his success, visibility and big personality are undeniably part of the story.

Tickets for the matchup at Melbourne Cricket Ground reportedly disappeared in about 30 minutes.

Mailata, who grew up in suburban Sydney, did have some advice for teams making the trip (a roughly 16-hour flight from California spanning nearly 8,000 miles). The 49ers arrived several days ahead of the game to acclimate to the time change while the Rams waited until much later in the week — then looked sluggish in the loss.

“I would have recommended going out early,” Mailata said. “The flight itself is so long, I don’t think 24 hours is enough to flush out just the flight itself. You need at least a couple days.”

Notes

● The Eagles signed wide receiver/return specialist Xavier Gipson to the practice squad Friday and placed wide receiver Danny Gray (groin) on practice-squad injured reserve. Gipson spent part of last season with the Eagles, appearing in five games after they claimed him off waivers from the Giants.

● Former Eagles running back D’Andre Swift, who played for St. Joseph’s Prep, agreed to a three-year, $33.75 million contract extension with the Chicago Bears that includes $27.5 million guaranteed. Swift, a Pro Bowler during his lone Eagles season in 2023, ran for a career-high 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns for Chicago last season. The new deal keeps him under contract through 2029.

● The Eagles are one of only two teams, along with the Buffalo Bills, to reach the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.

● During Sirianni’s tenure, the Eagles have the second-best winning percentage in the NFL (.694, 59-26), narrowly behind the Bills (.714, 60-24) in that span.

● Sirianni is 8-3 against the Commanders.

● The Eagles marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by hosting more than 2,200 volunteers at Lincoln Financial Field as part of the 9/11 National Day of Service. Volunteers packed 1 million meals for families experiencing hunger.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

The Morning Call: https://tinyurl.com/yxx5j7t7

Originally published Sept. 7, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — A common misconception about the West Coast offense is that it’s all about passing, that running the ball takes a back seat.

Some coaches have operated it that way, like Andy Reid earlier in his career. And it’s true that safe, quick passes — including to running backs in the flat, on screens and over the middle — do supplement the running game with a focus on yards gained after the catch.

But for Bill Walsh’s 49ers, Roger Craig rushed for more than 1,000 yards three times, including 1,502 in 1988, when Joe Montana won his third of four Super Bowls. Under Mike Shanahan in Denver, Terrell Davis ran for 1,750 yards in 1997 and 2,008 the following year — when the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls.

Walsh, of course, is the father of the West Coast offense. Mike Shanahan is the father of Kyle, who now runs his own version in San Francisco.

If the Eagles are successful in Sean Mannion’s West Coast system this season, his first as a coordinator, it will start with running the football.

That means a big year for Saquon Barkley, who can obviously do it all, and more snaps for Tank Bigsby, whose running style often resembles a bowling ball splashing for a strike.

That two-headed monster of Barkley and Bigsby — call it ground B&B — is key.

“I mean, you look at just his moves, and he continues to just grow,” Eagles running backs coach Jemal Singleton said last week about Barkley. “He understands where he’s got to be when it’s time to play. And as he builds his body up and keeps working, it’s been fun.

“It’s like the wow factor. It’s Saquon Barkley, let’s not forget. He’s done some amazing things, and he still can. We have to take a step back. Having seen it up close and personal, we kind of take that stuff for granted a little bit. So having some new eyes look at some of the things he’s been able to do, it’s been fun.

“He brings joy to the team. He brings joy to the practice.”

Barkley has embraced Mannion’s approach. He spoke with former running back Todd Gurley and studied his film from his time with the Los Angeles Rams, where Gurley ran in a similar system under Sean McVay (for whom Mannion was backup QB for two years).

Gurley posted 1,305 rushing yards there in 2017 and 1,251 in 2018 — leading the league in touchdowns each of those seasons with 13 and 17.

“I feel like I have a chance to be really good in this system,” Barkley said. “I’ve seen it from afar, but now, like actually studying it and working in it, and trying to put myself in the system, I feel like it’s going to open up some things that I may not have been able to show as much in my career. So I’m excited for that part of it, too.”

The Eagles acquired Bigsby in Week 2 of last season. He got only 58 carries over 16 games, which felt like dramatic underuse. He averaged 5.9 yards and showed flashes of explosiveness.

“I just come to work and do what I have to do every day,” Bigsby said. “You know, whatever I got to do to help the team win, I step up and do my role. I feel like we’re building. We’re learning. We’re getting better and better, especially since OTAs.”

The Eagles are employing a zone blocking scheme — also synonymous with the West Coast offense, though Mike Shanahan leaned into it extra heavily in Denver — but theirs will stretch the field horizontally even more than most. In simple terms, it’s to induce defenders to overcommit toward the sideline so the runner can cut back and find vertical daylight.

“The thing that changes for me is we coach it a little bit different,” Barkley said. “Outside zone and wide zone, the read is pretty much the same, but just trying to get more of a one-cut mindset.”

That’s what Bigsby meant when he described Mannion’s running system as “downhill,” even though it starts with lateral movement. But it sounds like both he and Barkley (particularly Barkley, and perhaps Will Shipley) could still catch plenty of passes out of the backfield.

“I don’t want to get too far into specifics, but I think they’re all very, very capable of that,” Mannion said.

Hybrid running back Carson Steele, who could be up and down from the practice squad, showed similar versatility during the preseason. His 59 yards on 21 carries didn’t light up the stat sheet, but he had 14 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

Fellow back Dameon Pierce, who could also see time from the practice squad, had 422 receiving yards in four years at Florida, where he graduated in 2021.

But it all starts with running the ball, which sets up the play-action pass — an emphasis for the Eagles all summer with Jalen Hurts under center and turning his back on the defense.

“I think Sean is doing a phenomenal job taking into account what our personnel is, what we’re doing, some of the things that we have, what our strengths are, and he’s just continuing growth,” Singleton said.

One thing Barkley had two years ago, when the Eagles won the Super Bowl and he cracked the exclusive 2,000-yard club, was a healthy and dominant offensive line. He and Bigsby didn’t have that last season.

Left guard Landon Dickerson, center Cam Jurgens and right tackle Lane Johnson all had lingering injuries, with Johnson missing the final 11 games.

It affected the passing attack but was equally visible in the running game, when defenders were often in Barkley’s face even before he reached the line of scrimmage.

The entire line, including left tackle Jordan Mailata and right guard Tyler Steen, is presently healthy.

It’s also deeper than a year ago, with Fred Johnson returning and the emergence of rookie tackle Markel Bell and linemen Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin and rookie Micah Morris.

Throughout the summer, there has been plenty of talk about buy-in by Hurts, changes to the receiving corps, first-round receiver Makai Lemon missing time, and second-round tight end Eli Stowers having a quiet camp and now missing time himself. But it all starts with the running game, with Barkley, Bigsby and the big boys up front.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/5n6vwwsd

Originally published Aug. 31, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles may have a crowded quarterback room this season.

During their initial 53-man roster cutdowns, which were due to the league by Sunday at 6 p.m., the Birds kept Tanner McKee, Andy Dalton and rookie Cole Payton behind Jalen Hurts.

General manager Howie Roseman said this was a possibility following the NFL draft in April, when he selected the athletic Payton in the fifth round out of North Dakota State.

“It’s the most important position in sports,” Roseman reiterated Monday. “I feel like all those guys have value for our team. Some of them, obviously, some is short-term value, some is long-term value when you think about Cole. And so just as we went through the process here, just thought it was the right thing to do for our football team.

“Last year, obviously, we took someone in the (sixth) round (referencing QB Kyle McCord), let him go. He left our practice squad to go somewhere else. … You know, these guys are valuable.”

McCord signed on with the Green Bay Packers in January, excelled this preseason, and was traded to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday to be their backup quarterback.

