How Quinyon Mitchell is taking more than trash talking to elite levels vs AJ Brown, Eagles

PHILADELPHIA − It was no accident that rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell was matched up with star wide receiver A.J. Brown on Tuesday during 1-on-1 drills at the Eagles' first padded practice of training camp.

If Mitchell is going to start for the Eagles, perhaps as soon as the season opener, there is no better preparation than a 1-on-1 drill near the goal line. Brown, after all, is big, fast and strong, and excels in any situation, whether it's out-running a cornerback or out-muscling him.

Plus, Brown has the advantage of knowing where he's going, as opposed to Mitchell, who's reacting.

Yet there was Mitchell, getting physical with Brown at the back center of the end zone, pushing Brown out of bounds and thus preventing quarterback Jalen Hurts from throwing the ball to him.

After the play, Mitchell stared at Brown and appeared to say something to Brown. Mitchell wouldn't divulge what he said, but during a spring practice, Brown said that Mitchell told him "that route was trash" when Mitchell broke up a pass to Brown.

"I'm gonna just keep it between me and him," Mitchell said when asked if he criticized Brown's route again. "We're gonna compete and we're gonna talk trash all day."

On the second matchup, Brown tried an outside move to the back corner of the end zone, where Hurts threw over Brown's shoulder. Just as Brown reached out to catch it with one hand, Mitchell pushed Brown so that he couldn't get his second foot in bounds.

The referee made the out of bounds signal, and Mitchell demonstrably copied the signal.

Brown, meanwhile, just laughed.

In the spring, Brown said he admired that kind of confidence from Mitchell, who has come across as quiet and reserved since the Eagles drafted him in the first round.

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"He’s going to be playing against other (top receivers), and I want to see him hold his own," Brown said in June. "I told him, ‘All right, you took the first step (by trash talking). Now you gotta back it up. You’re going to have to walk that walk.’"

For the Eagles, the 1-on-1 drill is where the "walk that walk" part is happening. As the Eagles complete their first week of training camp, Mitchell has already gotten first-team reps at nickel corner. He has served as an outside corner on the second unit.

And Mitchell has more than held his own through all of it, in large part because of the matchups with Brown. And that goes beyond what happens on the field.

"On the field, we're gonna compete," Mitchell said. "But off the field, he's giving me pointers and stuff like that. So I really appreciate it."

Mitchell has gotten chances in the slot in part because second-round pick Cooper DeJean, also a cornerback, suffered a hamstring injury before camp and is expected to be out for another two weeks.

But Mitchell hardly seems overmatched. In fact, he was matched up at nickel against Brown near the goal line in a 7-on-7 drill. This time, Brown made a hard cut to the inside on a quick slant and bodied off Mitchell to make the touchdown catch.

Brown, of course, has done that throughout his career, and that's a good reason why he's one of the top-paid wide receivers in the NFL after signing a three-year extension worth as much as $96 million in the spring. This after back-to-back seasons with 1,496 and 1,456 yards receiving, the two highest totals in Eagles history for a single season.

Mitchell, however, said he welcomed the chance to play in the slot, something he never did in college at Toledo. And yes, he was surprised when the Eagles told him he'd be getting some snaps there. But he approached it like he has everything else in his brief NFL career.

"They threw it at me, and I said 'Let's take it on. Let's do it,'" Mitchell said. "I was ready for it."

Brown can certainly attest to that, as Mitchell grudgingly gave Brown credit for his one-handed catch during the 1-on-1 drill.

"Oh, it was a good catch," Mitchell said. "He was out of bounds, though."

Eagles training camp observations, Day 5

• First, the Eagles signed offensive lineman Nick Gates, who spent five seasons with the Giants before playing for the Commanders last season. Gates has played both guard and center, and has started 37 games in his career. The signing could be an indication that Tyler Steen, vying for a starting job at right guard, could be out for a while. Steen left practice last Saturday with an ankle injury.
• As for other injuries, LB Oren Burks continues to sit out with a knee injury. LG Landon Dickerson left with an apparent toe injury. He missed the first day of practice last week with a toe laceration. Dickerson was replaced by rookie Trevor Keegan, who was originally listed as limited with a shoulder injury.
• The first padded practice also included 1-on-1 drills with the defensive linemen going against the offensive linemen. RT Lane Johnson had a strong session, stopping Bryce Huff and Jalen Carter. Meanwhile, DT Jordan Davis got the better of Cam Jurgens.
• As for team drills, the Eagles spent most of practice working on red zone plays. Hurts was spared his first interception of camp in a 7-on-7 drill near the goal line when Kelee Ringo couldn't hold Hurts' pass at the front of the end zone. Ringo yelled an expletive. But Hurts overall continued his strong play.
• The Eagles have a walkthrough Wednesday before holding their only public practice Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at Ticketmaster. Parking is free.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How Quinyon Mitchell is taking more than trash talking to elite levels vs AJ Brown, Eagles