PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles’ locker room at NovaCare Complex was buzzing on Wednesday. It has been this way for a few days now.
After last week’s much-needed bye, players were joking around and receptive to talking. Rookie nickelback Cooper DeJean danced to the hip-hop songs playing over the speakers.
The ensuing outdoor practice, on a crisp and sunny afternoon, was similarly high-energy. Cornerback Darius Slay, after mentioning at his locker that interceptions are “what get you paid in the league,” worked on hands drills as coaches threw to him near one of the goal posts.
The Eagles defense definitely needs more turnovers, after all.
Slay explained that in college, where the ball has white stripes on it, it’s easier to tell how closely a pass is approaching and know in a split-second when go for a pick rather than knock it down. He said he’s been working with younger defensive backs on making the adjustment in the NFL.
Kicker Jake Elliot, with team drills in the background and the wind at his back, tested his range. He consistently made field goals from 67 and 68 yards, and was 1-for-3 from 70.
But perhaps no one was in better spirits than second-year corner/safety Sydney Brown. At the end of a promising rookie season, which included a 99-yard interception return against the Arizona Cardinals last December, he tore his right ACL covering a punt in the regular-season finale 90 miles up the Turnpike against the Giants on Jan. 5.
Now, after nine grueling months of rehab, he’s back to full strength and ready to go.
“It’s been a long time coming, I’m just excited to be back out there,” Brown said. “Whatever role they put me at, I’ll own it to the best of my ability. I’m excited to be back with the boys and playing football again.
“Just being patient, for me, that was the hardest thing,” he said. “You want to be out there. Really, around the six-month mark, I was ready to be back on the field with them. … Knowing that I’ve got look out for myself — because if it was up to me, I’m telling you, I probably would have come back at six months — but I’ve worked with (senior athletic trainer) Jerome Reid for the past eight months, and we’re back in a place where I can return and be back to 100 percent.
“We’ve absolutely dominated this process, myself and the (rehab) team in there,” Brown added. “I’m mentally there, I’m physical there, and I’m just ready to get back on the field. … This is what I love to do.”Brown certainly adds both depth and intensity to the Birds’ secondary. The team will work him in slowly. He likely will play in the dime package to begin with, and then go from there.
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Starting with Cleveland (1-4) this Sunday, the next month for the Eagles also includes games against the Giants (2-3) and the Jacksonville (1-4). At first glance, it seems like some gimme wins, but Slay is taking nothing for granted.
“The thing about this game, man, you can’t look far ahead,” Slay said. “It can mess you up, because we’ve got to handle what’s right in front of us today. We have to have a great day of practice. We’ve got a good team coming in here. Everybody sees their record, but they’ve got a great team. … We just need to make sure we go out and institute our game plan.
“(It’s a) big challenge (Sunday), I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “Coming back home, you know, we disappointed the fans with the first home game, so we’ve got to go out here and execute, man, and get these fans a win. That’s the goal, to come out of this thing with a ‘dub,’ because we didn’t do the home opener right. So we’ve got to do it the right way.”
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Rookie cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, a Tampa-area native, has been checking on loved ones in Florida affected by the back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton.
“I stayed up last night, talking to a lot of family and friends,” Rodgers said. “Everything’s pretty good with them. There’s a lot of damage to the city. … It’s one of those moments where you can’t control what’s going to happen, so you’ve really just got to be prepared for the moment and keep your faith high.
“It’s something I grew up with, going through hurricanes at this time,” he said. “It’s the season for it.”
Rodgers also spoke about the team’s decision Tuesday to release linebacker Devin White, who never played a snap with the Eagles after they signed him to a one-year, $7.5 million contract in the offseason.
“That’s above my pay grade,” White said. “I just reached out to him, like I would with any brother. I told him, ‘If you ever need me, I’m one call away.’He’s a Tampa guy as well, he still has a house down there. So I’m always going to reach out to my guy.
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.
