Eagles Training Camp Day 1: Pederson Loves Foles, Other News

By Noah Levick, Sports Talk Philly staff 

As a former clipboard-holder himself, maybe Doug Pederson just loves all backup QBs. But based on his glowing praise on Day 1 of Training Camp for the new Eagles #2, it sure seems like there's something special about Nick Foles. 

"It's important to have that veteran QB as a backup," Pederson said. "Obviously I was in that position. Nick is very familiar with our offense, having come from KC, where there's a lot of similar terminology. He's a teacher, he's a leader, and a great example for Carson to look to for a lot of answers." 

Speaking of Wentz, Pederson is, not surprisingly, optimistic about the North Dakotan heading into his sophomore season.

"I'm excited about the guys we have. Adding some talent around Carson was important for us this spring," Pederson said. "Carson comes in refreshed, rejuvenated, eager … he's ready to go."

We will have to wait until everyone reports to camp on Thursday to see Wentz's new weapons for the first time in Eagles uniforms. Instead of throwing to Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffrey, Wentz was throwing to rookies like fifth-round pick Shelton Gibson and fourth-rounder Mack Hollins on Monday morning. Gibson apparently dropped a lot of passes on his first day as a pro.

Unlike with the QBs, Pederson admitted he does not have nearly as much expertise when it comes to injuries. "I'm not a medical guy," he said at one point. That said, he did shed some light on the status of a couple significant players.

Pederson noted that linebacker Jordan Hicks broke a bone in his hand and "had a minor procedure." While he'll be limited to start training camp, Pederson doesn't expect him to miss any preseason games. 

Cornerback Ron Brooks and linebacker Joe Walker were among the selected veterans at practice. Both are healthy after suffering major injuries last season, Brooks a torn quad muscle and Walker a torn ACL in preseason. Pederson called Brooks "our nickel corner."

Jordan Matthews' situation is a bit more mysterious. "There's nothing wrong with his knee," Pederson said, but he's not practicing. It's been reported that Matthews missed most of the Eagles' OTAs due to tendinitis.