PHILADELPHIA — After a scheduled off day for Philadelphia Eagles training camp on Sunday, the players return to practice Monday to begin their most arduous week of the summer. They’ll have five practices and a walk-through over their next six days. It’s their longest uninterrupted stretch of camp.The off day also offers a chance to reset and review the first three practices, which served as a prologue for what’s to come this week. The Athletic’s Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena analyzed the start of camp and what’s ahead this week:Eagles mostly healthy as they start practiceZach BermanWhat was your biggest takeaway from the beginning of training camp?Berman: How much better the defense has been than the offense. This is to be expected considering it’s the third year with Vic Fangio and there’s considerable continuity and talent on the roster — and the offense is in the early months of coordinator Sean Mannion’s scheme. But the push-pull in watching these sessions — especially on Saturday — is whether the defense is that good or the offense needs that much work. The offense deserves some patience during training camp. There were signs of life on Day 1, but the past two sessions have been less inspiring.Still, I’m a believer in this defense. The front looks outstanding. You should have confidence in a secondary that includes two All-Pros (Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean) and was fortified by Riq Woolen. This group will contend to be the NFL’s top defense, as it was in Fangio’s first season.Offensively, you can see the changes. It’s not lip service — more under-center plays, the wide-zone running scheme, the intention in how they’re using motion. I would have been surprised if it looked crisp this week. The unit will presumably look better when it’s running the ball.Kubena: The offense may not yet be beating the defense consistently in terms of situational production, but I had a lower bar for the group in Week 1. The system is clearly new in terms of concepts, but it doesn’t look unfamiliar to the players. They don’t look clunky, timid or uncertain.Mannion’s overhaul of the system was always going to be a big undertaking, especially considering this is the first-time offensive coordinator’s first time managing this responsibility. I asked Hollywood Brown, who’s playing for his fourth team, if it seems like Mannion is doing this for the first time. Brown quickly said no. Dontayvion Wicks, who played for the Green Bay Packers during Mannion’s two-year tenure as an assistant, told me that this is the most he’s ever heard Mannion talk. Wicks also said Mannion is much more “hands-on now” with the players, and when he installs plays, he gives the players “every detail” they need to understand the ins and outs of the play.Mannion’s initial installations of motions and misdirection plays have been effective from my vantage point in team drills — not red flags in need of refinement.What stands out to you about Jalen Hurts?Kubena: There are encouraging signs from Hurts both on and off the field. Foremost, he looks comfortable in this new system. His footwork looks solid rolling both to his right and left on play-action bootlegs, and, although he threw one low ball to DeVonta Smith in the flats on Day 1, Hurts seems to be setting his feet at a precise rhythm. He is also attacking the middle of the field more. These first three practices seem to suggest Mannion’s system offers Hurts more favorable conditions to attack that zone than previous ones.He also appeared more relaxed and genial during his first media appearance. His smiley story of slapping a $5 bill on Jalen Carter’s chest after the defensive tackle’s contract extension contributes to a preseason energy that feels a lot like when Hurts and Nick Sirianni rode out of practice together on a golf cart in 2024.Berman: He’s been receptive to the changes on offense and seems to be lighter in how he’s carrying himself. My sense is Hurts knows the stakes of the season, understands the discussion surrounding him and is motivated entering a critical year. The line about “a hundred percent alignment and zero entitlement” might have seemed scripted, but it seems to be his objective. You saw it in the time he spent with his receivers this offseason and the way he’s taken to Mannion’s system.Of course, it’s easy to be aligned in August. The question is how it looks in November and December. On the field, he’s definitely throwing more between the hashes. He has connected on a few deep balls during the first three practices. But more consistency from the offense is required, and everything starts with Hurts.What concerns you?Berman: Jonathan Greenard’s injury. I’m not dismissing the team’s stance that it’s not a long-term injury and that he’s a veteran, but we’ve seen high-level players suffer summer injuries that linger even upon their return. Greenard is such