The Philadelphia Eagles held their first round of joint practices versus the Cleveland Browns on Monday evening.
Last season, the Eagles won the majority of their joint practices in Cleveland, setting the tone for what turned out to be a successful year.
Surprisingly, with the Eagles fresh off of a Super Bowl appearance, Cleveland actually came into Monday’s joint practice session with more intensity.
Day 2 Recap: Eagles Return To Day 2 of Joint Practice vs Brown with More Energy
Eagles First-Team Offense Struggles
The Eagles’ first-team offense had a rough day against the Browns’ defense. The offensive line struggled, giving up seven sacks on Jalen Hurts and a few other plays that might have turned into sacks in a real game.
Overall, Hurts had a solid but unspectacular day, finishing 15 of 20 passing with no touchdowns and one interception.
The interception came on a 50/50 ball to Devonta Smith but the duo made up for it with a long completion while Hurts was under pressure.
As expected, Kenny Gainwell got work with the first-team offense.
Eagles Rookies Stand Out vs Browns
The Eagles used both of their first-round picks to bolster a defense that had 70 sacks last year, just two short of the NFL single-season record.
Together, Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith help form the intimidating Philly Dawgs, a group of former Georgia Bulldogs on the Eagles’ defense.
Carter, a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick, fell into the Eagles’ laps on draft day due to character concerns. Meanwhile, Smith moved up draft boards, thanks to a standout performance at the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash, the second-fastest mark by a defensive end since 2003.
Both players appear to be paying early dividends throughout training camp and the preseason.
Carter looked the part of a potential No. 1 overall pick in Monday’s joint practice versus the Cleveland Browns. He wreaked havoc in 7v7 drills, finishing with two sacks, a tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery. Carter also had a quarterback hit that nearly forced an interception.
Smith also had a sack in Monday’s practice in Cleveland and got consistent pressure off of the edge.
Both players appear to be ready to make an immediate impact on an already-stacked Eagles’ defense.
Check out what defensive coordinator Sean Desai had to say about how both rookies looked in their first preseason game against the Ravens.
Eagles vs Browns Joint Practice Winner
While the teams aren’t playing a traditional game and no score was being kept, it was clear that the Browns were the more intense and focused team in Monday’s joint practice.
The Browns came into the practice fired up and it paid off, especially on defense.
The Eagles have some obvious areas of improvement, especially along the offensive line.
Look for Hurts and the first-team offense to bounce back in a big way on Tuesday.
In eight joint practices under Nick Sirianni, Hurts and the Eagles are 6-2, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks.
