Category: Eagles Training Camp

Eagles waive injured defensive back Mekhi Garner

Philadelphia Eagles waive injured defensive back Mekhi Garner

The Eagles announced they are waiving second-year defensive back Mekhi Garner with an injury designation.

The team signed offensive tackle Gottlieb Ayedze and placed cornerback Tyler Hall on the Reserve/Injured List.

An undrafted free agent cornerback out of LSU, the 6-foot-2, 212-pound rookie was elevated from the practice squad three times during the season (the maximum number of times in the regular season; totals reset in playoffs). In those three games, Garner played 27 snaps on defense and another 45 on special teams.

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Eagles place CB Tyler Hall on Reserve/Injured list

Philadelphia Eagles place cornerback Tyler Hall on the Reserve/Injured list

The Eagles are placing veteran cornerback Tyler Hall on the reserve/injured list ahead of the final week of the preseason.

Philadelphia signed Hall after initially releasing Avonte Maddox this offseason. Hall, who played 78% of his career snaps in the slot, was supposed to add depth at the nickel position.

The Wyoming product recorded 20 tackles while seeing snaps in the slot on defense and special teams.

The team is signing tackle Gottlieb Ayedze and waiving defensive back Mekhi Garner along with this move.

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Eagles sign offensive tackle Gottlieb Ayedze ahead of final week of preseason

Philadelphia Eagles sign offensive tackle Gottlieb Ayedze ahead of final week of preseason

The Eagles have a familiar face back at the NovaCare Complex, as the team signed offensive tackle Gottlieb Ayedze ahead of the final week of the preseason.

Ayedze was previously waived with an injury designation.

A Maryland native, Ayedze (6-5, 320 pounds) played four seasons at Division II Frostburg State before transferring to College Park for the 2023 season. He made 47 starts in 48 games and has experience playing both right and left tackle.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson returns to Eagles practice

C.J. Gardner-Johnson returns to Eagles practice ahead of final week of preseason

Philadelphia got a familiar face back at training camp, as C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned to the NovaCare Complex practice field before the preseason’s final week.

Gardner-Johnson missed about a week of practice with a shoulder injury.

Gardner-Johnson played only 291 snaps in 2023 because of a torn pec, but his return to Philadelphia was much needed. He provides a swagger and confidence that the Eagles lacked last season.

Gardner-Johnson is a ballhawk and big-play defender, and Gardner-Johnson has 12 interceptions in 58 career games, four sacks, 39 pass deflections, 20 tackles for loss, and 14 quarterback hits.

Gardner-Johnson can play safety or slot corner, which gives new Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio flexibility with his lineups.

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Best photos from Eagles 14-13 win over Patriots in preseason matchup

Best photos from the Philadelphia Eagles 14-13 win over the New England Patriots in preseason matchup at Gillette Stadium

The Eagles remain undefeated in the preseason after an ugly 14-13 win over the rebuilding Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night.  New England rookie quarterback Drake Maye ran for a touchdown and led the Patriots on two of the team’s three scoring drives.  The No. 3 overall draft pick out of North Carolina appeared in just one series in the Patriots’ preseason opener but played the second and third quarters on Thursday night, finishing 6 of 11 for 47 yards.  The Patriots held a 13-6 lead in the fourth quarter when the Eagles rallied. Rookie running back Kendall Milton ran for a 1-yard touchdown, and second-year quarterback Tanner McKee connected with rookie wide receiver Ainias Smith on the 2-point conversion to give Nick Sirianni’s team the lead.  With the Eagles starting preparation for their preseason finale against the Vikings, here are the top photos from Thursday night. ***

Did Tanner McKee earn a shot at Eagles backup QB job with performance vs. Patriots?

Former Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee earned the right to be the Eagles backup quarterback with his performance in preseason win over Patriots

It’s only the preseason and not even a competition for Jalen Hurts’s spot as the franchise’s face. Still, Tanner McKee took giant steps toward securing the Eagles’ backup quarterback job with a masterful performance against the Patriots on Thursday night.

McKee entered the game on two different occasions — starting the third quarter and returning midway through the fourth.

The results were a stat line of 15-19 for 140 yards (7.4 average) and a 97.4 rating. McKee far outshone Kenny Pickett’s 11 of 13 passing for 67 yards (5.2 average), an 88.1 rating, and the former Steelers first-round pick got sacked four times on the night.

Philadelphia gave up a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98 overall) and a pair of 2025 seventh-round picks to acquire the former Pitt Panthers star, so simply releasing Pickett if this battle doesn’t go his way isn’t the most cost-effective answer. The Eagles could look to trade Pickett or keep all three quarterbacks on the roster, ensuring daily competition and two talented trade assets in a league where quarterbacks miss games weekly.

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WATCH: Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith records his second sack of the preseason

Nolan Smith records his second sack of the Eagles preseason

Playing behind Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick, Brandon Graham, and Derek Barnett, Smith played 16% of the defensive snaps (188).

He notched his first career sack against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7.

It’s only the preseason,but with Haason Reddick and Derek Barnett gone, Smith is leading the Eagles pass rusher during the preseason. The Eagles second-year outside linebacker, and former Georgia All-American just notched his second sack of the preseason.

As a rookie, Smith didn’t play more than eight defensive snaps in a game until Week 12, and his season high in that category was 21 snaps, coming in the final week of the regular season, when the team rested several starters. The 30th overall pick has carved out a larger role in camp this summer, and he’s going to flourish.

Tyler Steen exits Eagles preseason matchup vs. Patriots with an ankle injury

Tyler Steen exits Eagles preseason matchup vs. Patriots with an ankle injury

On the day that it appears Mekhi Becton officially locked down the Eagles right guard competition, Tyler Steen again was forced to deal with a nagging ankle injury.

The former Alabama left tackle with an ankle injury was ruled out of Philadelphia’s preseason game against the Patriots.

Steen initially suffered the injury early in the Eagles training camp sessions, providing the former Jets first-round pick at left tackle a chance to earn first-team snaps at right guard. Becton was inserted into the starting lineup and solidified his status with a stout performance during the joint practice against New England.

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WATCH: Avonte Maddox ends a Patriots scoring drive with huge interception off Jacoby Brissett

Philadelphia Eagles Avonte Maddox ends a New England Patriots scoring drive with huge interception

Avonte Maddox is locked in an intense roster battle, and his play in the first quarter of the Eagles’ preseason matchup against the Patriots solidified that effort.

With New England in the red zone, Maddox jumped a Jacoby Brissett end-zone pass intended for Austin Hooper, and the veteran slot cornerback returned the interception 47 yards to the 45-yard line.

Maddox returned to the lineup to play the 2023 season’s last three games after undergoing surgery on a torn pectoral muscle in September.

Maddox is one of the top slot cornerbacks in the NFL, but he’s played only 13 games in the last two years, and he’s missed 36 percent of the Eagles’ games since he was drafted in 2018.

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Mekhi Becton appears to have locked down the Eagles starting right guard position

Mekhi Becton is sitting out the Eagles preseason game against the Patriots meaning he’s likely won the starting right guard spot

Mekhi Becton will miss the Eagles’ second preseason matchup of the summer. The massive offensive lineman was in street clothes during the pregame warmups.

Becton saw the bulk of the snaps with the starters during the joint practice sessions against New England, and the former Jets first-round pick may have secured the starting right guard job with his performance this summer.

Tyler Steen is active for Thursday night, making it even clearer that Becton will be Philadelphia’s starting right guard when they face the Green Bay Packers in Brazil.

On defense, cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell, Isaiah Rodgers, and Kelee Ringo are in uniform, suggesting their cornerback competition is not finished.

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