Dallas Goedert praises a rookie teammate after an earlier tense encounter.
It isn’t uncommon for tight ends and linebackers to cross paths on any given play call. Why would we be shocked when they have a tense moment or two during practice? The Philadelphia Eagles have had all of the ingredients for a combustible mixture this summer. Six practice sessions… Tons of heat and guys who are trying to make an early impression on their coaches…
Earlier this week, the plan was to start the full-padded practice early. The goal was to avoid scorching temperatures later. That didn’t seem to matter much. Things still got hot on the field.
Rookie Jihaad Campbell popped Dallas Goedert pretty hard on one instance, sending the vet to the ground. One issue… It wasn’t supposed to be a full-contact or tackling session.
Dallas Goedert responds after a tense encounter with praise for a rookie
It’s the nature of camp. Guys are assisting and competing with one another. They push and shove, then slap each other on the helmet to show affection.
Goedert spoke with the media two days after the mini-dust-up. He had nothing but high regard and an A-plus rating for Philly’s exciting rookie defender.
So, no harm and no foul. Guys have to be careful, though. There’s a consensus. Everyone loves Campbell’s aggressiveness and enthusiasm, but this is also training camp. The goal is to get everyone to the regular season as healthy as possible. Goedert offered his take, one that says everything about what this time of the year entails.
“I want to be able to pull people back, not try to push them forward. You don’t want someone that you have to go and be like, ‘you gotta play harder, you gotta do this, you gotta do that.’ You gotta be like, ‘OK, you’re playing a little bit too hard. Let’s tone it down a little.’ He’s definitely got that in him… He’s been doing a great job.”
The rookie is ahead of schedule. We once thought we wouldn’t see him practice until sometime in August, and the ferocity with which he plays offers another positive sign. He’s healing nicely. Signs are pointing to his debut in Week 1 of the regular season.
