Play and Players of Day on Practice 15 of Eagles Training Camp: DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon Are Back

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PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles' offense felt whole for the first time since early August on Monday with receivers DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon returning to team drills as full participants after fighting through hamstring issues for most of the month.
During a short 70-minute practice session in shells, Smith and Lemon took the field with the first team in an 11-personnel look with Dontayvion Wicks as the other receiver.
Smith, Philadelphia’s top wideout, had an immediate impact during 7-on-7 drills by hauling in a crossing pattern for about 15 yards. He also had one of the highlights in a team period when snaring a low and outside pass near the right sideline before getting both feet in.
Jalen Hurts tried to get Lemon involved early with a tight-window throw with Cooper DeJean in coverage that went incomplete.
Near the end of practice, Hurts did get Lemon involved on another misdirection off play-action that connected for a minimal gain.
PLAY OF THE DAY: The highlight was a deep shot to Hollywood Brown for about 30 yards. However, the play could have been whistled dead and ruled a Jordan Davis “sack.”
Hurts had another opportunity to hit Brown on a post route with Drew Mukuba in coverage but the ball was overthrown under a heavy rush., which was a problem for the offense throughout the session.

NOTES:
-- The Eagles made some roster moves before practice, waiving/injured running back Ja'Quinden Jackson and releasing special teams ace J.T. Gray. Jackson was involved with the scary injury on the opening kickoff against the Patriots on Saturday might. He will revert to IR when he passes through waivers. To replace Jackson and Gray on the roster the Eagles signed defensive back Jaylen Mahoney (Vanderbilt), and running back Jordan Mims (Fresno State).
-- The injury report grew after Saturday’s preseason game at New England with rookies Markel Bell (thumb/leg), Eli Stowers (hamstring), and Cole Wisniewski (concussion) new to the list. Wisniewski had just returned from a hamstring injury.
Also added after the loss to the Pats were interior offensive lineman Willie Lampkin (stinger), cornerback Mac McWilliams (shoulder), CB Ambry Thomas (groin), and WR Quez Watkins (foot).
Others missing practice were CB Jakorian Bennett (knee), TE Grant Calcaterra (back), and CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder).
WR Danny Gray (groin), OL John Ojukwu (pec), RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring), and DT Byron Young (shoulder) were limited participants.
-- Lemon did confirm after practice his hamstring injury in the spring was the same one he had been dealing with in August.
-- After an impressive performance against the Pats on Saturday night, Tanner McKee began the day as the Eagles’ QB2. Andy Dalton mixed in later, but it was another session in which the Eagles didn’t give many reps to the twos.
Dalton did have consecutive out routes that were impressive during his limited opportunity to both sides of the field, the first to Elijah Moore and the second to Darius Cooper.
-- At WR, the Eagles also mixed in Moore and Cooper with the first team at times That's a smart move because the team has to hedge its bets that Lemon will be ready to handle the workload by Sept. 13.
-- With several new injuries on the OL had to shuffle the second-team unit. From left to right it was: Fred Johnson, Drew Kendall, Zeke Correll, Micah Morris, and Myles Hinton. Correll had at least two poor shotgun snaps.
-- The pass rush was relentless today, particularly from Jalyx Hunt and Moro Ojomo.
-- The Eagles unveiled a look where Dallas Goedert was essentially a fullback blocking for Saquon Barkley. Goedert was also involved as a receiver in an RPO look, which will be infrequent in this offense.

John McMullen is a veteran reporter who has covered the NFL for over two decades. The current NFL insider for JAKIB Media, John is the former NFL Editor for The Sports Network where his syndicated column was featured in over 200 outlets including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Miami Herald. He was also the national NFL columnist for Today's Pigskin as well as FanRag Sports. McMullen has covered the Eagles on a daily basis since 2016, first for ESPN South Jersey and now for Eagles Today on SI.com's FanNation. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube.com. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey and part of 6ABC.com's live postgame show after every Eagles game. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
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