McKee, 26, has been battling against 38-year-old veteran Andy Dalton this summer for the Eagles’ backup QB job — a position McKee held last year after taking it over late in the 2024 season.

“I feel like it’s a good room,” head coach Nick Sirianni said. “Each guy brings something.”

Still, with the Birds’ Sept. 13 season opener nearly two weeks away, a QB move here wouldn’t be surprising.

Greenard ramping up

Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, whom the Eagles acquired from Minnesota and signed to an extension in the spring, is on the roster and off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. He’s recovering from a pectoral injury he suffered while weightlifting just before training camp.

“We anticipate him playing sooner rather than later,” Roseman said. “What that timetable is, again, we’ll keep close to the vest. The guy’s a tremendous football player. He’s got a tremendous ability to affect the quarterback. He’s going to come back in tremendous shape. I think that you saw the D-line’s obviously a position of emphasis for us, always.”

Robinson on the rise

Second-year defensive tackle Ty Robinson, who was a lynchpin for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, made the team after coming on strong as camp progressed. He was a non-factor with the Eagles last year and had a bumpy start to this summer.

“He came to life,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “He’s been on life support since he’s been here, but he came to life and hopefully that will continue.”

International program

The Eagles waived defensive tackle Uar Bernard from Nigeria and edge rusher Josh Weru from Kenya, whom they selected through the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP). Fangio said during camp they were “miles away” from being ready for football at this level, and they were raw in preseason games.

Roseman gambled that they’d clear waivers so he could keep one or both of them on the practice squad, and they both did and are back. (The NFL allows 17 players on a practice squad as long as one is designated as an IPP player.)

“I don’t know that there’s a comfort level in exposing anyone (to waivers),” Roseman said. “We’re not sitting there and cutting anyone and going, ‘Woo-hoo, you know this guy we’re definitely getting back!’

“You don’t know what other teams are thinking. We put a lot of time and effort during this week, not only to looking what’s going to be out there, but by taking snapshots of what other teams are seeing our guys and saying they don’t have the practices. They don’t have the individual periods.

“They don’t have these guys in the meeting rooms, just like we don’t when we’re looking at other guys. So going back and watching the tape and just evaluating the tape and what other teams are seeing. And that’s not an exact science.”

Practice squad

Vested veterans who were released became immediately eligible to sign with any team, either on an active roster or practice squad. Younger players who were waived could be claimed by other teams Monday by approximately 1 p.m. or, if they cleared waivers, be re-signed by the Eagles.

Four waived Eagles players were signed by other teams: TE/FB Cam Latu (Patriots), T Cam Williams (Falcons), OL Myles Hinton (Bengals) and DB Kapena Gushiken (Colts).

Roseman ruminated about losing those four guys (the most claimed in the league).

“Certainly didn’t want to get four guys claimed,” he said. “We always anticipate that the rate of claims in the league is about 4 percent. Certainly those percentages didn’t apply to our roster over this weekend, unfortunately. But that’s the risk of doing business and don’t feel good about that. Don’t feel good about losing those guys. That doesn’t feel great.”

S/ST Andre’ Sam (leg/foot) came back and went on IR. He suffered the injury in the final preseason game.

The Eagles signed the following players to their practice squad Monday (they have three spots left, including one international designation): DT Uar Bernard (IPP designation), LB Chance Campbell, WR Britain Covey, DT Gabe Hall, OLB Keyshawn James-Newby, C/G Jake Majors, T John Ojukwu, RB Dameon Pierce, S Maximus Pulley, OLB Mason Reiger, RB Carson Steele, OLB Joshua Weru, S Cole Wisniewski.

Active roster

On the active roster, the Eagles kept 27 men on offense, 23 on defense and the three specialists. Here’s who made the Eagles’ active 53-man roster by position group:

Offense

QB: Hurts, McKee, Dalton, Payton.

RB: Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley.

OL: LT Jordan Mailata, LG Landon Dickerson, C Cam Jurgens, RG Tyler Steen, RT Lane Johnson, third-round rookie Markel Bell, Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin, Fred Johnson, Micah Morris.

TE: Dallas Goedert, second-round rookie Eli Stowers, Johnny Mundt, E.J. Jenkins, plus Grant Calcaterra on injured reserve/designated for return.

WR: DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore.

Defense

DT: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Ty Robinson.

EDGE: Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, A.J. Espenesa, Arnold Ebiketie.

LB: Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon Jr.

CB: Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, Mac McWilliams, Jonathan Jones, plus Jakorian Bennett on injured reserve/designated for return.

S: Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, Michael Carter II.

Special teams

K/P: Jake Elliott, Braden Mann.

LS: Rocco Underwood.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/zwfr9jkv

Originally published Aug. 29, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles seem no closer to deciding on their backup quarterback — a position the organization prioritizes — after wrapping up a winless preseason with a 30-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Friday night at Lincoln Financial Field.

Tanner McKee, coming off a solid performance a week earlier in New England, got the start over Andy Dalton. On the first play from scrimmage, he hit Makai Lemon on a three-yard play-action pass to the right side, rolling that way from under center.

The first-round rookie receiver, who missed most of camp with a hamstring injury, drew a nice cheer from the crowd.

McKee targeted Lemon two plays later on a deep throw down the right sideline, but it was broken up by Cincinnati cornerback Tacario Davis.

The missed connection was a sign of things to come.

McKee, 26, was given the entire first half to ostensibly lock down the QB2 job behind Jalen Hurts, which he seemed to take a hold of against the Patriots, but Friday only raised more questions.

He finished 12 of 22 for 55 yards with an interception and was sacked twice. He had a 41.1 passer rating. And with McKee taking the snaps, the Birds converted just 3 of 8 third downs.

“Obviously, had some frustrations, had some balls I wish I could have back,” McKee said. “I just wish we would’ve executed a little better, specifically me.”

Dalton took over after halftime and played virtually until the end, and he was generally in command. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 104 yards with a touchdown to Carson Steele.

“I think just being comfortable in everything that we’re doing,” Dalton, who will turn 39 in October, said of his preseason overall. “Having a good understanding of the little things that go into playing this position. I felt really comfortable out there, especially tonight. I felt like I was in a good place.”

The Eagles have long valued the backup quarterback position, even before Nick Foles led them to their first Super Bowl championship in the 2017-18 season. Various stints included Koy Detmer, A.J. Feeley, Jeff Garcia, Kevin Kolb, Mike Vick (fresh out of prison), Vince Young, Mark Sanchez (yes, him) and Chase Daniel. Plus they drafted Hurts when they still had Carson Wentz.

“I feel good about both guys,” head coach Nick Sirianni said of McKee and Dalton. “I feel like it’s a good room and I feel good about (QB) Cole (Payton) and the things that he can do as well and be able to develop.”

Notable about Payton: The Eagles tried him on special teams in punt coverage.

“He’s a great athlete and we wanted to be able to see some things with him,” Sirianni said. “If you can find something in there — and he’d been working on that in practice and in walkthroughs to get himself ready. Give him an opportunity to go out there and make some plays.”

The Eagles drafted Payton (6-3, 232) in the fifth round out of North Dakota State in April. They weren’t necessarily looking for a quarterback in that spot, but felt he was the best player on the board. In addition to completing 72 percent of his passes in his senior season with the Bison, he ran for 777 yards.

Speaking of QBs

Quarterback Kyle McCord — an Eagles sixth-round pick a year ago, who graduated from St. Joseph’s Prep before playing in college at Ohio State and Syracuse — threw for 226 yards and four touchdowns in the Green Bay Packers’ 42-38 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Friday. He played the entire game, didn’t throw an interception and had a passer rating of 119.5.

“He was just so poised in his ability to operate and function,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “He definitely has the demeanor, no doubt about it. He’s in total control out there. And he’s willing to stand in the pocket, deliver in the face of pressure.”

