Eagles training camp notes: CJGJ's energy, Sirianni in meetings, update on WR3

C.J. Gardner-Johnson doesn’t get tired.

At least he never lets it show.

Throughout the first two days of Eagles training camp in 2024, Gardner-Johnson’s energy has been as advertised. He has looked the part at safety but beyond that, he constantly talks throughout practice and vibes to the music between plays.

What’s it like going against him every day?

“Man, C.J., he’s definitely a special dude,” tight end Dallas Goedert said. “My biggest thing for him is he’s the same person every day. He’s over the top with excitement, he loves being out here playing, he loves talking trash. But at the same time, you respect him, he respects you. It’s nothing disrespectful. It’s really fun. He brings the energy. 

“If you have a bad play, he’s going to let you know about it. If you have a good play, he’s going to give you a high-five and that’s how it should be. He’s going to hold everybody accountable but that’s the same thing he holds himself to a high standard as well.”

The Eagles acquired Gardner-Johnson after training camp concluded in 2022 and after his year away in Detroit, these last two days have been his first training camp practices with the Eagles.

Of course, Gardner-Johnson’s energy throughout practice might be new to reporters in attendance but Eagles players saw it throughout the season a couple years ago. So they knew exactly what to expect.

“I’m sure y’all going to hear him every day in practice,” Eagles corner Darius Slay said. “That’s what he do. He brings a lot of swag, he brings a lot of effort. He goes out there each and every day to compete, to be his best. I’m the quiet voice, he’s the loud voice. It’s a good mixture of us together and should lead to a successful season.”

Sirianni spreading out his time

Now in a new CEO role as head coach, Nick Sirianni is learning to divvy up his time a little differently. The Eagles aren’t running his offense anymore so he’s spending more time with positions other than quarterback and is even spending more time with the defense.

A.J. Brown chuckled a bit when explaining what it’s like when Sirianni pops into the receiver room. 

“He kind of makes the young guys uncomfortable when he comes in the wide receiver room,” Brown said with a smile. “Because he’s just holding everyone accountable. It’s new. Our guys only see the wide receiver coach most of the time and when you see the head coach come in there, it’s like, ‘Uh oh.’ They sit up straight and everything. It’s kind of funny. But he has been coaching everybody, doing everything.”

Defensive end Bryce Huff also confirmed that Sirianni has popped into their position meetings too.

On the field, Sirianni is making a concerted effort to oversee the whole team and that extends into the meeting rooms. He’s been sitting in on some defense staff meetings, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. Sirianni also joined some defensive team meetings in OTAs and that will likely happen again in training camp.

Steen’s job to lose?

After Jason Kelce’s retirement, Cam Jurgens has gone from right guard to his more natural position at center, which has opened up that right guard job again. The frontrunner to win that position is second-year player Tyler Steen.

Steen has been the first-team right guard for the first two practices of training camp and if he continues to look good that probably won’t change.

Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland has talked before about wanting to get the five starters as much time together as possible. It’s important they learn how to play with each other — he called it “five-wheel drive.”

And right tackle Lane Johnson would like to build a rapport with the guy playing next to him too.

“Yeah, I would like to have a guy take over and build continuity with him,” Johnson said this week. “So it’s obviously going to be a dog fight for that position but I’m going to play with whoever’s next to me. But Steen had a good first day and we’ll know more when the pads come on.”

A little extra running

After the first practice of the summer on Wednesday, the Eagles’ offensive linemen lined up on the far field and began to run some half-gassers from sideline to sideline. Lane Johnson said it was initiated by Cam Jurgens and Jordan Mailata.

Why did they run extra?

“Just trying to maintain the standard,” Mailata said. “Everybody thinks it’s a joke but it’s something we live by. It’s unacceptable that we had three false starts yesterday and that was including myself on the very first play of practice. So there needs to be discipline to uphold the standard and that’s where it came from. We didn’t like how we were letting the stuff that we can control dictate the practice. We through it was necessary to discipline ourselves.”

After Kelce’s retirement, there’s a definite leadership void. But guys like Johnson, Mailata, Jurgens and Landon Dickerson should be able to fill it on the offensive line.

Is WR3 on the roster?

The Eagles have A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith so it’s not like receiver seems like a pressing need. But they definitely don’t have a defined No. 3 right now and might be in a worse position when they entered last training camp with Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus fighting for that job.

This year, the top candidates appear to be Parris Campbell and John Ross, who each took the WR3 spot for a day to start this camp.

“Yeah, really excited to get out here and see the candidates we have,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said. “We brought in guys that we think have talent and the ability to contribute for us, but to sit here and say like that's not something we're going to be watching every day and seeing who steps up and how the chemistry is with Jalen (Hurts), it's important. 

“You know, I think that you look at it throughout the league, that position is an important position. We brought in guys in free agency, drafted a couple guys. I think it's something that we're going to be watching among other things daily and see who steps up.”

The two players the Eagles drafted were Ainias Smith in the fifth round and Johnny Wilson in the sixth. They also have return man Britain Covey and second-year player Joseph Ngata, who are also presumably in the mix.

Of course, there’s a chance Roseman isn’t done adding at this spot, especially if it becomes clear the answer isn’t on the roster. Roseman has never shied away from training camp trades.

But, for now, Brown is enjoying the competition.

“I see a lot of guys scratching and clawing for it,” he said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. That’s not a bad thing either. Lot of guys are working hard, hungry, putting themselves in position. But it’s going to take hard work each and every day, making plays because that’s what it comes down to.”

Soaking it all in

Brandon Graham always has a smile on his face but he’s really making sure to enjoy every moment in his 15th and final NFL season.

“Last first day as a player,” Graham said after Wednesday’s practice. “I don’t know what the future holds next year in the organization at the next level but I know it’ll be something.”

If it seemed like Graham was out and about at a bunch of events this summer, it’s because he was. Graham said he and his wife talked about enjoying everything that comes with his last season. After his long career with the Eagles, he’s deserving of a farewell tour.

When Graham steps on the field in 2024, he will become the Eagles’ all-time leader in seasons played with the team at 15.

“I’m thankful, man,” Graham said. “Just trying to enjoy every day. Not in no rush. Obviously, I’m talking to y’all on the first day. Normally, I’d be inside but this is my last year, man, so I’m just trying to soak it all in. Trying to enjoy every day, trying to give it everything. No stone unturned. Making sure I’m talking and letting everyone know, just take care of today. And as we keep walking, keep stacking. It’s all about what we do today. Tomorrow, we’ll worry about it when it comes.”

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