Zach Berman

Senior Writer, @TheAthletic
Covers the Eagles and the NFL
📚: UNDERDOGS, The Franchise, Leap Year
🎙️: The Ringer's Philly Special
[email protected]

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Available TODAY...

Leap Year: The Philadelphia Eagles' Ascent to Super Bowl Champions

...Relive the Super Bowl season, go behind the scenes of the unforgettable moments, and learn about the characters who helped make 2024 the Eagles' Leap Year.

https://t.co/EAnSjkoR0P

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Injury report:

DNP – DB Michael Carter (abdomen), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), OLB Jonathan Greenard (ankle), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), OLB Nolan Smith (concussion), WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle)

LIMITED – RB Saquon Barkley (hamstring), G Landon Dickerson (knee/pectoral), OLB AJ Epenesa (back), OLB Jalyx Hunt (knee/ankle), T Fred Johnson (illness), G Willie Lampkin (illness), DT Moro Ojomo (abdomen), G Tyler Steen (shoulder)

FULL – LB Zack Baun (shoulder), CB Jakorian Bennett (knee), WR Marquise Brown (ankle), TE Grant Calcaterra (back), LB Jihaad Campbell (wrist), DT Jalen Carter (wrist), WR Britain Covey (shoulder), DT Jordan Davis (shin/thumb), OLB Arnold Ebiketie (shoulder), C Drew Kendall (knee), TE Eli Stowers (quad)

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

The Eagles brought in OL Evan Beerntsen for a workout.

He was a 7th-round pick by the Ravens. He’s been on the Seahawks’ practice squad, was cut this week.

[Brooks Kubena @BKubena]

Wrote about it in this story: The Eagles are getting Saquon Barkley back, but are trending closer to ruling out DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks and Dallas Goedert.

A giveth and taketh season.

[Brooks Kubena @BKubena]

I don’t see Eagles WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) at warmups. He was DNP yesterday

[Brooks Kubena @BKubena]

Another practice for Saquon Barkley

[Brooks Kubena @BKubena]

As the Eagles offense experiences mass player injury and departure, how is the organization evaluating the operation?

How are they isolating the foundational beliefs they shifted toward against the adjustments they make given their personnel?
https://t.co/iEuScJBrqF

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Saquon Barkley wanted to play last week. "It sounded great in my head, then you sit and say 'Maybe they were right'," Barkley said.

"I'd love to be out there (Monday night)," he said.

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Saquon Barkley said he's never dealt with a hamstring in his career.

"Monday's still a long ways away, just going to listen and trust the trainers...and hopefully continue to get better each day," Barkley said.

He hasn't missed games due to injury with the Eagles until this year. Been a tough few weeks for him.

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Saquon Barkley: "We kind of have to take that underdog mentality. No one believes in us anymore. But there's a reason why there's a statue of a fictional boxer. And his name is Rocky. That's what this town's about. They're going to back us up. But it takes us to take that mindset."

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Saquon Barkley on the challenges of the season for the Eagles: "Outside of the Jalen situation, which is extremely rare, I felt like this was every year in New York, to be honest. I guess I have some experience with dealing with this stuff. There's time it was me out for the year with injuries. There's times it was Daniel (Jones)... But the beautiful thing in this situation, everything we want is still there."

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Saquon Barkley on Jalen Hurts: "It sucks that people tried to make it an Eagles vs. Jalen thing. Jalen is a heck of a guy, heck of a leader, a guy who cares about this sport, cares about other people. Any time the game is taken away from somebody, it sucks — but especially in this situation, where we don't fully know the magnitude of it. Sometimes it's bigger than football. My prayers go out to him."

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Saquon Barkley said he's never dealt with a hamstring in his career.

"Monday's still a long ways away, just going to listen and trust the trainers...and hopefully continue to get better each day," Barkley said.

He hasn't missed games due to injury with the Eagles until this year. Been a tough few weeks for him.

