15 Patriots to watch during joint practices with Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles will get something during two joint practices with the New England Patriots that their preseason opener could not provide: extended work for established starters against an unfamiliar opponent. Philadelphia kept most of its core players out of the loss to Baltimore, making the trip to Foxborough the first meaningful evaluation outside the team this season for several important position groups.

The Patriots offer a Super Bowl-caliber opponent, including a rising star at quarterback, a familiar star receiver, two accomplished cornerbacks and a defensive front capable of stressing every level of the Eagles’ protection.

Christian Gonzalez would provide the most anticipated individual test if he participates. The cornerback has practiced lightly while waiting for a new contract and could be held out of some or all competitive periods. If Gonzalez is unavailable, Philadelphia still will have plenty of Patriots worth monitoring during the two sessions.

1. Christian Gonzalez, cornerback

Gonzalez is the ideal opponent for DeVonta Smith because his length, patience and recovery speed can challenge every portion of Smith’s route tree. Smith recently returned after missing time due to a hamstring injury, so the practices are about regaining timing with Jalen Hurts as much as about defeating coverage. Gonzalez’s status remains uncertain while he awaits a contract extension and has been working lightly. New England could hold him out rather than expose one of its most important defenders during a practice. Even a limited number of competitive repetitions would give Philadelphia a valuable measurement of Smith’s readiness and Gonzalez’s ability to travel with a polished receiver.

2. A.J. Brown, wide receiver

Brown will attract attention because he is facing his former team, but the matchup's football value is more important than the reunion. His size, play strength and ability to win through contact will test Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen and Philadelphia’s safeties. Brown can expose poor leverage on slants, in-breaking routes and back-shoulder throws, while his presence gives Drake Maye a target who can rescue a play when coverage is tight. Philadelphia’s defensive backs know his game well. Preventing that familiarity from becoming overconfidence will be part of the challenge.

3. Drake Maye, quarterback

Maye allows Vic Fangio’s defense to evaluate its disguise, communication and rush discipline against a talented young quarterback. His arm strength can threaten the defense vertically, and his mobility requires edge defenders to maintain their responsibilities after the initial read breaks down. Philadelphia can vary its fronts and coverages without revealing an entire regular-season plan. The most useful information will come from whether Maye identifies late rotations, finds Brown and Hunter Henry against pressure and forces the Eagles to defend every portion of the field.

4. Carlton Davis III, cornerback

Davis becomes especially important if Gonzalez is unavailable. The veteran cornerback offers size, physical coverage and extensive experience against top receivers. He can challenge Smith at the line, but he also creates useful work for Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore and Darius Cooper. Philadelphia needs clarity behind Smith, and Davis will make its receivers earn releases and finish catches through contact. His presence ensures the Eagles will still encounter a starting-caliber boundary matchup even if New England protects Gonzalez.

5. Harold Landry III, linebacker

Landry’s burst, bend and experience make him a valuable opponent for Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. Philadelphia’s starting tackles rarely encounter many problems during camp, but Landry can threaten the corner and convert speed into power. He also gives the Eagles’ tight ends and running backs meaningful pass-protection work when the Patriots move him around the formation. The practices can reveal whether Philadelphia’s protection rules remain clean against a defense willing to change Landry’s alignment and create uncertainty before the snap.

6. Christian Barmore, defensive tackle

Barmore provides a powerful interior challenge for Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens and Tyler Steen. He can collapse the pocket, disrupt the running game and force guards to anchor without losing their balance. That work becomes even more valuable because Jurgens and the guards must communicate against a front they have not studied every day. Barmore’s presence also will test Philadelphia’s reserve interior linemen when the second units take the field. Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall and Jake Majors need opponents capable of exposing technical mistakes, and Barmore can do exactly that.

7. Milton Williams, defensive tackle

Williams’ familiarity with Philadelphia adds another layer to the practices. The former Eagle understands several of the linemen he will face, while Philadelphia knows how disruptive his first step and athleticism can become. That knowledge should create competitive one-on-one periods and more complicated team repetitions. Williams can attack gaps, stunt with New England’s edge defenders and test whether the Eagles’ interior can pass assignments without opening a direct path to Hurts. His work against Steen and Philadelphia’s reserve guards will be particularly useful.

