The Eagles stepped on the field for the first-time under new head coach Nick Sirianni on Wednesday, but it was another first-year contributor that many fans will have their eyes on during training camp, first round pick DeVonta Smith.

Smith, the No. 10 overall pick, stuck around after practice to take extra reps and work on things with his former Alabama teammate and is ready to take it all in and learn.

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"Anybody I can get any little detail from, any little piece of advice I can get from anybody I'm gonna accept it," Smith explained.

Smith said he asked cornerback Darius Slay what he saw from him during his first practice, trying to take mental notes along the way to perfect his craft. The rookie wide receiver admitted he didn't have his best outing, by his standards at least, leading him to work with Hurts afterwards and get advice from Slay.

"Smitty is a great leader in himself," Hurts said about his former collegiate teammate. "He leads by example. I know he's gonna be ready to work and ready to go."

Zach Ertz is back...for now?

One of the big stories this offseason was the future of veteran tight end Zach Ertz.  There were plenty of reports suggesting that Ertz would be moved, but the team could not find suitable compensation in return.

We all know Ertz can play and play at a high-level, Ertz, catching at least 75 passes every season from 2015 to 2019, but the 30-year-old battled injuries in 2020 and didn't appear to be the same player he was during his prime seasons with the team.

Ertz showed up the first-day of camp, with a new blond head of hair, but Howie Roseman said he anticipates the he will be on the team when they face the Falcons on Sept 12.

"We have a tremendous opinion about Zach as a player and as a person," Roseman stated. "All he wants to do is play football and he knows what kind of player he is. He cares so much about this team and this city. Just really good to see him out there."

How he will be used if he is still he will be a story to watch.  It is presumed that former second-round pick Dallas Goedert is ready to take over the No. 1 tight end role on the team and Sirianni addressed using both guys on Tuesday.

"Teams that I've been on have always had two good tight ends and it was always a blend of how you use them and what you use them as," Sirianni explained. "Just that multiplicity of being able to use 12 personnel and be dangerous there. It's different between 12-personnel because we have two tight ends and 12-personnel because we have two tight ends that can roll. Puts a ton of stress on the defense."

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out and if Ertz does in fact make it to opening day in an Eagles uniform and if he does, what kind of role will he have this season.

Injured Eagles

The team opened camp with a few injuries of note including safety Rodney McLeod who opened camp on the injured list, left guard Isaac Seumalo is week-to-week with a hamstring injury and second-year wide receiver Jalen Reagor had a lower body injury.

Breweries in Cape May County You've Gotta Check Out

Looking to sip on some locally-crafted beer while kicking around Cape May County? Check out these breweries.

 

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