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound McCord, who grew up in Mount Laurel, N.J., didn’t throw a pick the entire preseason. Overall, in three games, he was 46 of 70 for 446 yards with the four TDs and a passer rating of 102.4.

In college, Ohio State coach Ryan Day refused to commit to him after he went 11-1 as a junior in 2023, so he transferred to Syracuse to play for Fran Brown, a Camden native whom he had known since youth football. At Syracuse, McCord set single-season school records in multiple QB categories.

He spent last season on the Eagles’ practice squad but they didn’t renew his deal. Green Bay signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January.

Sour debut for Lemon

It was the NFL debut for Lemon, the Eagles’ 20th overall pick out of USC, even though it was preseason. Because of his hamstring issue dating back to the spring, he hadn’t had much time to get in sync with the offense, despite remaining engaged and doing mental reps.

He finished with three catches for just three yards on five targets. And McKee’s interception was a ball Lemon should have had, even though the QB said the throw could have been better.

“It’s a drop,” Lemon said. “It hit my hands. It went through my hands. I gotta catch them. … Dropping the ball like that — glad it happened in the preseason so come around September things like that won’t happen.”

The Eagles sent him out to field a punt in the fourth quarter. It was a bouncer, which he initially stayed away from, but then he mishandled it and was immediately tackled.

“Punts aren’t always going to be right to you,” Lemon said. “I just got to make sure I stay on my task, stay ready.”

Tough injury for Andre’ Sam

Safety Andre’ Sam was carted off with a leg injury with 2:26 left in the third quarter. He’d been having a dynamic game, with two fumble recoveries — one on defense and one on special teams — and a forced fumble on defense to go along with three tackles and a pass defended.

“We’ll see (what tests reveal), Sirianni said. “I haven’t talked to the doctors yet, but he was playing his butt off, that’s for sure.”

The Eagles signed Sam as an undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2024. He has seen limited time on the active roster but has clearly been developing as an impactful player.

Notes

● Wide receiver Darius Cooper didn’t dress for the game, signaling he’ll make the roster after an impressive camp.

● Inside linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., who would start for most teams but is a rotational contributor here behind Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell, didn’t dress for the game either. He had played in the first two preseason contests to get reps he wasn’t getting in practice.

● Eagles kicker Jake Elliott was 2-for-2 on field goals, nailing a 45-yarder to close the first half and a 56-yarder early in the third quarter.

● Braden Mann boomed five punts averaging 49.8 yards, including a 60-yarder.

● Steele turned in another compelling performance and maybe, perhaps, possibly has carved out a roster spot as a hybrid fullback. Though he gained just 24 yards on eight runs, he caught eight passes for 52 yards and the TD.

● Running back Dameon Pierce continued his case to make the roster. He highlighted a 10-play, 49-yard drive than spanned 5:15 over parts of the first and second quarters until McKee threw an interception approaching the red zone. Pierce finished with 44 yards on four carries, including a 16-yarder.

● The Birds initially showed a bend-but-don’t-break defense, giving up three field goals until there was 8:40 left in the third quarter, when the Bengals’ Sean Clifford hit Ke’Shawn Williams for an 11-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play, 70-yard drive. Cincinnati’s scoring ballooned from there.

● Eagles first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion called the game from the booth for the second straight week. In the first preseason game, he was on the sideline.

● Eagles cornerback Isaiah Bolden limped off the field in the fourth quarter.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

The Morning Call: https://tinyurl.com/426k9f8t

Originally published Aug. 25, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — Maybe the Eagles’ defense is really good. It has certainly looked that way through much of the summer.

The alternative isn’t nearly as pleasant.

The Eagles’ offense spent much of Tuesday night’s public practice at Lincoln Financial Field looking like an operation still under construction (which, honestly, it is). Jalen Hurts threw two interceptions to Riq Woolen, missed DeVonta Smith on a deep ball and frequently found himself dealing with pressure.

All this with the Sept. 13 opener against Washington creeping closer as the Birds continue to install their new attack under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

This was never going to be an overnight process. It may take several weeks into the season to get right. But Tuesday was probably the offense’s worst practice of the summer. It was also the most vanilla, and Hurts was back in the shotgun much more than he has been throughout camp — both things on purpose, considering all the added eyeballs and cameras.

The miscues and ball-security issues couldn’t all be blamed on the learning curve of a new system. But head coach Nick Sirianni said beforehand that he and his staff would give similar weight to this practice as to joint practices and preseason games.

There were positive moments. Hurts delivered a touchdown to Saquon Barkley, who made a sliding catch in the front corner of the end zone. Rookie receiver Makai Lemon scored on a wheel route. Hollywood Brown caught a touchdown from Tanner McKee.

But the defense won the Eagles’ competitive scoring system 58-36 in front of an announced crowd of 45,000 fans.

Woolen provided the exclamation point. He jumped Smith’s route late to intercept Hurts a second time and took it roughly 75 yards to the house. Quinyon Mitchell nearly had a pick after a pass went through Darius Cooper’s hands.

Outside linebacker Nolan Smith beat Lane Johnson with a move inside for an early pressure. Jalyx Hunt later beat Fred Johnson for another. Moro Ojomo got past rookie Drew Kendall, who started at left guard with Landon Dickerson resting.

Vic Fangio’s defense has controlled much of camp. And the players on ‘D’ don’t sound satisfied.

Nolan Smith said Tuesday this defense has “no ceiling,” a sentiment echoed by Jihaad Campbell and Andrew Mukuba when discussing a unit loaded with young talent.

“We’re working every day, day by day, building brick by brick how we want it,” Smith said. “With Coach Fangio at the helm, I feel like anything’s possible for us. Everybody in our room trusts him, believes in his word. He’s a phenomenal coach.”

That’s encouraging. And it can only help Mannion’s offense in the long run.

Sirianni said the new offensive coordinator has been demanding throughout the installation of his system.

“The tape is what it is,” Sirianni said. “Our guys know. ‘Hey, that tape goes on and you either held your end of the standard up or you didn’t,’ and it’s praise when they do and it’s correction when they don’t.”

Tuesday supplied plenty for Mannion to correct.

It also supplied something the Eagles don’t get much during camp: The Linc.

“I just know we have great fans that love the Eagles,” Sirianni said. “I’m used to it, but I really appreciate it and it just shows you the kind of home-field advantage that we have because of how passionate our fans are.”

Shapiro: Eagles staying in Philly

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was among the fans in attendance.

Shapiro mingled, signed autographs, hung out on the sidelines and reiterated his position on the Eagles’ next stadium once their operational lease at Lincoln Financial Field expires after the 2032 season.

“Here’s what I can tell you for sure: It’s going to be in the city of Philadelphia,” Shapiro told a small contingent of reporters. “And we’ll work with the Eagles once they determine what it is that they’re interested in doing.”

The Eagles continue to explore their options, which could include renovating the Linc or building a new stadium. The team, which hopes to reach a decision sooner rather than later, has floated the notion of a new facility being outside the city or even the state.

“They will come and talk to us once they’re done with their internal process,” said Shapiro, a native of Montgomery County whose family home is in the Rydal section of Abington.

Shapiro spent time chatting with general manager Howie Roseman on the sideline as practice began. He also joked around with Fangio.

Injury report

DNP: T Markel Bell (thumb/leg), CB Jakorian Bennett (knee), TE Grant Calcaterra (back), G Landon Dickerson (rest/not injury related), CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder), TE Eli Stowers (hamstring), S Cole Wisniewski (concussion).

LIMITED: CB Mac McWilliams (shoulder).

FULL: G Willie Lampkin (stinger), DT Byron Young (shoulder), RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring), T John Ojukwu (pectoral), WR Quez Watkins (foot), CB Ambry Thomas (groin), WR Danny Gray (groin).

Notes

• Right tackle Lane Johnson left during the first 11-on-11 period and did not return. He remained on the sideline.

