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Which Eagles On Defense Are Most Under The Microscope? · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

0:09
Speaker 1: Inside the Birds is back.
0:14
Speaker 2: What's going on, everybody?
0:15
Speaker 1: It's Jeff Mosher and Adam Kaplan and we are going
0:17
to finish a two part series we started last week.
0:20
We are talking about Philadelphia Eagles who are under the
0:24
microscope going into the two thousand and twenty five season.
0:28
Last week we did it about offensive players under the microscope,
0:33
not under the radar. Under the radar means people aren't talking.
0:36
Speaker 2: About you enough. Under the microscope means you, my friend, You, mister.
0:40
Speaker 1: Philadelphia Eagle, are really expected to state your case in
0:45
twenty twenty five for being either a starter or a
0:48
very key role player. And Adam, we know on defense
0:51
that list is pretty long because the Eagles are trying
0:53
to replace half their starting lineup as it is.
0:57
Speaker 3: Yeah, at least five new starters and gonna have new roles.
1:00
So sometimes they're players you see us in the NBA
1:03
where they're really good six men, or they become starters
1:07
that are not quite as effective. So that's gonna be
1:10
the challenge for some of these guys who were even
1:13
if they didn't play a lot, but some are really
1:14
good behind the scenes. As we noted last fall, Trotter
1:17
was doing very well in practice, but now he may
1:20
be starting week one, so we'll have to see what
1:21
happens there. But a guy, by the way, a guy
1:24
you want to mention, A guy that was a starter,
1:27
he's a rotational player. Was Vinnie Curry who was all
1:30
with us on Patreon? Was it Thursday night? He was phenomenal?
1:34
Speaker 2: Oh last week? Yeah, he was really great.
1:37
Speaker 1: It's one of the I know, we keep saying it's
1:38
one of the great perks of being a Patreon member
1:41
because nobody's doing what we're doing, which is taking our
1:44
Patreon members and allowing them to talk directly to maybe
1:49
somebody they grew up rooting for or idolizing a former
1:52
Eagle player coach or front Offics executive. And it was
1:55
a great time right to have Vinnie as we're doing
1:57
sort of this under the microscope series, because I pointed
2:00
out when I introduced him, his first two years, he
2:03
didn't play a whole lot as a second round pick.
2:05
You know, Jim Washburn was the defensive line coach, he
2:07
had his guys, and then everything changed for Vinnie in
2:10
year three, which Adam is usually as we will talk
2:13
about in this episode, for a lot of guys, that's
2:15
when you need to have. You know, you need to
2:18
know who you are, and the organization needs to know
2:21
by year three who they what they have in you,
2:23
because that's when they like to give the extensions, like
2:25
Cam Jurgen's just got one after.
2:27
Speaker 2: Year three, and Vinnie broke out in year three for.
2:29
Speaker 1: Nine sacks and he got his extension, and then pretty
2:32
sure shortly after that, you know, Doug and Jim Schwartz
2:36
were in command that year, so actually he got the extension.
2:39
Then that happened, and then you know, he was a
2:42
big part of the Eagles first Super Bowl when he
2:44
was a starter, a really important part of that defensive
2:47
line group that rotated, and he talked to all about
2:51
it and it was really our guys, our patrion members,
2:53
I thought, asked really awesome questions and he was more
2:56
than happy to talk about it.
2:58
Speaker 2: Was great.
2:58
Speaker 3: Two things. You know, he never started a game until
3:01
year six, idn't. I'm shocked by that, yep, which is
3:06
hard to believe. And you had a note when you
3:09
introduced him that because obviously you got to know him
3:12
pretty well, you covered him closely, got to know him personally,
3:15
that it was he had such great energy. I guess
3:18
you were talking about how he nobody wanted it as
3:20
bad as he did, Like, what did you mean by that?
