Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp 2013 Notes - featuring Bennie Logan, James Casey, and more

Today was another day of Eagles "practice." I put that in quotes because it's still just rookies and selected veterans doing some drills for an hour. Here's what I observed in that time:

• Remember when DL coach Jerry Azzinaro talked about needing to check a certain condiments that the NovaCare facility provides to see if it had too much sugar? His point was that the Eagles aren't going to overlook even the smallest details in order to make sure their athletes are receiving proper nutrition. Well, I snapped a picture of some of the approved condiments in the NovaCare cafeteria. Hit this link to see which condiments made the cut.
  
• Fan favorite skyscraper WR Ifeanyi Momah showed good hands when I watched him take catches off the JUGS machine in a drill the receivers were doing. Later in the 2-on-3 drills, Momah used his speed to get open deep down the sideline to receive a Vick throw. Momah didn't catch it cleanly at first - it hit his hands and bounced off - but he kept his focus and made the grab.
• NFL Network's Brian Baldinger was at Eagles camp today. Baldinger is sometimes known for his hyperboles (saying Jamar Chaney is a top MLB; Dmitri Patterson and Asante Samuel being the best CB tandem in the league, etc.), but I didn't hear any from him today. Other than when he declared today's practice "the best Eagles training camp practice of all-time." (Joking.)
• I've seen a few drops from the Eagles tight ends. James Casey and Zach Ertz each had a couple today. You know what I haven't seen drop anything though? Will Shaw. Perhaps Shaw could be a nice practice squad guy (or more) for the Eagles.
• LB Chris McCoy absolutely stuffed Will Murphy on a rep in 2-on-3's. He jammed him hard at the line and didn't let him get open. LB Jake Knott had a nice pass breakup on a short throw intended for Derek Carrier.
• Russell Shepard and Derek Carrier took extra reps off the JUGS machine after practice was over.
  
• Here's a video of the "catch the ball on a string" drill you may have heard about.

Catch the ball on a string drill! https://t.co/DyqL6uqAmA

— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonLeeSBN) July 24, 2013

After practice ended, I had the chance to hear from some players. Here are the notes I gathered:

Bennie Logan

• Logan said he was surprised that the Eagles picked him because they had only talked to him at the NFL scouting combine.
  
• Teams were trying to move up later in the 2nd round of the 2013 NFL Draft to take Logan. He specifically mentioned the Cleveland Browns as one of those teams, but said they weren't able to acquire a pick.
  
• When asked if he was a defensive end, Logan stated "I'm a defensive lineman." He expanded on this by saying he's been practicing at multiple DL positions.
• Logan was a Giants fan growing up! He said he liked to watched Justin Tuck because Tuck's a defensive end who plays on the inside at defensive tackle sometimes as well.
• Asked to characterize the Eagles defense (as a 4-3 or 3-4), Logan said he characterizes the defense as "mobile" and "exciting to watch".

James Casey

• Casey noted that he feels really good now after having to missing OTAs due to knee scope surgery. 100% healthy.
  
• Casey talked about how he prides himself on special teams, but said he wasn't sure how often he'll be playing STs due to his offensive role.
• The Eagles had an activity on their daily routine today called "High Performance Mindset Meeting." This is basically just a fancy name for a motivational speaker session. A Navy SEAL by the name of Coleman Ruiz came in to talk to the players. Asked about what he gleaned from the session, Casey talked about the importance of the "warrior mindset" and how it's critical to "rise of the level you are training." He emphasized that it's important to for the team to practice hard so they can play hard when game-time comes.

Earl Wolff

• Wolff spoke on how he visited Philadelphia for two months every year because his grandmother lives in the city (and still does). So, he's a little familiar with the area.
• When asked about his jumping ability, Wolff said he's jumped over a couple of cars before. Specifically, the hood of a Nissan Altima.
• He said the height of the mats he jumped onto in this YouTube video was about 5 foot 8 inches.

Zach Ertz

• Ertz said he isn't concerned about having to miss OTAs because of Stanford's quarters system. He thinks he's caught up and he noted that he was in communication with the Eagles in his time away. He elaborated by saying he had Skype sessions with Coach [Justin] Peele (assistant TE coach) where they would discuss the playbook.

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Up next: Today was the last day of rookies and selected vets practicing. Tomorrow is when the rest of the roster reports. Also, the assistant coaches will be available to media for questions early tomorrow morning. Friday is the first day of practice where the whole team participates.

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