• Defensive tackle Jordan Davis briefly exited after grabbing his left elbow. He returned wearing a brace.

• Andy Dalton got the initial nod with the second-team offense after McKee got the opening QB2 reps at the previous practice.

• Britain Covey, Cooper DeJean and Lemon handled punt returns. Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby were the primary kick returners. It’s doubtful that the Eagles want DeJean returning punts this season, considering his All-Pro value at nickel plus possible contributions at safety.

• The lower ring of the stadium was mostly full, with a healthy smattering of fans on the second level and a few strays in the upper deck.

• The Eagles will be back at the Linc on Friday to face Cincinnati in their final preseason game (8 p.m., CBS 3, 94.1 WIP-FM).

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

The Morning Call: https://tinyurl.com/u77ypa9y

Originally published Aug. 18, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — Donnie Baseball has been around the block a time or two.

He played in New York for the winningest franchise in North American sports. He was a league MVP and a Yankee captain. This is his third managerial gig, and he won an NL Manager of the Year award with the team his Phillies just beat Monday night.

So when a USA Today report surfaced a day earlier stating that unless the Phillies reach or possibly even win the World Series this October, Alex Cora will be the manager next season — well, Mattingly didn’t bat an eye. In fact, he smiled and shook his head.

“It’s win or bust,” he said, chuckling. “You win or you don’t. None of that (report) frustrates me. I’m not worried about any of that kind of stuff. I’m trying to win a game tonight against Miami. I want the best thing for the Phillies. I’m not concerned about any of that.”

Mattingly, of course, took over as the Phillies’ interim manager after longtime friend Rob Thomson was let go on April 28. But he wasn’t the first choice of Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations; Cora was, as a full hire to be skipper here long-term.

Dombrowski and Cora have been close since their time together in Boston, which included a World Series title in 2018. But Cora turned down Dombrowski’s April offer with the Phillies, saying the timing wasn’t right for him and his family after he had just been fired by the Red Sox.

But according to the report by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the prospect of Cora joining the Phillies this offseason is another ballgame. Rumors have been swirling for months that he’s still Dombrowski’s target.

Meanwhile, Phillies owner John Middleton has been mulling an extension for Dombrowski, whose contract expires after the 2027 season.

Mattingly and Tommy John are two players who should probably be in the baseball Hall of Fame. They also happened to play together in the 1980s, when John was approaching the end of his career and Mattingly was rising in his.

John, who played for six teams from 1963 to 1989, is certainly best known for the reconstructive elbow surgery that bears his name and has saved countless ballplayers’ careers, particularly pitchers’. “Tommy John surgery” is as synonymous with baseball as pine tar, a curveball or the smell of freshly cut grass.

It was revolutionary in 1974, when John underwent the UCL procedure invented and performed by Dr. Frank Jobe in Los Angeles. But he also amassed a career record of 288-231 with a 3.34 ERA and 2,245 strikeouts over 26 years. (164 of his wins came after the surgery.)

John died of bladder cancer and other health complications Saturday at age 83, just a week after he issued a goodbye statement from hospice for missing the Yankees’ annual Old-Timers’ Day. He and Mattingly were 18 years apart in age, but both were Indiana kids — John from Terre Haute, Mattingly from Evansville.

“Tommy obviously was really a great person as far as the way he treated people,” Mattingly said. “Playing with him was interesting because it was obviously toward the end of his career, but just the competitiveness of him and the way he went about it.

“Tommy is one of those guys from Indiana. We always talked about Indiana. It’s close, actually — Terre Haute’s like 100 miles away (from Evansville). A lot of time in my youth is going there to play basketball tournaments, baseball tournaments, things like that.”

Mattingly went on to describe an event in spring training one year.

“I forgot, but I think it was Joe Hesketh pitching against (us),” he said. “Tommy was pitching, so he had to hit, and (Hesketh) was just shoving it on us the whole time. And Tommy gets up and hits a two-iron off the wall in left-center. And I’m like, ‘Geez!’ He made it look easy.”

John posted three 20-win seasons, was the 1977 NL Cy Young runner-up, pitched in three World Series, and was 6-3 with a 2.65 ERA in 14 postseason appearances. He played until he was 46, and his 288 victories are the most of any pitcher not in the Hall of Fame.

In leading the majors with 16 wins after beating the Marlins on Monday, Cristopher Sánchez also became the first Phillies left-hander with 16 victories since Cole Hamels in 2012. He said he’d love to reach the 20-win plateau, but it’s not how he approaches his starts.

“It would be an honor to be in a position to get to 20 wins, but my first thought and my first goal is just to throw as many quality innings as I can for the team, and to always leave the team in a good position to win games when I’m out there on the mound,” Sánchez said through interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “Then, after that, if that mark happens, I’ll take it of course. It would be an honor.”

Sánchez improved to 11-1 with a 1.42 ERA at Citizens Bank Park this year, tying him with Cliff Lee (2011) for second-most wins at CBP in a season. First is Roy Halladay with 12 in 2010.

NOTES: Mattingly said reliever Caleb Kilian (oblique strain) is “starting to feel better” but isn’t throwing yet. … Bryce Harper extended his streak of reaching base to 21 games. … Alec Bohm, for his at-bat in the third inning, used Chase Utley’s walk-up song, Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” He grounded into a fielder’s choice, though later in the game he scored a run and drove in a run. Utley was enshrined on the Phillies Wall of Fame on Aug. 7.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/4y342z7b

Originally published Aug. 8, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — Lane Johnson has spent 13 years keeping pass rushers away from Eagles quarterbacks. Now the calendar is coming for him, and even Johnson knows that Father Time is one opponent nobody blocks forever.

The 36-year-old right tackle said Saturday that this season will “probably” be his last.

“As you get older, things change in your life,” he said. “Your children get older. Your parents get older. Just to put this thing into perspective, it’s looking like this is probably, potentially, going to be my last year. Just because I am getting to that point of those priorities away from football are starting to merge. Not that I don’t enjoy this.

“I love everything about this game and preparing for it, but that’s kind of where I’m at in my career.

“I’m just looking forward to this year, playing the best I can, staying healthy, and that’s about it.”

Johnson returned to practice Friday after missing four sessions for personal reasons. He said Saturday the absence involved family matters, including helping care for his parents.

The No. 4 overall pick of the 2013 draft has played his entire career in Philadelphia. He has won two Super Bowls, made six Pro Bowls and earned five All-Pro selections, including two first-team honors. He enters his 14th season with 168 games played (ninth in franchise history).

Johnson is under contract through 2027, but he sounded like a man looking at 2026 through a different lens.

“I’ve had those conversations with family members, and you can’t play forever. Not everybody can do what LeBron James is doing,” Johnson said, referencing the Sixers’ recent acquisition. “As my kids get older, my parents are getting older, you start seeing the circle of life, if you will.”

Last season ended early for Johnson. A Lisfranc injury limited him to 10 games and forced him to miss the stretch run and the Eagles’ wild-card game against San Francisco, which they lost. He said he didn’t want to go out that way.

But his body has taken the hint. So, apparently, has Johnson.

The tush push lives

New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is changing plenty about the Eagles’ offense, but not everything.

Asked Saturday about his stance on the tush push — which the Eagles simply call a QB sneak — Mannion left little mystery.

“It’s going to be a part of what we do,” Mannion said. “It’s been an extremely effective play here, and we’re going to lean into that. It’s something that this organization has executed at a high level. So along with many other elements to our offense, certainly it’s something that will be a part of it.”

The play has become less automatic. From 2022 through 2024, the Eagles converted roughly 85% of their quarterback sneaks for first downs or touchdowns. Their tush-push success rate fell to about 61% in 2025 by one accounting, while Pro Football Focus charted a 65.5% first-down rate.

