Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Jordan Matthews takes first team reps

Tuesday was the ninth day of Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice. There's a lot to talk about, so let's dive right in:

Practice Notes:

• Weather: Hot.

• Former Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil attended practice on Tuesday. As Zach Berman pointed out, Vermeil is the last Pac-10 coach to take over at the reigns for the Eagles since Chip Kelly arrived.

• Quick injury update: Pretty much the same as yesterday. WR Riley Cooper (foot) was still in a walking boot. WR Jeff Maehl (ankle) wasn't wearing a boot today but he still didn't practice. ILB Jake Knott (hamstring), RB Chris Polk (hamstring), Julian Vandervelde (back) are still not practicing. CB Nolan Carroll (injury unknown) missed a second straight day. WR Jeremy Maclin (leg soreness) participated in individual drills but sat out of team drills. DB Davon Morgan spent a brief moment in the trainer's tent after warmups before returning to practice.

• Today's notes start off with an Arrelious Benn drop. The pass was thrown high but it was still catchable and he didn't make the play. That's at least the fourth drop of camp I've noticed from Benn.

• Eagles kicker competition: Alex Henery (5-5) was perfect from 37, 45, 42, 45, and 52. Undrafted free agent rookie kicker Carey Spear only made 2 out of 5 with misses from 42, 43, 45. ... I was impressed with Henery's kickoffs. None of them went through the back of the endzone for a touchback but they all went at least halfway through the endzone. ... the Eagles practiced some extra point attempts from the 15-yard line because the NFL is experimenting with a longer distance in preseason.

• DONNIE JONES FAKE FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT! Jones, who is the team's holder, got up with the ball and looked down field for someone to throw to but everyone was covered. So he forced a throw into coverage and was picked off easily by Malcolm Jenkins. It's worth noting Jones had a successful fake field goal run attempt for a touchdown last year in practice against the Patriots. No such luck today.

• Two straight blink 182 songs at Eagles practice is something I hadn't heard before on the playlist: What's My Age Again? and All The Small Things. Which player do you think put those on there?

• 7-on-7: Nick Foles to Zach Ertz in the endzone for a touchdown. Ertz was working the middle of the field and faced tight coverage by Jenkins behind him and DeMeco Ryans in front. Foles rifled the pass into the tight space and Ertz snagged it with soft hands. Impressive.

• Jordan Matthews took reps with the first team due to the fact Jeremy Maclin wasn't participating in team drills. He also briefly did that during Monday's practice, but this time Matthews was lined up on the outside. To no one's surprise, Matthews dominated as he always does. Runs hard, catches everything, makes plays.

• Some offensive line versus defensive line one-on-one action:

RT Lane Johnson holds off DE Joe Kruger with ease.

Undrafted rookie free agent DE Frank Mays finished an awkward rep and then was pulled aside by nose tackle Bennie Logan and assistant defensive line coach Mike Dawson for some advice. Mays (6-9, 291) has great size but is very raw.

DE Joe Kruger beats OT Kevin Graf with ease on a spin move.

Graf rebounds by stonewalling OLB Travis Long on pass rush attempt.

Graf finished by holding his own against OLB Trent Cole. Cole drove him back quite a distance but Graf generally managed to stay in front of the veteran pass rusher. The Eagles offensive line gave Graf some cheers and high-fives after the rep.

• Wide receiver versus defensive back one-on-one action:

Quron Pratt records a catch against Bradley Fletcher along the sideline.

Damaris Johnson makes a double move and beats Keelan Johnson deep.

Jordan Matthews creates space against Nate Allen and makes an easy catch.

Josh Huff jumping catch along the sideline against Curtis Marsh.

• Team drill highlights:

Nick Foles deep to WR Ifeanyi Momah is incomplete. Momah couldn't track the ball well and it went right through his hands. Cary Williams was in tight coverage.

Mark Sanchez with a 30 yard completion for a touchdown to a streaking Damaris Johnson. Roc Carmichael trailed Johnson. Perfect pass from Sanchez; a real quality throw.

Matt Barkley threw a great ball to Damaris Johnson who was running a post pattern. Barkley floated the ball over defenders and only to where Johnson could grab it.

Barkley floated a pass and almost had it picked off by Curtis Marsh. Marsh dropped the interception but the wide receiver may have helped break it up. I've noted a few times now that Marsh has had a surprisingly decent camp. He broke up at least three or four passes on Tuesday. One of those was on a deep ball intended for B.J. Cunningham.

DeMeco Ryans beaten in the endzone for a touchdown again, this time it's Brent Celek. Reminiscent of the play with Zach Ertz I referenced earlier. Another good throw from Foles.

Sanchez picked off by cornerback Brandon Boykin deep in the endzone. Josh Huff was the target. Over the shoulder interception for Boykin(g). It's to the point where Boykin makes plays and it's really not surprising at all.

Quron Pratt continues to have an impressive training camp. Pratt made a diving catch on a comeback route with Bradley Fletcher in coverage. It was a Sanchez throw. Later on, Pratt caught a Hail Mary catch deep in the back of the endzone but didn't "complete the process" and dropped it after stepping out of bounds. Still kind of impressive that he even got his hands on it.

Cedric Thornton absolutely blew up a running play before it even got started. Darren Sproles didn't have a chance. Thornton was a really good run defender in 2013 and today was just a reminder of that.

Really impressive back shoulder touchdown catch for Brad Smith against Bradley Fletcher from a Nick Foles throw. Foles seems to be really getting the hang of that throw. As far as Fletcher goes, he hasn't had a bad camp, but today wasn't his best day.

Josh Huff drops an easy pass. Huff has seemed to struggle with drops in camp. As I said on Monday, usually they come when it's a tough play. Not so today.

• Final thought: Second straight day where Nick Foles didn't throw an interception. Prior to Monday's session he had gone four straight practices where he threw at least one pick.

Up next: The team practices again tomorrow, Wednesday, August 6th at the Eagles facility.

Remaining Eagles training camp schedule:

July 26 - [Practice Report]
July 27 - [Practice Report]
July 28th (Public Practice at @ LFF) - [Practice Report]
July 30th - [Practice Report]
July 31st - [Practice Report]
August 1st - [Practice Report]
August 3rd (Public Practice @ LFF) - [Practice Report]
August 4th - [Practice Report]
August 5th - [Practice Report]
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August 6th
August 7th
August 10th (Public Practice @ Franklin Field)
August 11th
August 12th (@ New England Patriots)
August 13th (@ New England Patriots)
August 14th (@ New England Patriots)
August 17th*
August 18th*
August 19th*
August 20th*
August 23rd*
August 24th*
August 25th*
August 26th*
August 27th*

* = Media only allowed to watch the first 20 minutes of practice starting August 17th.