Eagles Wake-Up Call: Training Camp Is Here


Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of Birds 24/7.  Amazing how much has changed since we launched.

Here is an excerpt from our first post:

 The Eagles are coming off a devastatingly disappointing season and the head coach, ring-less for 13 years and counting, is in full fight-out-of-the-corner mode. Joe Banner has been exiled, the organization is potentially on the verge of a significant restructuring  but no worries, says the quarterback, the Eagles have what it takes to create a dynasty. You get the feeling, one way or another, something big is about to go down.

We all know how it played out. The Eagles went 4-12, Andy Reid was fired after 14 years of service, and Chip Kelly got the gig following a roller-coaster coaching search. Now, a lot about the team is unrecognizable. The roster, the staff, the philosophy, practices, even the training camp location has changed. The old guard has been replaced by the new school.

Is the new school legit? That question will keep the Eagles in the national spotlight for the foreseeable future. That, and a quarterback competition/controversy that could ultimately involve three different players.

It is an amazing time to follow this team. There are endless story lines and so many questions to be answered. And it all starts now. We’re excited to get it going.

Here is a breakdown of what to expect in the coming days and weeks:

Today

Rookies and selected vets report. Media availability runs from 12-4, so expect your Twitter feed to be filled with action shots of large men walking into buildings around lunchtime. Thirty players in all are scheduled to show, including the newly-signed Lane Johnson.  Michael Vick, Nick Foles and tight end James Casey are among the veterans slated to check into NovaCare Monday.You can find the full list here.

Camp schedule

Monday, July 22Rookies report
Tuesday, July 2312:30Rookies practiceNovaCare
Wednesday, July 2412:30Rookies practiceNovaCare
Thursday, July 25Full team reports
Friday, July 2612:30Full practiceNovaCare
Saturday, July 2712:30Full practiceNovaCare
Sunday, July 2812:30Full practiceThe Linc
Monday, July 2912:30Full practiceNovaCare
Tuesday, July 30Day off
Wednesday, July 3112:30Full practiceNovaCare
Thursday, Aug. 112:30Full practiceNovaCare
Friday, Aug. 212:30Full practiceNovaCare
Saturday, Aug. 3Day off
Sunday, Aug. 412:30Full practiceNovaCare
Monday, Aug. 512:30Full practiceThe Linc
Tuesday, Aug. 612:30Full practice with the PatriotsNovaCare
Wednesday, Aug. 712:30Full practice with the PatriotsNovaCare
Thursday, Aug. 812:30Full practiceNovaCare
Friday, Aug. 97:30Preseason game vs. PatriotsThe Linc
Saturday, Aug. 10Day off
Sunday, Aug. 1112:30Full practiceThe Linc
Monday, Aug. 1212:30Full practiceNovaCare
Tuesday, Aug. 1312:30Full practiceNovaCare
Wednesday, Aug. 1412:30Full practiceNovaCare
Thursday, Aug. 157:30Preseason game vs. PanthersThe Linc
Friday, Aug. 16Day off.
Saturday, Aug. 1712:30Full practiceThe Linc
Sunday, Aug. 1812:30Full practiceNovaCare
Monday, Aug. 19Day off
Tuesday, Aug. 2012:30Full practiceNovaCare
Wednesday, Aug. 2112:30Full practiceNovaCare
Thursday, Aug. 2212:30Full practiceNovaCare
Friday, Aug. 2312:30Full practiceNovaCare
Saturday, Aug. 247:30Preseason game at JagsEverBank Field
Sunday, Aug. 25Day off
Monday, Aug. 2612:30Full practiceThe Linc
Tuesday, Aug. 2712:30Full practiceNovaCare
Wednesday, Aug. 2812:30Full practiceNovaCare
Thursday, Aug. 297:00Preseason game at JetsMetLife Stadium

Practices at the Linc

Sunday, July 28 – Alumni Day (Donovan McNabb and Chuck Bednarik have committed to be in attendance, according to Sal Paolantonio. Some of the players will begin signing autographs for fans in the HeadHouse Plaza at 10:30 am.)

Monday, August 5 – Military Appreciation Day

Sunday, August 11 – Bobblehead Giveaways (The first 10,000 kids entering Lincoln Financial Field, ages 12-and-under, will receive a LeSean McCoy mini-bobblehead doll.)

Saturday, August 17 – Health and Safety Day

Monday, August 26

More than 200,000 tickets (which are free) have been reserved, according to team president Don Smolenski. Go to PhiladelphiaEagles.com if you would like to attend one of the practices at Lincoln Financial Field. Practices at NovaCare are by invite only.

Camp battles

A list of Sheil’s position previews can be found here. Plus, where the 2013 picks stand going into camp.

Upgrades

The NovaCare practice fields received a $200 thousand facelift, and the Eagles have invested more than $1 million in technology upgrades.

Camp Details

If you’re wondering how much hitting there will be or need more on the camp’s structure under Kelly, here’s a full primer.

 

WHAT YOU MISSED

There will be no holdouts this season, as the Eagles and Lane Johnson came to terms over the weekend.

All the latest buzz on the Birds heading into training camp.

On Kelly, math and “response after turnover.”

Sheil rounds out his position previews with a look at the safeties.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

The No. 1 question Don Banks has entering training camp: Can the Eagles master Chip Kelly’s up-tempo, fast-break offense and exit the preseason looking like an NFL version of the Oregon Ducks?

…OTAs are an entirely different game compared to the preseason, when the shoulder pads go on, the hitting commences and the intensity gets ramped up a notch or three. That’s when we’ll start to see the full effect of Kelly’s break-neck style of offense, and whether or not it can be sustained by his NFL-sized roster.

Complicating the situation, of course, is the quarterback competition that will rage in the coming weeks, with Michael Vick, Nick Foles and maybe even rookie Matt Barkley vying to prove their skill set is the best fit for Kelly’s aggressive and attacking approach. The sooner the Eagles’ offense identifies its trigger man, the better. Starting next week, all seat belts should be fastened for a full-speed takeoff in Philly.

The Delco Times caught up with former Oregon LB/DE  Brandon Hanna to find out more about Kelly.

DT: Do you think Kelly’s training methods will translate to the NFL?

Hanna: “In terms of structure, coaching and knowledge, I think the Eagles are going to be very well-off. Along with Chip, (defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro) is the best coach I have ever played for. They both do everything they can to get the most out of players. Whether it’s athletically, nutritionally, personally or spiritually, they take everything into account.”

DT: What type of player will thrive under Coach Kelly?

Hanna: “The players who push themselves and sacrifice for the team. That’s the mind set you have to have with Chip. He say, ‘We’re going to win with the right people doing the right things.’ If you weren’t a team player and couldn’t abide by the rules set forth, you were gone.

COMING UP

Football season. Congratulations, you’ve made it.

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