DeFranco’s latest roster projections

Through just two weeks of training camp, many roster spots are already becoming clear. Obviously, lots could change before the Eagles’ Sept. 13 season opener, but here’s my view so far (in projected depth-chart order):

QB: Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee.

RB: Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Dameon Pierce.

OL: LT Jordan Mailata, LG Landon Dickerson, C Cam Jurgens, RG Tyler Steen, RT Lane Johnson. Others: Markel Bell, Fred Johnson, Drew Kendall.

TE: Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, Eli Stowers. Other: Grant Calcaterra.

WR: DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Darius Cooper, Makai Lemon, Hollywood Brown.

DT: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young.

EDGE: Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie. Other: A.J. Epenesa.

ILB: Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Chance Campbell.

CB: Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen, Cooper DeJean.

S: Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, DeJean.

K/P: Jake Elliott, Braden Mann.

A secondary look

If the season began today, Mukuba would start at free safety with Epps solidified at strong safety.

All-Pro nickel DeJean is likely to contribute at strong safety in base packages, replacing Epps. Carter II is making his all-around value known at safety, slot and dime corner. The Eagles need him.

Still hoping to land a role in the secondary are J.T. Gray, Andre’ Sam and Cole Wisniewski.

Woolen is clearly the Eagles’ second outside cornerback, opposite Mitchell. Carter II could occasionally rotate in for him or Mitchell. Depth corners right now are Jonathan Jones and Kelee Ringo.

Injury report

OUT: WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), WR Makai Lemon (hamstring), WR Britain Covey (hamstring), Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), S Wisniewski (hamstring) and Danny Grey (concussion). LIMITED: ILB Chance Campbell (groin).

Center Cam Jurgens was back on the field after leaving practice a day earlier.

Camp notes

● Practice was moved up 30 minutes to try mitigating the heat.

● Andy Dalton got second-team QB reps ahead of Tanner McKee.

● Mannion said Lemon has stayed engaged in meetings and walkthroughs despite being sidelined.

● Phillies ace Zach Wheeler and his family visited camp Saturday.

—

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/napmnex2

Originally published Aug. 7, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — The heat index was already 97 degrees by 10 a.m. Friday as the Eagles began practice at Jefferson Health Training Complex. The oppressive conditions were expected to persist through the next four days.

A refreshing sight: Lane Johnson returned to camp after missing the previous four sessions for personal, non-injury reasons.

The 36-year-old right tackle is a two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl selection and longtime team leader — a Philly icon and future Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Head coach Nick Sirianni said he’s confident Johnson can catch up after his time away, even though the Eagles are installing an entirely new offense with a new O-line blocking scheme.

“Lane can pick things up very fast,” Sirianni said at his morning press conference. “He’s a phenomenal football player. Not concerned there. You get to see a little portion each day, but there’s 12 more hours of the day with walkthroughs and meetings, so there’s so much more going on than what you see out here.”

Johnson’s absences were excused. Sirianni glossed over a question about whether he could miss more days. This isn’t the first time Johnson has been away from the team for non-injury reasons. In years past, he has dealt with mental health issues. There has been no indication that that’s the case here.

Johnson didn’t meet with the media Friday, but his teammates were glad to have him back, including defensive tackle Jordan Davis.

“He has a calming presence,” Davis said. “When I see him, I’m like, ‘All right, this is Lane.’ And one day I’m not going to be able to say that I have him in the locker room. It’s just very good to have him out here. And everybody knows he’s a baller, man. He’s a f— baller.

“Lane, man, he’s a cornerstone, bro.”

The versatile and experienced Fred Johnson, 29, has often filled in for Lane Johnson in games and practices. He’s shown flashes of starting-caliber ability and left for a starting job in Jacksonville in March 2025, only to boomerang back to Philadelphia in a trade five months later.

For much of this week, rookie tackle Markel Bell — the Eagles’ third-round pick out of Miami — got reps over Fred Johnson. At 6-foot-9, 345 pounds, Bell is remarkably athletic, and the Eagles see lots of potential in him.

“I think what you see with Markel is just his length and how big he is and how hard he is to get around in the pass rush,” Sirianni said. “Just working on getting on the same page with the combination blocks. There’s so many things that go on there with the offensive line of having to work in tandem.

“I’ve seen progression there, and that’s what you want with all your players.”

Injury report

OUT: WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), WR Makai Lemon (hamstring), WR Britain Covey (hamstring), LB Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), S Cole Wisniewski (hamstring). LIMITED: ILB Chance Campbell (groin), G Micah Morris (shoulder), RT Lane Johnson (progressing workload).

Center Cam Jurgens, accompanied by trainers, went to the medical tent during drills and then went inside the team facility. He was walking under his own power.

Camp notes

● Second-year wide receiver Darius Cooper continues to stand out early in camp. He’s compact and physical at 5-11, 210 pounds, with good hands and a willingness to block. The Eagles signed him last year after he went undrafted out of Tarleton State. He also brings value on special teams, which threatens the injured Britain Covey.

● Quarterback Jalen Hurts is loving wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, whom the Birds acquired from Green Bay in the offseason. They seem simpatico, with a similar killer instinct. Wicks is part of a crowded WR room that includes DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Elijah Moore, Hollywood Brown, Johnny Wilson and Quez Watkins.

● Players sang “Happy Birthday” to Hurts after Friday’s practice. The quarterback was celebrating his 28th birthday.

● Former Red Sox and Cubs general manager Theo Epstein, who helped break the title-drought “curses” of both franchises, visited training camp Friday and chatted with GM Howie Roseman.

● New Sixers acquisition Jaylen Brown was at Eagles camp Friday, a day after his introductory press conference and appearance at the Phillies game.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/4sfcmt3j

Originally published Aug. 5, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — If Tanner McKee arrived at training camp as the presumed favorite to remain the Eagles’ backup quarterback, Andy Dalton didn’t get the memo.

Through a week and a half of camp, Dalton — who turns 39 in October — has made QB2 a legit position battle.

Dalton, a spring acquisition though hardly a spring chicken, again worked with the second-team offense Wednesday, continuing a rotation that has become less about courtesy and more about competition. The veteran brings 15 seasons of NFL experience and a command of Sean Mannion’s offense.

“I’ve been in this (type of) system multiple times,” Dalton said a day earlier. “I think, quick decision-making, a lot of pure progressions and understanding certain coverages, when you can get off on certain routes and different things. I feel really comfortable with this offense.”

McKee, 26, seemed solidified as the backup until a choppy performance at the Linc in last January’s regular-season finale — a 24-17 loss to a four-win Washington team. McKee was 21 of 40 for 241 yards with a touchdown, a pick and a 68.9 passer rating.

The underwhelming numbers could have been worse; it was his jumpy demeanor and lack of readiness that were alarming after he’d impressed in cool fashion in all his previous showings.

McKee has rebounded after an uneven start to camp with several strong practices of his own, but neither he nor Dalton has quite separated himself yet. Sixth-round rookie Cole Payton has been the fourth-stringer.

“Tanner’s been great,” Dalton said. “You can tell the confidence that he has in playing. He’s smart. He understands exactly what we’re trying to do. And so I’ve been impressed with Tanner. It’s been fun.

“The approach I’ve taken is just do nothing but support and kind of build up (the other QBs), especially on the sideline. Just be a sounding board. Whenever they need to let something out, just be there to be able to listen and give the best advice you can.”

The first-team offense, meanwhile, belonged to Jalen Hurts Wednesday — a lighter session after two intense days in full pads.

With receivers DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon and Britain Covey all sidelined with hamstring injuries, Hurts turned in one of his sharper practices of camp, repeatedly pushing the ball downfield while also keeping it himself on several runs as the Eagles continued installing Mannion’s offense.

Hurts even high-stepped toward the end of one long run, clearly enjoying himself.

“Football’s a fun game,” he said afterward, adding that the offense is still in a “calibrating” phase.