3:23
Speaker 1: Well, so as we talked about, remember when he got
3:27
drafted in twenty twelve, that was the Jim Washburn I
3:31
think that was the last year of Andy Reid and
3:32
Jim Washburn.
3:33
Speaker 2: So he didn't play.
3:34
Speaker 1: He only played six games YEA as the second round pick,
3:38
and that was I could see it in his eye.
3:40
You know, him and Brandon Graham were behind Trent Cole
3:44
and Jason Babin and it was really tough for them
3:46
to get it on the field.
3:47
Speaker 2: Brandon was still coming back from the.
3:48
Speaker 1: Injury and that was the point of his career where
3:51
it just wasn't working out for him at that point, right,
3:53
And I would talk to those guys a lot, and
3:56
when things weren't going well for their season, they were wondering,
3:58
all right, well are they gonna put in? They're going
4:00
to put us in and they never got put in.
4:02
And I would see Vinnie, and I've told the people
4:04
on Patreon you could see the hunger in his eyes.
4:08
And then even year two, which was for Vinnie twenty thirteen,
4:12
I think that was Doug in Jim Schwartz's first year
4:14
where he started to play more, but he wasn't a starter,
4:17
And you're right, I mean he was always a rotational guy.
4:19
I mean there was always Trent Cole and then BG
4:22
started to work his way up. So Vinie didn't start
4:24
until the Super Bowl year. But he did have nine
4:27
sacks that third year as a reserve, so you knew
4:30
he was coming in and giving them really good quality production.
4:33
And that's what got him that contract extension.
4:35
Speaker 3: You know what's interesting. So again he was he was
4:39
a backup for obviously many years, but a key one
4:41
though for a number of years. And you want to
4:45
talk about rotations in twenty seventeen where he obviously had
4:50
a very good year in his role, fifty six percent
4:53
snaps on defense, Like that's a perfect quasi starter, rotational player.
5:00
You know, he only he only had three sacks, but
5:02
that doesn't really tell you everything. Pressures, run fits which
5:07
are very as the first player, very important, just a
5:10
really big part of their that sub package. And also
5:14
he played special teams too. It wasn't like he didn't
5:16
do that either. He just became a solid quality sect
5:20
round pick over number of years.
5:22
Speaker 1: Yeah, and Vinnie had had his own like he I
5:24
guess he got to the statistician in twenty seventeen and
5:27
he noted that he led the NFL. I think he
5:30
said in tackles for a loss and hurries slash pressures
5:34
on first down because he was basically playing first and
5:36
second down, so he was doing it not really well.
5:39
Speaker 3: Yeah, and just.
5:40
Speaker 1: Overall he's a great human being, so he's really fun
5:43
to talk to. So all the questions were just it
5:46
made for good discussion.
5:49
Speaker 3: Was it was, And the story that he told we
5:51
won't give this away. This is an incredible story that
5:55
to Aaron, who has been a long time member of Patron,
5:57
he wasn't in there, but we allowed people. If you
5:59
can't make it, leave your questions on the link and
6:02
we'll ask him. And his story about one of the
6:05
defensive coaches we're not going to give it away, was epic.
6:09
We all rolled like we just were laughing hysterically. It's
6:12
one of those you can't believe this happened, but it happened.
6:14
Really cool story.
6:15
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think the story without giving it away is
6:17
you can't believe he was still drafted after.
6:22
Speaker 2: But yeah, you gotta watch it. It's great.
6:23
Speaker 1: That's why it pays to be a Patreon member at
6:26
patreon dot com slash Inside the Birds because of our
6:30
monthly Asking Eagle live stream, we get Greg Cosell and
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Ask Greg co Cell live streams. For Tier three you
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Then it comes down on the main stream platform and
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no ads or reads or any type of commercials. Just
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an unbelievable perk and benefit of being our Patreon subscriber.
