Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Saquon Barkley looks primed for another big season

Observations from the NovaCare Complex.

Today marked the seventh Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The fully padded session lasted for about two hours; it was the longest practice of camp so far. Also the nicest weather we’ve had thus far with overcast skies and temps just below 70 degrees. Here’s what I observed at the NovaCare Complex.

EAGLES PRACTICE NOTES

• JALEN HURTS UPDATE: Hurts was OK. He had a good completion to Grant Calcaterra. He lofted a ball to Will Shipley on the wheel route for a touchdown. Some of his incompletions weren’t his fault. Case in point, Jahan Dotson dropped a back shoulder throw that should’ve been caught. Some other passes ended up being broken up at the catch point. The passing game as a whole hasn’t exactly been humming recently (related: DeVonta Smith missing time) and that much likely led to the Eagles’ first-team offense leaning more on the run on Friday. So, maybe we’re not going to see a night and day difference from the 2024 offensive approach?
• Sticking with the Eagles’ rushing attack, that Saquon Barkley guy looks pretty good. He made an impact as both a ball-carrier and pass-catcher on Friday morning. Barkley had multiple good runs. There was a red zone sequence that especially stood out where he 1) caught a short reception to put the offense just shy of the goal line (and it looked like he may have been a little banged up), 2) took a carry up the middle to fight his way into the end zone and immediately got in Jeremiah Trotter Jr.’s face to talk trash (Reed Blankenship got between the two to try to diffuse the tension), and 3) took another carry up the middle for another score for more trash talk. While listening to the most recent episode of The Exciting Mics, Blankenship commented on Barkley’s competitiveness: “Saquon gets so mad. Like in OTAs and stuff. ‘Wait ‘til we get pads on! Wait til’ we get pads on!’ Like, bro, chill! You just add fuel to the fire, if you mess with him, he can’t stand it.” Barkley was also talking some trash after a touchdown run earlier this week in a practice where the defense mostly got the better of the offense. All of this is to say that Barkley looks great. He’s primed for another big season.
• EAGLES INJURY REPORT

DID NOT PRACTICE

LB Zack Baun (back contusion)
TE E.J. Jenkins (hamstring)
WR Terrace Marshall Jr. (knee)
CB Mac McWilliams (quad)
WR DeVonta Smith (back tightness)
LB Nolan Smith (concussion)
FB Ben VanSumeren (ankle)

DeVonta has missed four straight practices. He was doing some rehab work on a side field today, so, that seems like a step in the right direction.

Baun and Nolan have missed three straight practices. Unlike the last two practices, however, Nolan was seen watching from the sideline. He seems to be progressing well.

Jenkins and Marshall have missed two straight...