“The big things are won in the small moments and the small details,” Hurts said. “Being able to put it all together, operate at a good pace with urgency, making sure everyone’s communicating, everyone’s got all ears, and they’re listening and understanding their assignments and what they’re asked to do. That’s where it all starts.

“We’ve got a lot of new pieces, an entirely new approach and philosophy to our offense. So being able to put that together and make it our own, I’m excited about where we are.”

The quarterback runs have been more noticeable this week, but Hurts said it’s too early to know how much they’ll ultimately become part of the offense.

“It’s too soon to answer yet,” he said. “We’re still installing things and putting all aspects of our offense in. We haven’t finished installing. There’s still more to come, but we’re working and we’re building. I think in training camp, especially with new pieces and a new offense, it’s the ability to retain information and then put it together, go out there, and execute.”

One receiver who has caught Hurts’ attention is Dontayvion Wicks.

“He’s got great work ethic. He’s got a great, great hunger. … He’s got that anger to him. He’s got a little bit of rage in him for the best. … He runs great routes.”

Injury updates

The Eagles appeared to dodge a scare with Cooper DeJean after the defensive back briefly left Tuesday’s practice with an apparent arm injury. He was back in action Wednesday. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio brushed off concerns.

“That’s news to me,” Fangio said about DeJean’s arm.

In addition to Smith, Lemon and Covey being out, right tackle Lane Johnson again missed practice for personal reasons. Edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), guard Micah Morris (shoulder), guard Jaeden Roberts (calf) and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring) also did not practice.

Camp notes

● Michael Carter II continues to make a strong case for a significant role in the secondary. Fangio said he “might be the only guy learning three positions” — safety, nickel and the sixth defensive back package — and added, “He’s had a very good camp.”

● Fangio credited second-year free safety Andrew Mukuba’s improvement to experience more than athleticism. “It’s just the thought process speeding up,” he said. Marcus Epps is the frontrunner to start at strong safety, replacing Reed Blankenship.

● Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is “the best I’ve seen him look since we’ve had him,” Fangio said, adding the linebacker is simply playing faster because he’s processing the defense more quickly.

● Jordan Davis’ improved conditioning continues to show up. “He’s had a good camp,” Fangio said. “He’s doing the little things better.”

● Fangio offered an unsolicited endorsement of linebacker Chance Campbell. “Don’t sleep on Chance now,” he said. “We like Chance. Chance is a good football player.”

● Arnold Ebiketie has benefited from Jonathan Greenard’s absence. Fangio said the veteran edge rusher is “having a much better camp.”

● Rookie long snapper Rocco Underwood has impressed special teams coordinator Michael Clay. “He’s doing a great job … while quickly building chemistry with teammates,” Clay said.

● Before his hamstring injury, Lemon continued to impress as a punt returner. “He’s very natural in terms of catching the ball,” Clay said.

● Clay dismissed the notion that kicker Jake Elliott ever fell out of love with football, saying the veteran kicker simply needed to reset mentally and regain confidence.

● The Eagles signed rookie WR Brandon Hayes. He will wear No. 47. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Hayes went undrafted out of Southeastern Louisiana. He was signed to the Eagles roster May 27 before being released June 5. There was an open roster spot after the Eagles waived defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham on Sunday.

● Fangio, a longtime Phillies fan from Scranton, offered his take on the team’s trade deadline — particularly the acquisition of second baseman and three-time batting champ Luis Arráez — saying the moves will “definitely” improve the offense before adding, “We’ll see how it does defensively.” To make room for Arráez at second, Bryson Stott moved to third, Alec Bohm moved to first and Bryce Harper moved back to right field.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/y73xwzhw

Originally published July 30, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — It was a case of Italian on Italian crime.

Vic Fangio had not yet answered a question Thursday morning when he wandered out of football and into politics.

Asked about the Eagles’ unsettled safety positions, the highly respected defensive coordinator smiled and reached for a big news story from the previous day.

“I’m going to be like Fauci and just take the Fifth Amendment on your question,” Fangio said, chuckling. “Did you guys see that? Oh, my God.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci is a retired, world-renowned physician and immunologist who earned his medical degree from Cornell and completed his internal medicine residency at Cornell’s New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He later joined the National Institutes of Health.

Fauci was instrumental in combating infectious diseases in the United States and around the world, including AIDS, SARS, swine flu and Ebola.

He helped architect PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) under President George W. Bush — an initiative pioneered by Bono that cost Americans less than 1% of their tax dollars and saved 25 million lives while promoting American soft interest in poor, vulnerable countries.

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk took a chainsaw to the program early in Trump’s current term.

But it was Fauci’s work on COVID-19 during President Trump’s first term that put him in the political crosshairs.

Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right more than 100 times Wednesday during a contentious Senate hearing about the origins of COVID-19 and federally funded research.

Fangio apparently caught enough of the proceedings to work the spectacle into his opening answer on Day 2 of Eagles training camp.

He wasn’t finished.

Later, a reporter told Fangio that general manager Howie Roseman had avoided answering a similar question about safeties a day earlier.

“He ducked you?” Fangio asked. “He Faucied you?”

Fangio was joking. Most media members laughed.

The exchanges are already delighting some on the political right, where Fauci has long been vilified as a symbol of government overreach, pandemic restrictions and unanswered questions about COVID-19.

It should be noted that Trump invoked the Fifth Amendment nearly 450 times during a 2022 deposition in New York’s civil fraud investigation of his decades-long financial practices — a useful reminder that exercising the Constitutional right isn’t confined to one political side.

Also, over the course of Fauci’s government career, he served under seven presidents from both parties: Republican Ronald Reagan, Republican George H.W. Bush, Democrat Bill Clinton, Republican George W. Bush, Democrat Barack Obama, Republican Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.

On Jan. 19, 2021 — the final day of Trump’s first term — Trump honored Fauci and 51 others who worked on “Operation Warp Speed,” which rapidly developed vaccines to fight COVID-19. Those unprecedented vaccines ended the global pandemic that had killed and hospitalized millions of people and debilitated economies around the world.

Trump, who has repeatedly attacked the scientific community and undermined basic institutions, has since distanced himself from “Operation Warp Speed” because many of his die-hard supporters, ironically, no longer trust vaccines after Trump's own disinformation and poisoning of the political well.

“Operation Warp Speed” was historic and perhaps Trump’s greatest accomplishment — one of the great feats of any president. It came after he initially mismanaged and lied about the pandemic, including saying on March 24, 2020, that it would magically go away by Easter and speculating on April 23, 2020, that people could inject disinfectant into their arms.

All of that said, anyone rushing to enlist Fangio in a political cause should probably take the Fifth themselves. Fangio’s public history of politics is both limited and more complicated than a few wisecracks.

After George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020, recorded and replayed in full on national television, Fangio (then the head coach of the Denver Broncos) said he was “shocked, sad and angry.” He said Chauvin should be punished to the fullest extent of the law and accused him of betraying the badge and uniform he had been entrusted to wear.

Fangio called racism a societal problem “that we all have to join in to correct.”

He stumbled badly in the same news conference when he said he did not see racism or discrimination in the NFL and described the league as a meritocracy. Players and others quickly challenged him.

Fangio listened. Then he apologized.

He said his comments were wrong and acknowledged that players, coaches and employees had experiences different from his own. He said that outside the locker room and the field, the NFL and society still had much work to do in creating diversity and opportunities for minorities.

Fangio later joined Broncos players, coaches and staff in a Denver march against racism.

He also defended the right of players to protest and praised then-Broncos safety Justin Simmons for his progressive activism. Simmons marched for Black Lives Matter against police officers killing unarmed Black men, with Simmons stating “All lives will matter when Black lives matter.”

“I thought it was great,” Fangio said of Simmons’ peaceful protests. “Justin is a great person, a great leader and has his head screwed on correctly.”

