Shurmur hoping 'shiny pants' lead to shining moments
Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said when it comes to his young WRs in Friday's preseason opener, he wants to see them make the same plays against the Bears they've been making in camp.
With Riley Cooper and Jeff Maehl still in walking boots, the Eagles' young receivers are expected to get a good look Friday night in the preseason opener in Chicago. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Tuesday that at this point in preparation for the regular season, the added exposure is helping with "developing the depth of the team."
Shurmur said he isn't worried about Jeremy Maclin, who bowed out of Monday's practice, returned Tuesday, but didn't do much. Maclin is coming back from an ACL tear.
"He's taken a lot of reps. He's done an outstanding job," Shurmur said, indicating that Maclin needing to back off a bit Monday wasn't a big deal to him.
"Everybody's trying to get their bodies ready to play individually, and then within that, everybody's trying to learn to play together, within the scheme, so that we can go out and play on Sundays," Shurmur said.
After the workout, Maclin said he was dealing with leg soreness, the consequence of returning to regular football work after a year off. He said he expects to practice Wednesday and to play Friday night.
Asked what he wants to see from the group against the Bears, Shurmur said: "We want our guys to go in and function -- get lined up quickly, run the right routes, when it's time to block, block, and do all the things we ask of them, and then when you put the shiny pants on and the lights are bright, when the ball comes their way, can they actually make a play? Sometimes, guys will be out here on the practice field, do an excellent job, and then when the lights are bright, not so good ... We want to see 'em take it to the field."
Other highlights:
*Asked about developing ways to run the ball with LeSean McCoy in various personnel packages, Shurmur enumerated various ways to use, for example, two-tight-end sets. "We're here a lot of the time. We've got to think of something," he joked.
*Shurmur said he isn't concerned about RB Chris Polk's lingering hamstring problem, and that Polk should be back soon.
Shurmur said second-year tight end Zach Ertz is "developing more and more. I see his confidence really starting to build."