Training Camp Thoughts Day 15: Jalen Hurts Returns, Another DeVonta Smith Scare

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles moved a scheduled open practice at Lincoln Financial Field inside due to the potential of inclement weather stemming from Tropical Storm Henri.

The 90-minute session was the final of the year fully open to the media at the NovaCare Complex.

Joint practices against the New York Jets on Tuesday and Wednesday in advance of Friday's preseason finals between the two teams at MetLife Stadium will also be open in their entirety before the Eagles shift to regular-season mode.

The team didn't take it easy inside the NovaCare Complex practice bubble engaging in one of the more spirited practices of the summer which ended with a specific challenge for the offense and the defense.

The situation was the Eagles' offense trailing by eight with 45 seconds left and no timeouts while starting at the defense's 25-yard line.

Ultimately the defense held on for the win against both the first- and second-team units.

Jalen Hurts, who practiced fully after missing the 35-0 preseason loss against New England with a stomach infection, had the clock run out on him when a fastball to Quez Watkins zipped by the second-year player and bounced off the clock to end the drive.

The second-team fared a little better when Joe Flacco found John Hightower for a touchdown but the two-point conversion failed when a disjointed shovel pass to rookie running back Kenny Gainwell was sniffed out by the defense and went nowhere.

Defensive coordinator, Jonathan Gannon's strategy was to bleed the clock by keeping underneath throws in the field of play before imploring his charges to tighten up when the ball got inside the 10-yard line.

THE BULLHORN

Sirianni and his assistant Tyler Scudder broke out the bullhorn to communicate indoors, barking out orders and situations during the 90-minute session.

It was probably the most competitive practice we've seen in years indoors.

The Eagles don't have the room for a regulation-sized field in the bubble so at one point when the offense was backed up visually near the goal line Sirianni had to clarify that this was a different type of drill with the offense working in a traditional sense.

After the first team period, Sirianni announced the defense as the winner through the bullhorn.

The close quarters also gave us an up-close and personal look at the coaches communicating with the players.

At one point, offensive coordinator Shane Steichen barked at RB Miles Sanders for lining up wrong while the offense was backed up near the goal line.

HURTS SO GOOD

Hurts was back after his stomach infection and looked fine.

The Eagles continue to do far more with Hurts as a runner in practice when opponents can't see what's going on. From a passing perspective, his biggest play was a pass down the left sideline to Zach Ertz, who found the soft spot in zone coverage for a big gain.

THE BOOK OF JOSIAH

Josiah Scott, the Eagles' backup nickel corner, has his best day of the summer coming up with two splash plays in 7-on-7 drills.

First, the Michigan State product intercepted Flacco on a throw over the middle, and shortly after that, he had a PBU of another Flacco pass to tight end Jack Stoll.

That's not a bad way to start the week for a bubble player who is probably fighting to make the Eagles keep six cornerbacks on the final 53-man roster.

Starters Darius Slay, Steve Nelson, and Avonte Maddox are set while rookie Zech McPhearson and special teams star Craig James are also keepers. James, by the way, returned to practice in a limited fashion after nursing a foot injury.

ANOTHER SMITH SCARE

For the second time in camp, the Eagles got a scare when it comes to first-round pick DeVonta Smith, who came up limping after twisting an ankle in 7-on-7 drills.

The 166-pound Smith, who recently returned after missing over two weeks with a sprained MCL, had the trainers look at him and eventually returned for full-team drills even catching a pass late in the session.

SOLID SIPOSS

Aaryn Siposs really showed off his ability to deaden the football inside the 10-yard line and often the five as the Eagles worked on downing the football near the goal line.

An unknown entering camp, Siposs is one of the better stories of the summer as the former Australian Rules Football player is no longer even a worry for Philadelphia and special teams coordinator Michel Clay.

INJURY NEWS

With Jason Croom heading to injured reserve with a torn right patellar tendon, Downington East product Cary Angeline made his practice debut after being officially signed earlier in the day.

The injury news was plentiful starting with Le'Raven Clark, who got into full-team drills for the first time as the backup left tackle to Jordan Mailata. Clark has been rehabbing an Achilles' tear since December of last year when he was in Indianapolis,

Andre Dillard, who had been battling Mailata for the starting, job before a knee injury returned to practice in a limited fashion. Brett Toth, who had been taking second-team LT reps when Dillard first went down, now continues to cross-train at guard.

Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was limited with a groin and rookie Milton Williams took a lot of snaps inside after playing at defensive end most of the time in the preseason loss to the Patriots.

LB JaCoby Stevens (hamstring) also returned to practice in a limited fashion.

New injuries include LB Genard Avery (a groin injury on the other side of his previous groin issue) and S K'Von Wallace, who reinjured his groin in the Pats game.

SI PRACTICE GAME BALL

Let's give it to the position player over the punter and honor Scott as he makes a run at a roster spot.

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on both PhillyVoice.com and YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglemaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.