Fangio said players should do what they believed was right. He also has publicly supported the Rooney Rule, the NFL policy designed to increase hiring opportunities for minority coaching and executive candidates.

None of that makes him a man of the left any more than Thursday’s jokes make him a man of the right.

It makes him Vic Fangio.

Fangio saw something funny. He cracked a joke about it. Then he went back to football before anybody could put a campaign hat on him — no matter how hard they tried.

By the way, Andrew Mukuba, in his second year and returning from an ankle injury, is expected to start at free safety in most sets while Marcus Epps is the leader at strong safety. Nickel cornerback Cooper DeJean will contribute at safety in base packages. But a lot can happen before the Eagles open their season Sept. 13.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/33w47hpb

Originally published July 29, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, whom the Eagles acquired in April, has landed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after suffering a pectoral injury while weightlifting just before training camp began, the team announced Wednesday.

General manager Howie Roseman indicated he doesn’t expect it to be a long-term issue.

“One of the things we know about Greenard is he’s going to be ready to play,” Roseman said, sitting alongside coach Nick Sirianni at the media-tent podium as camp opened. “Training camp is so important, practice is so important, but when you have a guy that prepares the way he does, who has the experience in the NFL the way he does, you know he’s going to be ready to play when we start the season.”

The Eagles traded for Greenard on April 24 during the NFL draft, sending a 2026 third-round pick (later used on Jakobe Thomas) and 2027 third-round pick to Minnesota. They also received a seventh-round pick in return.

Greenard, 29, then signed a four-year, $100 million deal ($50 million guaranteed) with Philadelphia.

He recorded back-to-back double-digit sack seasons with the Houston Texans in 2023 and Vikings in 2024 before an injury-shortened 2025 season. Over the past two full seasons, he totaled 24½ sacks, 111 combined tackles, 44 QB hits, five forced fumbles and five passes defensed.

Record deal for Jalen Carter

As players reported to camp for conditioning testing Tuesday, the Eagles inked two-time Pro Bowl selection Jalen Carter to a reported four-year, $152 million extension worth up to $160 million, including $106 million guaranteed, that makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.

Carter, 25, will now be under contract with the Birds through the 2031 season.

“It was important for me to stay here with the guys that I know and have been playing with for the last three years,” Carter said. “Like I said, I let my agent (Drew Rosenhaus) do most of the talking. The numbers weren’t in my head like that. They came back to me with information, and we got a deal done and I’m happy to be here.”

The former Georgia star fought through shoulder injuries last year and played in just 11 games, finishing with 33 combined tackles, three sacks, 12 QB hits and seven passes defensed. But he’s a game-wrecker when healthy.

Carter made the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2023, and in 2024 had 42 tackles, 4½ sacks, 16 QB hits, two forced fumbles and six passes defensed.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Jalen more and more each year,” Sirianni said. “And the time that I’ve spent with him, he’s put his head down, he’s worked, he’s made impactful plays, and we look for that to continue.

“And he’s a heck of a football player that demands a lot of attention by the opposing offense. … He’s focused so much on football. He came back in phenomenal shape — with his weight, with his conditioning test. So even with that contract still looming, he worked his ass off, and I’m proud of him for that. And it shows you the type of guy he is and he’ll continue to be.”

Carter was ejected from the 2025 season opener against Dallas for spitting on Dak Prescott after the Cowboys QB spit toward him. In his final season at Georgia, Carter was involved in four driving-related incidents in five months — the last a street-racing accident that killed teammate Devin Willock and Bulldogs staffer Chandler LeCroy and injured two others.

But the Eagles brass believes in him and his development.

“I don’t know what off-field concerns (we’ve had) since Jalen’s been here,” Roseman said. “Last year, he wasn’t 100 percent. He was trying to fight through that, and play through that. We understand that.

“Like anyone, when you’re 25 years old, you’re still growing as a person and a player.”

Camp notes

● The Eagles still have several guys on defense who need to be re-signed in the coming years, including cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and nickel Cooper DeJean. It will be up to Roseman and his staff to get financially creative again.

“I would say to our fans, if you’re wearing a jersey with some of those guys’ names on the back, we fully intend for those guys to be here for the long term,” Roseman said.

● Inside linebacker Jihaad Campbell (shoulder) was a full participant after missing spring practice. He worked alongside Zack Baun on the first team. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon were with the second team, but Trotter briefly subbed in with the first unit.

● Receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), the Eagles’ first-round pick out of USC, appeared fully recovered from his spring injury. He was involved in both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

● Top wideout DeVonta Smith had a big catch against Mitchell, who had a nice pass deflection against Dontayvion Wicks.

● Quarterback Jalen Hurts on LeBron James coming to Philly: “I think for what he represents in sports and sports culture, it’s huge. And it’s huge for the city of Philadelphia. It’ll be exciting to have a figure like that in the city. What he’s done — he’s one of the greatest to ever do it. I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/bde59vx9

Originally published July 26, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James, miraculously the 76ers’ newest acquisition, idolized Michael Jordan growing up and has worn his No. 23 since high school and through most of his pro career. Jordan, with a thirst for the jugular unsurpassed by any athlete in history, famously used any real or perceived slight as motivation.

Sometimes he even invented one just to give himself the competitive fuel he needed.

“It became personal with me,” Jordan often said of any snub, actual or imagined, while recalling dismantling an opponent. He uttered similar phrases frequently enough in his 2020 retrospective documentary series, “The Last Dance,” for them to become internet memes.

As LeBron finalized his signing here, there was no doubt about the slight against the Phillies’ Alec Bohm Sunday night, when the New York Yankees intentionally walked Brandon Marsh — loading the bases with two outs in the third — to pitch to Bohm instead.

Asking Bohm postgame (paraphrasing Jordan) if he “took that personally” drew the following response:

“It’s happened a lot to me in my career, but yeah, that time it kind of pissed me off,” Bohm said firmly. “I feel like I’m the type of player that, through most of my career, you haven’t really wanted to come up in those situations (if you’re the team at bat). So I’m just kind of, I guess, tired of people thinking that.

“I’m tired of people thinking that I’m the easy out.”

Bohm, on an 84-mph sweeper on the lower outside corner from Yankees righty Will Warren, delivered a looping, bases-clearing double to the alley in left-center to cap a brilliant, nine-pitch at-bat and extend the Phillies’ lead to 5-0.

Philadelphia ended up pounding the Yankees 11-4 to snap a four-game skid before leaving on a week-long road trip to Miami and Baltimore.

Shortly before Bohm spoke about the at-bat, Phillies manager Don Mattingly talked about “taking it personally.”

“I think you always do when they walk the guy in front of you,” Mattingly said. “It’s always a little tricky because you know you’re getting the best of that guy.

“So it was really good to see (Bohm) come through there. Obviously, we needed to score tonight. But to battle in that at-bat, foul some balls off and get that knock, that was huge.”

After a dreadful first two months, Bohm is hitting .221 with 13 homers, 57 RBIs and a .650 OPS this season. He has grounded into 14 double plays — tied for fifth-most in baseball. Yet he’s slashing an impressive .306/.370/.506 with runners in scoring position, which is among the best.

“Just as competitors, we’re always believing that we’re going to get the hit and come through in the big spot,” Bohm said. “It was a big situation. … It was a chance for us to create some separation there. So, yeah, I think I was just really trying to give my best at-bat right there so we could cash in.

“It’s not like I’m mad at (the Yankees) for (intentionally walking Marsh) or mad at anybody in particular. … I know what the numbers say, but I don’t feel like I’m an out going up there. And I think obviously in those situations, you want to make them feel like they made a mistake.

“I ground into some double plays, but, you know, I’ll take my chances putting the ball in play and moving the ball and making the other team make a play.”