7:02
So with that said, you know, we're going to talk
7:04
about a few people under the microscope this year, the
7:07
kind of the same way Vinnie was in year three
7:10
when he finally got some opportunity. And we're always going
7:13
to start up front, as we do on the Eagles defense.
7:15
This is where they have a lot of losses to
7:17
replace significant ones. Josh Sweat gone, Milton Williams gone, BG retired, Adam.
7:23
If you do the count, Jimmy Kemsky wrote about this,
7:25
so did I on Philly Voice. If you just do
7:28
the count, it's over seventeen hundred snaps between those three
7:32
players last year, that the Eagles have to figure out
7:34
a way to replace. And the first name that we
7:37
always talk about as far as at least Milton Williams
7:40
is Moro Jomo. Him stepping into this role being that
7:44
four I when they're in a five man front, that
7:47
three technique when they're in a four man front, and being.
7:49
Speaker 3: As explosive as disruptive as.
7:52
Speaker 1: Milton Williams can be, or at least close to it, right.
7:54
Speaker 2: I mean, I think it's it's hard to.
7:55
Speaker 1: Just produce what Milliam Milton Williams produced last year that
8:00
I think. I don't think Moro Jomo has to be
8:01
Milton Williams, but he just has to be good at
8:03
his job.
8:05
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, it's incredible with Moro Jomo and Jordan Davis.
8:09
They played exactly the same amount of snaps three hundred
8:11
and eighty eight. I thought it was the case, and
8:13
I wanted to double check it. They did. Now obviously
8:16
the roles are different. Or Jomo is more explosive as
8:18
a pass rusher. Moros longer. He's got a great first step.
8:22
It's one of those situations where you go, how the
8:24
hell is this guy? Seventh front pick? We had noted
8:27
we reported at the time when they drafted him that
8:30
there was a knock on him from a sort of
8:32
a football character maturity standpoint. That's not been the case here.
8:37
So this is just the case where the league, as
8:38
it typically does, over eights things that they that they
8:42
think they know what they don't really know. And you
8:45
got to get to know the player in the background,
8:48
and he's everything we've heard is I mean, he's just
8:51
been great behind the scenes. He saw what he did
8:55
last year playing you over third of the defensive snaps.
8:59
Now the question is now as a full time player.
9:02
He did start one he did start one game last season,
9:05
but as a full time player, now, how does he
9:08
handle that role going from a third of the snaps
9:11
to perhaps over fifty percent of snaps? And is he
9:14
as effective off tape? It's one thing to look at
9:18
numbers or pressure rate, but what's the tape really look like.
9:21
Sometimes guys just don't. They're not as effective when you
9:25
ask him to play a lot more snaps.
9:27
Speaker 2: Yes, that's true.
9:29
Speaker 1: I think unfortunately for him, he's sort of going to
9:31
be compared no matter what to Milton Williams and I
9:34
remember with Sam Finkel, we did a great inside the
9:36
data mailbag about maybe two weeks ago now where we
9:39
actually compared their athleticism and their production in college, and
9:44
they were similar, but Milton Williams scored not honestly significantly higher.
9:49
I think from the athleticism standpoint, Ojomo was like a
9:53
ninety or ninety one, whereas Williams was like ninety eight,
9:56
which doesn't sound like a lot. They're both in the nineties,
9:58
but it's still a pretty that's a decent jump. So
10:02
I don't know that we'll see some of the tremendous
10:06
athletic feats for Moro as we did from Milton Williams
10:09
the explosion, but he's still a good athlete Moro Jomo,
10:13
and he'll get the opportunity. And again I don't think
10:16
it's solely on him. This is his third year. I mean,
10:19
Ty Robinson could work into the mix and some other guys. So,
10:23
like I said, I think he just has to do
10:25
his job well. He may not have to dominate for
10:27
this team to be good, but he just has to
10:29
at least do it well a for the team to
10:32
pick up from last year and be for him to
10:35
settle into his role and try to get an extension
10:37
after this year.
