Eagles Reportedly Planning Joint Practice With AFC Team

The Philadelphia Eagles look to have a bounce-back 2024 season after a disappointing 2023 campaign. 

We know who the Eagles’ road and home opponents are for the regular season, but we don’t know who Nick Sirianni and Co. will be playing in the preseason. However, based on a report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss, we might have an inkling about one of the Eagles’ opponents for the preseason.

Reiss reported that Sirianni and New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo discussed holding a single joint practice in Foxborough in August. Reiss adds that if the two teams meet up, “it would be the second week – they plan to practice together.”

The first-year head coach also reportedly prefers a single practice to limit fighting that could take place on a second day.

The Eagles aren’t strangers to holding joint practices with the Patriots, as New England traveled to Philadelphia in the summer of 2021 for two days before a preseason tilt at Lincoln Financial Field. Before that, the two teams participated in a joint practice in Foxborough in 2014.

Last summer, the Eagles held joint practices with the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts before playing them in the preseason. Joint practices are great for Philly as they face a different opponent and see various schemes.

After changing offensive and defensive coordinators in the offseason, this potential joint practice against the Patriots will be a good opportunity to see if the Eagles' defense will look better under Vic Fangio and get an early look at Jalen Hurts in a Kellen Moore scheme.

Nonetheless, Eagles fans shouldn’t put a ton of stock into the preseason or a joint practice. That said, the team needs to have a good showing against a Pats squad rebuilding under Mayo.

More Eagles news and analysis: