It has been a minute, hasn't it? The "E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES" chants. The intensity of practice. The voices of coaches. Players chirping. On a picture-perfect Wednesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex, your favorite football team returned to the practice fields for Day 1 of the 2026 Training Camp and it was everything you'd hoped it would be.

Good, crisp football.

Obvious competition throughout the roster.

Optimism throughout, along with the understanding that it is a small step in a series of many, and that there is a whole lot of work ahead. Nothing is going to be given to these Philadelphia Eagles, and that's the way it should be.

From a micro perspective, the good plays as well as the teaching points are part of the process of Training Camp. From a macro perspective, well, let's step back a moment and appreciate what it all means when a player like Jalen Carter signs a contract that reportedly makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history and the boost that it gives the locker room as camp opens, and the message that it sends to the players, and the continuation of an organizational philosophy that has helped build an impressive core of star talent.

There is a reason the Eagles are, annually, a team that contends for a Super Bowl.

"There is something about this organization. There is something about Howie (Roseman). They just do it the right way in my opinion," running back Saquon Barkley said. "There is a reason why this team has been successful. I was talking with Dallas (Goedert, tight end, who has been an Eagle since the 2018 season). We're both going into Year 9 and he's only missed the playoffs once (2020 season). It's not an accident.

"There's a reason why Dallas has never really had to hit the market, why Lane (Johnson, right tackle) has been here the whole time (since 2013). They take care of their guys. It's not like that everywhere, and this is not me taking a shot at New York (Giants, Barkley's previous team). It is respect to how this team is run.

"If you're a younger guy, or a guy who is trying to get paid, you do what you gotta do and you will get taken care of."

Carter is signed through the 2031 campaign. Center Cam Jurgens, defensive tackle Jordan Davis, outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard, and punter Bradan Mann are signed through 2029, and then the roster has quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, offensive guard Landon Dickerson, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and placekicker Jake Elliott signed through 2028.

That is a healthy, in-its-prime core group of players, with another wave of young standouts coming next.

"General managers get hired and they'll stand up in front of these microphones and they'll be asked, 'How do you want to build this team?' They'll say, 'We want to draft well, we want to develop, and we want to re-sign (the players),'" Roseman said. "Since Coach (Nick) Sirianni has been here, that's all we've done. We drafted players, we signed our players, and when you talk about culture, that's the first thing that comes to mind. The players think, 'If I do well, I'm going to be rewarded. I don't have to go somewhere else.' So, that's really a huge part of what we're trying to do. We're proud about that.'

"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 long term."

The approach, in place for many seasons and much discussed, is appropriate now as the coaches and players keep their focus on 2026 and Roseman and his team – those who evaluate talent, contribute on the analytics side, and build financial models on how to move forward – also project for the next two to three years. Roseman said on Wednesday that the offseason plan included new deals for Davis and Carter and the timing of the execution was the only question. Evaluating the market and reading where it will go is one of Roseman's many gifts, and signing Carter on the eve of on-field work was perfect as it turned out.

"We don't do anything based on retroactive performance," Roseman said, "we do things based on future performance. We were trying to sign Jalen in March. We understood it was unique because of where the market was and where it was going. It was always positive and we were always trying to get him extended."

And so Carter can just focus on football and on continuing to grow his game. Sirianni praised Carter for his offseason conditioning work, Barkley talked about how "scary" Carter's ceiling is, and Jordan Davis was present in the media press conference celebration as Carter was present for Davis' big day after signing his new contract.

Day 1 was just great, in every way.

The energy level at The Jeff blew up once the players arrived and crushed the conditioning test – save the PUP designation for Greenard, who has a pectoral strain that the Eagles say isn't a long-term concern – and started the climb toward September 13 and the Washington Commanders opening the regular season.

The goals here are obvious. The expectations are high. The standard, as Sirianni talked about, is clearly defined.

"We're very proud that we make the job description very clear," Sirianni said. "For each and every one of our players, we have a standard at every position. The standard remains the standard here."

And with players like Carter and the long list that continues to grow, the Eagles are in position to reach that standard which, we all know, feels so very sweet in the middle of February.