Practice Notes: Saquon Barkley’s ground game and Riq Woolen’s physicality shape Eagles-Patriots joint sessions

The Philadelphia Eagles opened their two-day look with the New England Patriots in Foxborough in the way many preseason matchups are meant to begin, with the emphasis on evaluation rather than headlines. In the Eagles’ own account of the sessions, there was no declared winner because joint practices do not affect standings. Still, the details mattered: the Eagles’ rushing emphasis carried weight early, and their passing work included a couple of deep throws that the team framed as well-placed and clean in execution.

Saquon Barkley was the center of that running attention in the Eagles’ practice notes. Philadelphia’s offensive focus in these sessions, as described by the team, leaned into the run game and Barkley’s ability to set a tone for the group. For an offense that often builds tempo and efficiency through early down management, the practical value of getting the rushing attack to look like itself is hard to overstate this time of year.

On the other side of the ball, the Eagles highlighted a defensive matchup to watch: cornerback Riq Woolen’s physical style and athletic traits creating friction for the Patriots’ opponents. The team’s description emphasized Woolen’s size and speed, and how that combination made life difficult for the New England offense during the joint work. In a practice context, that kind of constraint is useful for assessing whether an offense can move the ball when a defense plays with assertiveness and range.

Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts, meanwhile, drew attention in the Eagles’ recap for his throwing touch. The notes specifically credited Hurts with a pair of deep throws described as having “perfect touch.” While practice throws do not translate directly to game results, coaches and coordinators still use these moments to gauge timing, ball placement, and whether the team can reliably push the ball downfield when protections and routes are on script.

The Eagles’ framing also underscores what joint practices are designed to do. The sessions provide a structured environment for both teams to test matchups against live look patterns, rather than rehearsing in isolation. That makes themes like Barkley’s rushing tone, Hurts’ ability to deliver deep balls, and Woolen’s ability to challenge routes and receivers more than just passing observations. They become indicators of who is executing well under pressure from a second set of personnel.

What to watch next is less about who “won” the two days and more about carryover. If Barkley’s early-down impact remains visible, it can shape how the Eagles build their run-pass rhythm in the remainder of their preseason slate. If Hurts’ deep-ball accuracy looks consistent, the offense can use it as a constraint on defenses, helping open space underneath. And if Woolen’s physicality continues to translate into coverage disruption against qualified targets, it suggests the Patriots’ secondary identity is taking shape through the early workload.

For the Patriots and Eagles, the practical takeaway is that joint practices compress key evaluations into a short window. Even without standings implications, the exchange of looks can reveal how quickly a unit adjusts to different timing, spacing, and leverage rules. The rest of camp will decide how durable those early themes are when execution is tested in full game situations, not just practice scripts.