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

A day-by-day timeline of what we know in the Jalen Hurts story, with @BKubena on @TheAthletic: https://t.co/6KCML4YEtj

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Injury report…

DNP – DB Michael Carter (abdomen), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), G Willie Lampkin (illness), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), OLB Nolan Smith (concussion), WR Dontayvion Wicks (ankle)

LIMITED – RB Saquon Barkley (hamstring), G Landon Dickerson (knee/pectoral), OLB AJ Epenesa (back), OLB Jonathan Greenard (ankle), OLB Jalyx Hunt (knee/ankle), C Drew Kendall (knee), DT Moro Ojomo (abdomen), G Tyler Steen (shoulder)

FULL – LB Zack Baun (shoulder), CB Jakorian Bennett (knee), WR Marquise Brown (ankle), TE Grant Calcaterra (back), LB Jihaad Campbell (wrist), DT Jalen Carter (wrist), WR Britain Covey (shoulder), DT Jordan Davis (shin/thumb), OLB Arnold Ebiketie (shoulder), TE Eli Stowers (quad)

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Britain Covey: "I think it's very telling that Jalen and his team are collaborating with the Eagles organization on all their posts. I think that speaks volumes on how they think the situation was handled. ...But I love our medical staff. Everyone does here. We have a lot of faith in them."

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Britain Covey is the Eagles' new NFLPA rep. (An interesting year for the new role...) Here's Covey on the NFLPA asking for an investigation re: Jalen Hurts: "At the end of the day, that's the NFLPA's job. I don't think anyone shoudl be surprised by it. But I don't think it means — the word 'investigation' carries a lot of weight. I'm excited to have a call with them this week and talk about it. But I think regardless of the circumstance, I think they were going to do an investigation. It's kind of like what Roger Goodell said, actually: Everyone will welcome it — including the Eagles. I don't know anything. It's not like the NFLPA has a stance yet. But I'm not surprised by it. I don't think anyone is."

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Britain Covey is the Eagles' new NFLPA rep. (An interesting year for the new role...) Here's Covey on the NFLPA asking for an investigation re: Jalen Hurts: "At the end of the day, that's the NFLPA's job. I don't think anyone shoudl be surprised by it. But I don't think it means — the word 'investigation' carries a lot of weight. I'm excited to have a call with them this week and talk about it. But I think regardless of the circumstance, I think they were going to do an investigation. It's kind of like what Roger Goodell said, actually: Everyone will welcome it — including the Eagles. I don't know anything. It's not like the NFLPA has a stance yet. But I'm not surprised by it. I don't think anyone is."

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Tanner McKee on what must improve under center/vs. blitz: "Efficiency and being on the same. Staying on schedule. If it's a bad play, don't make a bad play worse. Obviously taking care of the ball, but sometimes as a quarterback the best play is to throw the ball away and not take a sack. It's boring. Sometimes it sucks. But at the same time, 2nd-and-10 is a lot better than 2nd-and-18. As a quarterback, you have to have damage control."

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Tanner McKee and Jalen Hurts were texting last night.

McKee: "We have a really good relationship — he's been an incredible role model, teammate, example, leader. I can't say enough positive things about him. And even in the situation he's in, he's continued to be that for me, which is super beneficial. And says a lot about to how bad he wants to win, the type of person he is, the character he (has)."

He said he's learned "how to lead a room, how to voice your opinions."

Much of what he's learned about pro football has come from Hurts.

"Has had a huge impact on my career," McKee said.

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

The Eagles signed the following players to the practice squad:

- Evan Neal
- Jayden Blue
- Anfernee Orji

They also waived E.J. Jenkins (as @MikeGarafolo).

They have 3 open spots on the 53-man roster.

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

"How smart urinals became the Premier League’s latest marginal gain"

...When Chip Kelly's sports science initiatives included monitoring urine samples 13 years ago, it was polarizing in the locker room. It's now becoming mainstream:
https://t.co/LTKMEGPGtJ

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

Devonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Dallas Goedert among those missing early in practice. (Don't know if anyone came out after reporters were sent out following the first period.)

[Zach Berman @ZBerm]

First practice of the week…