Training Camp Day 8: Cunningham, Jack Join Practice, Allen Activated From Injured List
Devon Allen runs off the field following practice (SI.com)
Eagles training camp featured some new faces on the squad.
Linebackers Zach Cunningham and Myles Jack, both signed to one-year deals over the weekend, joined the practice field for the first time on Tuesday’s practice after being at the Eagles’ public practice on Sunday.
Both were seen active practicing reads today in individual drills. They spent much of their day learning the defense on a side field and were pulled into meetings immediately following the practice session. According to multiple Eagles beat reporters, Cunningham got some second team reps while Jack spent time with the first and third team, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro and Delaware News Journal’s Martin Frank
Eagles Wide Receiver AJ Brown crossed paths with Cunningham while they were in Tennessee, and seemed excited about the addition of Cunningham to the roster.
“I’ve known Zach for a while, even though I haven’t played with him for a while,” Brown told reporters after practice. “He was always a force in Houston…I’m glad he’s here, he’s going to be a huge impact for us….it’s a great pickup.”
The injury report saw some movement on it. Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Patrick Johnson, and Wide Receiver Deon Cain were all nonparticipants in practice due to ankle injuries. Corner James Bradberry was listed as limited in practice. Haason Reddick and Avonte Maddox were back to full participants.
The most notable change was that the Eagles activated Wide Receiver Devon Allen from the non-football injury list today. Allen has been tending to a calf injury since before training camp started. This is Allen’s second year of NFL football; he was on the practice squad with the Eagles during the 2022 season after a five year stint away from football. He last played with the Oregon Ducks from 2014-2016.
Allen, a track and field star who competed in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero and Tokyo, respectively, has the speed necessary. He ran a 13.14 in the 110m hurdle at the Tokyo games, placing fourth in the Olympics, and ran the third fastest time in history in the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, running a 12.84.
When he decided to try football again, he went to a pro day held at Oregon. Allen ran an unofficial 4.35 second 40 yard dash, which caught the attention of NFL Scouts and the Philadelphia Eagles, who signed him to a 3 year rookie deal in 2022. Allen had a good showing at training camp in 2022, including a 55 yard touchdown reception against the Cleveland Browns in the preseason, but the Eagles wound up waving him and signing him to the practice squad.
In college, Allen had 54 receptions for an average of 17.1 yards per catch with eight touchdowns. His longest catch was 80 yards.
One place that Allen could crack the 53 man roster this year is at kick returner, where he took reps today. Boston Scott did most kick returns in 2022 but the Eagles heavily relied on Britain Covey and Quez Watkins during the regular season. Over 30 returns, the three combined for an average of 22.1 yards per return, with Scott pulling in the longest return at 66 yards. During the postseason, Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell both had a kickoff return each.
Sirianni has said that even on the practice squad, he’s used Allen as an example for the team.
“We think he can develop into a good player, and he’s done that,” Sirianni said in the lead up to Super Bowl LVII. “He’s continuing to develop himself week in and week out, he’s showing up on our scout team tape that we show to our guys, like, ‘Hey, watch Devon here do this.’ He’s won Scout Team Player of the Week a couple times.”
Jalen Hurts was picked off again in practice, this time by Reed Blankenship. Hurts also completed all of his 7-on-7 practices and connected with Wide Receiver Olamide Zaccheus, who beat out Darius Slay for the first deep reception of camp, according to multiple beat reporters.
The Eagles have practice again tomorrow at 10 AM.
