Most of Nick Sirianni’s media time on Tuesday was filled with questions about A.J. Brown, but on Wednesday, the Eagles’ head coach was asked about Jalen Hurts and Sean Mannion, position battles, and why Jalen Carter didn’t participate in team drills.
Here’s what the head coach had to say:
On Jalen Carter’s availability
The head coach was asked if Jalen Carter skipping out on voluntary minicamp practices, and being limited during the two-day mandatory minicamp, was due to a contract issue or an injury. Sirianni wouldn’t say, and noted
only that Carter was working in individual drills (not full team activity), and that’s where he is at this point in the offseason.
After some follow-up about Carter’s shoulder, Sirianni said that the fourth-year defensive tackle has been working really hard to be in the best position going into training camp.
On Jalen Hurts
Sirianni explained that trust has to be built between the Eagles quarterback and new OC Sean Mannion throughout the offseason, and it’s not just one interaction that will do it. It’s about consistently doing what’s expected on a daily basis, and that’s what both Hurts and Mannion are doing.
“I think I know Jalen [Hurts] sees Sean’s relentless approach and his work ethic, and his knowledge on the offense of football. And I think Sean [Mannion] sees Jalen’s relentless approach to how he goes about every single day. So, you know, the doing what he’s supposed to do on the field and in the weight room, and the way Jalen goes about his work. And so, it’s just daily consistent building of trust, and that’s what’s going on right now.”
The head coach was asked if Hurts thrives when people are doubting him — like this offseason with the QB having to deal with a new offensive coordinator and questions about an offense without A.J. Brown — but Sirianni said that the quarterback is nothing if not consistent. He noted that Hurts has played in big games when he was doubted, and in big games when he was the favorite, so that kind of motivation is a little overplayed.
“I think the best thing Jalen [Hurts] does, as far as his mentality with all that, is his consistency. To know that you’re doubted or being questioned like that, you have to pay attention to what’s going on on the outside, and one thing I know Jalen does is stay locked into the moment and what things he can control. And I admire that about him.”
Sirianni was also asked if his mindset toward turnovers will change at all with Hurts leading a new offensive scheme. The head coach acknowledged that he weighs interceptions and fumbles differently — he knows interceptions may happen, but fumbles are a fundamentals problem, and he won’t budge on those. Their mission of finishing each drive with a kick — preferably an extra point, or with a field goal or punt — relies on the fundamentals.
On rookie TE Eli Stowers
“[Eli Stowers] has this ability to change direction and to accelerate and to catch the ball consistently. That’s unusual for that position. He has an unusual skillset at the tight end position with the matchups that he is going to be getting on safeties, linebackers. He’s fast, he’s quick, he can catch the ball well, and he’s still growing and learning in the position because there’s still some newness to him playing that position. I think that he shows power as far as his abilities to being able to block. Obviously, we don’t have pads on yet, so there’s some unknown, but you can feel some of the power when he’s hitting the bags and hitting the guy across from him in an individual setting. I think that you can see that he has that power and it’s very noticeable with his jumps, like his broad jump, his vertical jump.
He has explosive power in his body and it’s just about being able to go through those reps of getting better blocking, but we think he has that in his body with that, but he hasn’t had to do it much and he’s relatively new to the position. So, really excited about him and I think he’s [an] extremely, extremely intelligent football player. You can see his quarterback background. You feel his quarterback background with some of the instincts that he has on the field and also how he is in the meeting room and how he picks things up. Extremely excited about him.“
Other notables
- Sirianni wasn’t ready to commit to Tanner McKee at QB2, and noted that they’re rotating reps between McKee and Andy Dalton. He said that they have a lot of time before they have to make that decision, and right now the two backup quarterbacks are rotating days with the twos.
- As for how they evaluate progress in the early days of installing a whole new offense, Sirianni said that it’s all about making daily improvements. They look at if they’re making fewer mental errors, having fewer issues with the new terminology, and looking at the things that take no talent and make sure they’re getting better every day.
- The head coach couldn’t really comment on the progress of the offense to this point, saying that it’s all a process and they’ve only had 16 times out on the field together. He emphasized that it’s all about getting better every single day, but the guys are working hard and are intentional about being tough, detailed, and together.
