Phil Sheridan, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Philadelphia Eagles open camp with Sam Bradford, Carson Wentz on display

The Philadelphia Eagles open training camp on Monday at the NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia. Here's a closer look at the Eagles' camp, which wraps up on Aug. 16.

 Top storyline: Quarterbacks, quarterbacks, quarterbacks. There's no getting around it. While it will be compelling to watch as Doug Pederson creates a new culture and Jim Schwartz does a makeover on the defensive side of things, the preseason will revolve around quarterbacks Sam Bradford, Carson Wentz and Chase Daniel. Pederson's plan is to start Bradford and let Daniel aid in the grooming of Wentz. But the first-year head coach will be performing that balancing act while millions of fans evaluate the quarterback play with their own eyes. Should be interesting.

 If Bradford doesn't perform like a starting quarterback: This is where it gets thorny. If Bradford performs as he did at the end of the 2015 season -- or even as he did in the preseason last summer -- fans will be more willing to accept Pederson's plan to let Wentz develop. But if Bradford can't perform at a high level, the clamoring for Wentz will begin pretty quickly. And there probably won't be much patience from the fans if Chase Daniel gets the call.

 Player who will have the fans buzzing: Wentz is the obvious and correct answer. Even if he isn't starting, his development is the key to Pederson's attempt to recreate Andy Reid's heyday. Other than the rookie QB, fans will be keeping their eyes on rookie running back Wendell Smallwood, defensive end Vinny Curry, safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod, and wide receiver Jordan Matthews.

 Position battle worth watching: It is easier and more entertaining to watch competitions at quarterback (Bradford vs. Wentz) and wide receiver (Rueben Randle, Nelson Agholor, Chris Givens). It is not so easy to judge how the left guards are playing, but the battle between Allen Barbre and rookie Isaac Seumalo will tell us more about the team's potential and about the way Pederson handles his players.

 That rookie should start: Cornerback Jalen Mills wasn't selected until the seventh round of the draft because of a leg injury and concern about an allegation of assault. But Mills was considered a second- or third-round talent at LSU and he looked like that during OTAs and minicamp. The 6-foot, 196-pound Mills might not be in the starting lineup right away, but it won't be surprising if he commands playing time as a nickel corner.

 Veteran whose job is in jeopardy: Pederson used the phrase "my guy" separately to describe Bradford and Barbre. Both are in the starting lineup as camp opens, but Wentz and Seumalo were drafted with an eye toward replacing them. Bradford might get more time because of the learning curve for quarterbacks, so Barbre is probably the Eagles' most endangered starter.

 All the hits: Chip Kelly's practices were much more about tempo than impact. The Eagles rarely made contact during Kelly’s training camps. Pederson is planning a return to the way Reid did things, although NFL rules have limited how much hitting a team can do. Reid opened camps with "three days of hell" -- two full-contact practices each of the first three days. Pederson can't do that, but expect the players to be tested in the first few days of camp.

The Schwartz Factor: It shouldn't be surprising that Pederson, a first-time head coach, would hire an alpha-male coordinator to run his defense. That's what Reid did in 1999, and Jim Johnson was a vital part of the team's success for the next nine years. Schwartz coaches the kind of aggressive, intimidating 4-3 scheme that Eagles fans prefer, and that gives him a chance to become a local folk hero.

 What fans will be saying after camp: "Pederson picked the wrong quarterback." They will be saying that because that's what fans do, not necessarily because Pederson will actually make the wrong decision at quarterback. The idea is that Wentz will be better over the long term if he has a chance to get his bearings before having to face NFL defenses. So even if Wentz looks great in the preseason, Pederson is likely to go with Bradford at the start of the season. The fans, impatient to get the new era underway, probably won't hold their tongues.

For daily updates at camp, check out the Philadelphia Eagles clubhouse page.

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