an important player and was the team’s marquee offseason acquisition. On the surface, it’s an unfortunate development that a new addition is missing time in training camp. And even when he returns, it’s reasonable to wonder how a pass rusher who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last season will be affected by a pectoral injury this season.Kubena: I agree on Greenard. The Eagles have an elite secondary that can cover for longer than most defenses, but that should not be taxed. Five players also left the field with apparent injuries or ailments during the first week of training camp. Three of them were on the offensive line. Second-year offensive tackle Cameron Williams has a knee contusion that isn’t expected to hold him out for long. Sixth-round rookie guard Micah Morris left the field with trainers on Saturday. And undrafted guard Jaeden Roberts was carted off the field after going down and clutching his left leg during Saturday’s team drills.What surprised you?Kubena: I was surprised to see Fred Johnson take first-team reps at right tackle on Saturday while Lane Johnson was away from the facility with an excused absence. Third-round rookie Markel Bell had taken second-team reps over Fred Johnson during OTAs, and, for the first three training camp practices, Bell had been playing at right tackle with the second-team unit. This was the first indication that Fred Johnson actually has the edge in the swing tackle battle.Berman: The Eagles haven’t slow-played first-round pick Makai Lemon into the lineup even though he missed minicamp. Lemon has been working with the first-team offense, and the Eagles seem committed to finding ways to get him the ball.Conversely, it hasn’t been that way for second-round pick Eli Stowers. He’s been down the depth chart at tight end and has yet to showcase his playmaking skills. I figured Stowers might be more involved in packages with the first-team offense.Most interesting thing someone said?Berman: I’m going with two things. One about roster building, one about the on-field product.I’ll go back to Day 1 when Howie Roseman answered your question about the upcoming contracts and said, “I would say to our fans, if you’re wearing a jersey with some of those guys with those names on the back, we fully intend for those guys to be here (for) the long term.” That’s a big question with the ongoing shift in spending from offense to defense — the Eagles drafted so well in recent years on defense, but can they keep all of them? No, they cannot, but the blue-chip, top-of-the-league talents like DeJean and Mitchell will be priorities. (My guess is Jalyx Hunt will fit into this category, too.)And then hearing Lane Johnson gush about Mannion’s scheme was interesting. “It’s very O-line friendly compared to some past years that I’ve been involved in,” he said. Johnson is a truth teller and has been a Hall of Fame-caliber player in other schemes. To hear how excited he is about having help from a guard as opposed to remaining on an island — and the benefit of being under center to prevent defenses from picking up on reads — spoke volumes. “I’ve never had help in my entire career in pass protection here,” Johnson said.Kubena: I got a chance to chat with Riq Woolen after Thursday’s practice, and it was interesting to hear his excitement about Vic Fangio playing him a little bit more off the ball than he did in four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Woolen acknowledged that he’s “known as a press corner,” which is why some presumed that Fangio would leverage Woolen’s 6-4, 210-pound frame for similar purposes. I am less interested in the amount of press man Woolen will play. (Fangio is known to give his cornerbacks off-ball cushion.) I am more interested in the fact that it seems Woolen is more comfortable in this scheme, and that it may lead to him committing fewer penalties than he did in Seattle.What are you watching this week?Kubena: More explosivity from this receiver corps. Onlookers were spoiled in previous training camps as DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown took turns Mossing defensive backs for long gains. It has been notably quiet this year. Wicks leaped for a deep ball from Hurts on Thursday, and Smith snagged two impressive crossers across four practices. But it just doesn’t sit well that such plays can be counted on one hand — especially with Lemon healthy and on the field.Berman: Progress from the offense will be key. When the pads come on, we’ll learn more about the running game. My view is this offense will be built around the running game, so perhaps that could give us a better sense of how the group is progressing. Also, I want to see if there’s a rotation at the second safety spot next to Drew Mukuba in nickel or if this will be Marcus Epps’ job to lose. If Epps remains the top option next week, I’d expect it’s his job unless the Eagles make a trade.