Jalen Hurts is settling into a new-look Eagles training camp, and he’s noticing something specific: Darius Cooper keeps making plays. The Eagles quarterback name-checked the second-year receiver as a standout during a recent conversation about where his head is at with camp underway at the Jefferson Health Training Complex, and beat reporters on the ground have backed that up practice after practice.
Philadelphia is a little over a month away from opening the 2026 season, and the roster looks different than it did a year ago. The Eagles are coming off a Wild Card round exit, and there’s real pressure to prove last season’s step back was a blip and not a trend.
Hurts Reflects on Camp Atmosphere
Hurts described the early days of camp as a time for connection more than competition. “This is just a beautiful time to get to learn your teammates, talk about the trip we took to Florida and the time we spent in Houston. … You know the Babyface song ‘Body Talk’? See how that body talks to you,” he said, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network on X, formerly Twitter —
Of note here, Jalen Hurts name checked Darius Cooper as an #Eagles receiver who has emerged in his eyes recently. Cooper had nine catches for 92 yards as an undrafted rookie last year. Sounds like Hurts thinks those numbers could go way north. https://t.co/uZ00B0J1Ff
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 5, 2026
It’s the kind of loose, early-camp comment that fits where the Eagles are right now. Under first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, who replaced Kevin Patullo after Philadelphia’s Wild Card loss to the 49ers, the offense is still finding its rhythm. Multiple camp reports have described uneven practices mixed with flashes of the unit clicking, which tracks with a group still installing a new system.
Darius Cooper Building on a Strong Rookie Year
Garafolo also relayed that Hurts singled out Cooper specifically: “Jalen Hurts name checked Darius Cooper as an #Eagles receiver who has emerged in his eyes recently.” Cooper caught nine passes for 92 yards as an undrafted rookie last season, modest numbers on paper, but Hurts’ comment suggests he expects more this time around.
That read lines up with what’s shown up on the practice field. Cooper has come down with a string of contested and diving catches through the first several days of camp, including plays that beat reporters have flagged as highlights of practice. He’s done it working the middle of the field against tight coverage, the kind of target Hurts tends to trust once a receiver proves he’ll go get the ball.
Cooper’s emergence matters more this year because of who isn’t in the receiver room anymore. The Eagles traded A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots this offseason, sending Philadelphia’s longtime No. 1 target to reunite with Mike Vrabel in exchange for New England’s 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. That leaves DeVonta Smith as the clear top target, with the Eagles restocking the room around him through free agency, trades, and the draft.
- Signed veteran Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency
- Traded for Dontayvion Wicks, who played under Mannion in Green Bay
- Selected USC receiver Makai Lemon in the first round of the 2026 draft
Against that backdrop, a receiver like Cooper carving out real playing time isn’t just a nice camp story. It’s a depth chart the Eagles genuinely need to work out before Week 1.
What It Means for the Offense
Mannion’s install is still early, but the pieces are in motion. Lemon gives the Eagles a true first-round talent to develop, Wicks brings familiarity with the new coordinator’s scheme, and Cooper offers a low-cost option who’s already shown he can win contested catches against NFL corners. If Cooper keeps stacking practices like the ones he’s had, he’s got a real shot at playing a role as a rotational or red zone target this season.
Hurts himself is looking to bounce back after a down statistical year in 2025, and so is running back Saquon Barkley. Camp has been a mixed bag through the first several practices — sharp days followed by rougher ones, which head coach Nick Sirianni’s staff has generally chalked up to normal growing pains with a new play-caller and a retooled receiver group.
The Eagles open their season on September 13, giving Mannion and this receiver corps a little over a month to turn camp flashes into a functioning offense.