Bryson Stott went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and five RBIs Sunday. Trea Turner was 2-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored. Kyle Schwarber drove in a run and crossed the plate twice. Bryan De La Cruz was 2-for-2, and the Phillies racked up 13 hits after generating next to no offense in all but two games since the All-Star break.

The question is, can they sustain such offense over long stretches and make it the norm rather than the exception?

After Mattingly took over for Rob Thomson, it seemed that way until recently. But Bohm still feels confident.

“I think just the fact that we can do it one through nine,” Bohm said. “You know the guys can chip in everywhere throughout the lineup.”

By the way, 6s are running wild as the Phillies embark on a six-game road swing. LeBron’s only other NBA jersey number has been No. 6, a nod to his son Bronny’s Oct. 6 birthday — and to Sixers legend Julius Erving, who wore No. 6 with the, um, Sixers.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.

Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/mwzm68en

Originally published July 25, 2026

PHILADELPHIA — Trea Turner led off with the score tied in the bottom of the fifth Saturday evening against the New York Yankees and proceeded to put together an epic, 11-pitch at-bat that included taking three very close balls — a sweeper just inside, a changeup barely low and a sinker just off the outside edge — and fouling off six pitches.

Ultimately, he went down swinging.

It was another near miss for the Phillies, who lost 3-1 and dropped their third straight series since the All-Star break, previously losing to the Mets and Dodgers. They should have beaten the Mets and Dodgers, but blunders in the field and on the basepaths, plus cold bats, proved the difference.

It was a reminder of recent Octobers, when the Phillies have been right there against good competition only to come up short.

The Phillies have squandered some stellar pitching performances recently, including from Zack Wheeler and Jesús Luzardo. Even in Saturday’s bullpen game, the Phillies’ hodgepodge of short-inning guys kept them in it, but Philadelphia ended up losing in front of a sellout crowd of 44,552 at Citizens Bank Park while a huge contingent of Yankees fans cheered throughout the stands.

“I felt like it was a good at-bat,” Turner said about the fifth inning. “I missed a couple strikes and then just chased a pitch or two at the end. It was frustrating because you’re competing out there, but you tip your cap.”

Turner, who ended up 1-for-3, started the bottom of the first with a hit-by-pitch. Kyle Schwarber followed with a double to center, and Harper brought home Turner with a sac fly. But after an Alec Bohm groundout and Edmundo Sosa strikeout, the Phils had to settle for just that one run, and they never scored again.

In the first two games of the Yankees series, the Phils were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

“Obviously, (the offense) hasn’t been great (since the break),” manager Don Mattingly said. “We haven’t really scored. But the one thing you can rest assured, nobody’s going up there not trying to get hits. We’re not going into the game not trying to score. We are in a spot where we haven’t scored and we haven’t swung the bats great, but we gotta continue to work and keep fighting through it.

“This is not a young club that’s gonna give up on themselves. … They’re not gonna quit playing. There’s a long way to go. There’s gonna be a lot of big series coming, a lot of baseball to be played. I don’t think there’s gonna be a panic within the club of all of a sudden we’re not a good club.”

It was the Phillies’ fourth straight loss as their second-half record fell to 2-6. In five of those six defeats, they scored one run or fewer. They had once closed the gap behind the NL East-leading Braves to two games, but Saturday it slipped to 5½.

This is their first real swoon under Mattingly.

“You’d like to win every series,” Mattingly said. “You hit a stretch where you’re not playing good, you’re running into some good teams and you’re not scoring, it makes it tough. Like early in the year, we run into the Braves and the Cubs when they’re both on fire and we don’t do anything with them. But that doesn’t mean we can’t beat them. It means we just gotta get going again.”

Every time the Phillies falter against postseason-level opponents, it raises concerns about October. Plus, beating high-caliber opponents would bring some confidence.

So far this year, the Phillies have lost two series to the Dodgers, two to the Cubs, two to the Braves, one to Cleveland, one to Arizona, one to the Rangers, one to Milwaukee and one to the Yankees.

All those clubs would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

The only current playoff teams they’ve won series against are the Red Sox and White Sox (one apiece). They have yet to play Tampa Bay, which leads the AL East.

“You want to play well,” Turner said. “We’re not doing enough as a team, really, just picking each other up here and there. But when there’s good teams on the other side of the field, you don’t get to make mistakes or get many extra opportunities. So we’ve just gotta play a little bit better.

“But yeah, if you run into a good team and you beat them in a series, I think it gives you confidence. … It hasn’t been our best (since the break). I think we know that. We want to play better. I just think it kind of goes back to what Donnie said early on when he got the job, it’s just 3 hours of competing and don’t let your foot off the gas. I don’t think it’s a lack of effort, but I do think we need to get that back a little bit.”

A rookie at age 32

Right-hander Brian Keller, a 32-year-old journeyman whom the Phillies signed to a minor league deal in May, made his major league debut — facing the franchise that drafted him in the 39th round 10 years ago. Mattingly called his number in the third inning after Tim Mayza served as the opener.

Keller immediately struck out Jazz Chisolm and got a groundout from Jose Caballero, but Austin Wells homered over the left-center field wall. Keller recovered, allowing just a single the rest of the way while finishing with three strikeouts and no walks over three frames.

“It was amazing, a dream come true,” a beaming Keller said. “It felt good to start on a high note, for sure. You picture it over and over. You picture it going well and you picture going poorly, but I’m glad it turned out all right.

“You know, I was surprisingly calm out there. So yeah, really happy.”

The 6-foot-3 Keller, who spent time playing in Japan and came back from Tommy John surgery, had about 20 family and friends in attendance. He made a combined 10 starts this season for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Phillies and Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, posting a 2.06 ERA with 41 strikeouts, 12 walks and a 0.99 WHIP while limiting opposing hitters to a .188 average.

In his last four starts with the IronPigs since June 24, Keller had a 0.82 ERA and a 0.59 WHIP. He has played seven minor league seasons in the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies systems. He also played in the Hanshin Tigers’ farm system in 2023 before suffering elbow problems.

“He handled himself fine,” Mattingly said, shaking his head positively. “He threw strikes, he went after them. … He threw the ball over the plate, was on the attack, wasn’t walking people. So that part of it, we like.”

New outfield acquisition

The Phillies acquired outfielder Kameron Misner from the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Steward Berroa was designated for assignment.

Misner, 28, was originally selected by the Royals in the first round (35th overall) in the 2019 draft out of the University of Missouri. The lefty played in 18 games for Kansas City this season and made 11 starts among all three outfield positions. In 41 at-bats, he slashed .220/.256/.244 with four RBIs and three stolen bases.

In 63 games for Triple-A Omaha this year, his slash line was .286/.378/.563 with a .941 OPS in 270 plate appearances. Last season, he played a total of 503.2 innings in the outfield for the Royals and was credited with five defensive runs saved and three outs above average.

He also played with the Tampa Bay Rays for two years before returning to Kansas City.

Berroa, 27, played in six games for the Phillies this season and made appearances at all three outfield spots. Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Berroa was acquired by the Phillies from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations April 8.

Notes

● The Phillies are 9-24 this season when they don’t hit a home run.

● Closer Jhoan Duran, with a perfect ninth, extended his scoreless innings streak to a career-high 13⅔.

● Brandon Marsh is batting .165 in July. His average is down 51 points from a season-high .338 to .287. He’s hitting just .233 vs. lefties, so Mattingly has returned to mostly starting him against right-handers, at least for now. He pinch-hit Saturday and finished 0-for-2.

● LHP Tanner Banks (forearm) was transferred to the 60-day injured list. … RHP Alex McFarlane was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Friday night’s game. … LHP Kyle Backhus was recalled from Lehigh Valley. … RHP Max Lazar was optioned to Lehigh Valley.

● Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger, who was awarded the MLB All-Star Game MVP in this ballpark the previous week, suffered an injury to his left hamstring rounding first on a double in the top of the eighth. He later exited the game.

Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.