Eagles practice observations: A.J. Brown toasts Kelee Ringo; Moro Ojomo doing more; Andrew Mukuba in dime

The Eagles held their third practice of training camp for the 2025-26 season on Saturday at the NovaCare Complex. Links to Day 1 and 2. Here are my observations from Day 3:

The Eagles have managed to avoid any significant injuries in their first three workouts and the only change to the practice list was the return of guard Kenyon Green (knee) on a limited basis. Otherwise defensive tackle Jalen Carter (shoulder) and linebacker Nakobe Dean (knee) remained out and linebacker Jihaad Campbell (shoulder) and center Cam Jurgens (back) were listed as limited participants.

Saturday’s session was the longest yet — 1 hour, 38 minutes — but the players have yet to work out in full gear. Tuesday’s practice is slated to be the first in pads.

There was a relatively fair amount of dime personnel usage with the first-unit defense. Andrew Mukuba filled the role as the sixth defensive back and often lined up in the slot or at the second level. The rookie safety was in coverage on several completed passes, although it’s difficult to say with certainty whether he could have done much to disrupt quarterback Jalen Hurts’ rhythm with his targets.

Tight end Dallas Goedert caught a pass over the middle with Mukuba trailing. Later on, receiver DeVonta Smith beat the rookie in man coverage on an option route — a tough assignment for anyone. While playing safety with the second unit, Mukuba broke on a pass over the middle and bumped receiver Danny Gray too early. Gray still made the catch.

Mukuba was sprinkled in with the first-unit defense, but Sydney Brown took most of the snaps alongside Reed Blankenship. During a situational period vs. the third offense, Brown undercut Gray’s route, which may have resulted in the receiver not hanging onto quarterback Kyle McCord’s pass. It’s still early in the safety competition, but Mukuba’s experience at the slot in college could at least have him on the field in dime.

Moro Ojomo flashed in each of the first two practices, but I found myself writing down his No. 97 several times on this day. He impeded the path of running back Saquon Barkley on an early run. He got to Hurts for a would-be sack a few periods later. And he batted a Hurts pass at the line to the ground. Ojomo often has lined up opposite right guard Tyler Steen. I don’t know if his performance says anything about Steen’s hold on the spot. Practices in pads will reveal more about the Eagles’ linemen.

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Hurts has had, for the most part, time in the pocket. Tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata get a lot of the credit. But outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt has popped the most off the edge. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis hasn’t gotten much inside penetration on his rushes, but he has consistently filled gaps and made stops vs. runs up the middle. He gobbled up Barkley on one such rush.

A.J. Brown got the better of cornerback Kelee Ringo on a couple of deep routes. On the first, Hurts put too much air under the ball, and when Brown came back for it, Ringo impeded his path. Ringo never looked back and likely committed pass interference. There weren’t referees at practice, but special teams coordinator Michael Clay tossed his hat as if it were a flag.

Late in the session, Ringo got up on Brown and played man-press coverage. He tried to get hands on him, but Brown swatted them away and got separation on a fade route. Hurts’ tear drop landed squarely in his receiver’s hands for maybe the best hookup of practice.

» READ MORE: Amid a trial by fire, can Kelee Ringo separate himself in position battle at Eagles training camp?

The quarterback has had a strong start to camp, although he had a few more misses today — not all of them his fault. Smith got matched up one-on-one against cornerback Quinyon Mitchell on a fade route. He got one hand on Hurts’ throw, but Mitchell’s tight coverage prevented him from pulling the ball in. Goedert couldn’t hang onto to a toss with linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. blanketing him. During seven-on-sevens, Hurts hit one of the “rabbit ears” that simulate pass rushers with their hands up.

In a later red zone team drill, Hurts went to Goedert on a post route into the end zone, but his pass sailed high off the tight end’s outstretched hand. He threw out of bounds to a covered Jahan Dotson and was errant on the receiver’s comeback route a few sets later. Dotson’s route didn’t look precise.

Hurts had some positive moments with receivers other than Brown. He evaded the rush and cornerback Cooper DeJean’s blitz on his first drop and found Goedert ahead of cornerback Adoree’ Jackson. And he connected with Smith for back-to-back red zone touchdowns in which the receiver planted himself just over the goal line.

As a runner, Hurts slipped to the ground on a zone read keep. He tried to turn the corner on a designed outside zone run later on, but linebacker Zack Baun knifed in for the stop after a short gain.

The Eagles might be labeling Campbell as a limited participant, but I haven’t seen much restriction in terms of his use. He got some first-unit reps for the first time and was the lone off-ball linebacker in dime. The coaches are throwing a lot at him. Campbell said after practice that he’s learning both inside spots. Outside linebackers coach Jeremiah Washburn has also been in his ear, although Campbell hasn’t spent time in edge rusher meetings yet.

He jumped down to the line and successfully set the edge vs. tight end Nick Muse on a Will Shipley run. Trotter hasn’t necessarily done anything to lose his spot with the starters, but it’s only a matter of time until the bigger, faster, and stronger top pick Campbell is starting next to Baun.

No. 2 quarterback Tanner McKee was sharp early on with completions to Dotson and tight end Grant Calcaterra. He found a wide-open Johnny Wilson on a short cross. I’m not sure who blew his coverage but rookie linebacker Smael Mondon had to play catch-up. McKee threw once into the end zone during red zone drills, but receiver Avery Williams was covered and the ball (purposely?) sailed long.

Running back Montrell Johnson has shown some juice on the ground. The undrafted rookie used a nifty jump cut to find space upfield on a rush. He might be the odd man out with Barkley, Shipley and (likely) AJ Dillon secured roster spots. There’s also fullback Ben VanSumeren. Crazier things have happened. Dillon, by the way, caught a screen pass.

Elijah Cooks made the notes a few days ago when he stiff-armed rookie cornerback Mac McWilliams to the ground after a reception. He’s back in after a couple of impressive grabs — one over the middle in traffic and the other when he outmuscled cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields on a jump ball from McCord to end practice. The offensive sideline erupted and swarmed the third-year receiver.

Cooks, who spent his first two NFL seasons with the Jaguars, has good size at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. He has uphill climb to the 53-man roster, but he’s making the most of his first camp in Philadelphia thus far.

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Jake Elliott took his first set of field goals in camp. The kicker was perfect on seven of seven tries from the following distances: 33, 38, 43, 48, 48, 53, and 53 yards. … The Eagles worked on kickoffs and the following players took turns on returns: Williams, Dillon, receiver Ainias Smith, Johnson, running back Keilan Robinson, running back ShunDerrick Powell, receiver Giles Jackson, and Gray. … Carter may not be practicing yet, but he continued to work out and even ran gassers afterward with Clay. … The Eagles honored the U.S. armed forces with many servicemen in attendance for Military Day. … Players are off on Sunday and return to practice on Monday.