8. TreVeyon Henderson, running back

Henderson offers the speed to test Philadelphia’s linebackers in space and the receiving ability to stress coverage rules. Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. must identify his release, maintain leverage and close without overcommitting. Henderson also can punish undisciplined pursuit when an inside run reaches the second level. Joint practices rarely feature full tackling, but the positioning still matters. Philadelphia will learn whether its linebackers are arriving under control and whether its safeties can provide reliable support when Henderson reaches open space.

9. Rhamondre Stevenson, running back

Stevenson presents a different problem. His size and contact balance will test the fits of Philadelphia’s front seven even when periods stop short of live tackling. Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo must control the point of attack, while the linebackers need to fill downhill without creating cutback lanes. New England can rotate Stevenson and Henderson to force the defense to adjust from power to speed without changing personnel. That contrast should provide Fangio with useful information about the flexibility of his base defense.

10. Hunter Henry, tight end

Henry remains one of Maye’s most dependable options and should challenge Philadelphia between the numbers and in the red zone. Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, Cooper DeJean and the linebackers could all see coverage assignments against him. The Eagles need to determine which combinations give them the best answer against an experienced tight end who understands spacing and knows how to find openings against zone coverage. Henry’s blocking also will test the edges of Philadelphia’s run defense during heavier personnel periods.

11. Kevin Byard III, safety

Byard brings another familiar face into the joint sessions after his previous stop in Philadelphia. His range, experience and understanding of quarterback tendencies make him an important opponent for Hurts. Byard can disguise his intentions, rotate after the snap, and punish late throws over the middle. Philadelphia’s quarterbacks must move him with their eyes rather than allowing him to control route combinations. His presence should also provide useful lessons for young Eagles receivers who must recognize coverage changes while maintaining the proper route depth.

12. Will Campbell, offensive tackle

Campbell gives Philadelphia’s edge rushers a young, powerful tackle to evaluate. A.J. Epenesa, Jihaad Campbell and the rest of the defensive front can test his footwork with speed before countering inside. New England will be equally interested in seeing how its second-year left tackle responds to Philadelphia’s variety of alignments. The Eagles do not need sacks to win these periods. Compressing the pocket, forcing Maye off his spot and maintaining rush-lane integrity would provide a better indication of whether the edge group is functioning properly.

13. Mike Onwenu, offensive lineman

At 350 pounds, Onwenu gives the Eagles’ defensive tackles a significant power test. Carter and Davis can determine whether their leverage and hand placement hold up against one of New England’s strongest blockers. Onwenu’s ability to play multiple positions also allows the Patriots to change combinations and create different matchups during the two practices. For Philadelphia, success means preventing movement on double teams, separating from blocks and keeping Baun and Campbell clean enough to finish their run fits.

14. DeMario Douglas, wide receiver

Douglas’ quickness from the slot will test DeJean, Michael Carter II and Philadelphia’s underneath coverage. His routes require disciplined leverage because one false step can create immediate separation. The Eagles must also tackle cleanly after the catch, even when practice rules prevent defenders from taking receivers to the ground. Douglas gives New England a useful counter to Brown’s physical boundary presence. Defending both styles without coverage breakdowns will test the communication between Philadelphia’s corners, safeties and linebackers.

15. Robert Spillane, linebacker

Spillane is the type of veteran linebacker who can disrupt an offense before the snap. He communicates, attacks downhill and understands how to time pressure through interior gaps. Hurts, Jurgens and the running backs must identify his alignment and determine whether he is rushing, dropping or helping New England disguise another pressure. Spillane also should see work against Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley in underneath coverage. Those repetitions will help Philadelphia evaluate its answers when opponents attempt to remove the easy throws that keep the offense on schedule.

The practices should offer the Eagles more useful information than another controlled workout against their own defense. Gonzalez’s possible absence would remove the most compelling matchup, but it would not diminish the overall value of the trip. New England has enough talent and variety to test Philadelphia’s starters, challenge its reserves and expose the areas that still need attention before the regular season.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 15 Patriots to watch during joint practices with Eagles