Eagles begin mandatory minicamp Tuesday; here’s what you need to know

The Eagles will hold a mandatory minicamp from Tuesday  to Thursday. The three practices will conclude the offseason program before the Eagles receive their Super Bowl rings on Thursday night and are off for five weeks during the summer. They return in late July for training camp — and will try to play straight through to February. Here are five story lines to watch this week:

Defensive end Michael Bennett did not attend any of the Eagles' voluntary practices during organized team activities, but he's expected to participate in mandatory minicamp. Bennett, 32, will be a key part of the Eagles' defensive line and can start working with his teammates this week. He also could speak to reporters for the first time since his March arrest.

The Eagles have also spent the spring without Darren Sproles. The 34-year-old running back will be in Philadelphia this week. Sproles is recovering from a torn ACL, so he might not yet be a full participant. But it will be a welcome sight for teammates to see Sproles, one of the team's most respected players, who put off retirement to play another season.

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The Eagles have a had a star-studded injury list this offseason, including Carson Wentz, Jason Peters, Jordan Hicks, and Brandon Graham. Wentz will continue to accelerate his workload, although he's not yet ready to participate in full-team workouts. Many of the injured players could be ready by the time training camp begins. Peters and Hicks have both been limited participants this spring. Graham hasn't been able to practice.

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Mychal Kendricks was released at the beginning of organized team activities, and the Eagles are still evaluating his potential replacements at weakside linebacker. Corey Nelson and Nate Gerry are two players to watch. Nelson signed with the Eagles during the offseason expecting to compete for the job. Gerry, a 2017 fifth-round pick, has spent significant time with the first-team defense this offseason.

The spring workouts are usually a chance for lesser-known players to impress the coaching staff. As training camp progresses this summer, the Eagles will begin to give more work to their starters. Some subs have caught the attention of the coaches this offseason, including cornerback De'Vante Bausby. This week is their last chance to leave a favorable impression before camp begins.

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