10:38
Speaker 3: That was what I was going to say. So there
10:40
are a number of players. Surean Davis is up for extension.
10:42
He'll have a fifthyear option that was picked up for
10:44
next season, but he still could get an extension if
10:48
he has a great season of Jomo is another guy
10:51
who's eligible after this season is over. It's been quite
10:55
the story of development. Really. He barely played as a rookie,
10:58
but they played quite a bit season, so let's see
11:01
what happens. But he has a chance to be a
11:05
high single digit sack player from what I understand, because
11:09
the tape shows the explosiveness it in his raw look,
11:14
you could say, well, what were the sacks last season?
11:16
That that's I understand that. But from a pressure rate,
11:21
there's something in there for him to be very good
11:23
pass rusher. That's the thing. You can't just look at numbers.
11:26
You got to look at tape.
11:27
Speaker 1: Oh sure, sure, if you just judge Milton Williams, right,
11:30
we know how dominate us last year. It's not like
11:32
he had to tell you have five and then the
11:34
year before he had a half a sack in twenty
11:37
twenty three, so you would think he wasn't doing much.
11:39
But uh, seven quarterback hits that year three tackles for
11:43
a loss, so he was he was doing fine and
11:46
obviously that led to an explosion in year four for him.
11:49
Speaker 3: Sure, and now the only thing now, the one thing
11:52
we'll look for, right is do they bring somebody in
11:56
in subpackage to play like a BG Over the years
12:00
when you see BG play inside on the defensive line,
12:03
will they have somebody like that we want to see
12:06
A good question. You know, we don't know that they'll
12:08
do that, but just something to keep an eye on.
12:10
We'll certainly look for that in training.
12:12
Speaker 1: Camp, especially because they got a decent number of edge
12:14
rushers all competing and if one of them just shows
12:16
that they can move inside, that might give them another yep.
12:19
Speaker 2: Agreed. So you mentioned Jordan Davis.
12:21
Speaker 1: He's another guy that we have on our list of
12:23
under the microscope, but he's really under the microscope this
12:27
year if the Eagles picked up his fifth year option.
12:29
Speaker 2: They talked about the fact that they saw.
12:34
Speaker 1: An improved pass rusher in the second half of last
12:37
year in the postseason, but at the same time, whatever
12:41
they saw did not you know, course them to want
12:44
to play Jordan Davis anymore on third down than they
12:47
were earlier in the year, so he'll probably have some opportunities,
12:52
especially in training camp, to see if that carries over,
12:55
to see if he continues to improve that area. But
12:57
I would think Adam that he's under the microscope because
13:01
if by the end of next year we're saying he's
13:03
still only playing thirteen to fifteen snaps per game, then
13:06
it didn't work out the way and maybe the coaches
13:09
were overstating the improvement as a pass rusher.
13:13
Speaker 3: Well, his snaptotal went down from twenty three to twenty four,
13:18
which is not great, but he definitely looked better late
13:22
in the season. You know, he does play on special
13:23
teams quite a bit, so it the expectation is in
13:29
year four, boy, time has flown here. Yeah, you and
13:32
I actually saw him at at the what was the
13:36
dinner in New Jersey the Maxwell Awards, the Mexical couple words, Yeah,
13:41
and I remember saying, wow, it's a big dude.
13:43
Speaker 2: You know, it was huge.
13:44
Speaker 3: So here we go. Year four is supposedly he's in
13:47
really good shape. Let's see. The thing with him is
13:51
it's a it's such it's a technique issue because when
13:54
you play high, when you when you're standing up when
13:57
you're not low man always wins that that this is
14:00
your technique, and as Greg co Selz told us, he
14:04
loses any power that you might think he has is
14:06
completely gone. When you stand up, there's zero power and
14:10
you could get moved back. He could be literally five
14:12
hundred pounds. Any player can. But if you if you're
14:15
standing up, you can be moved back. It doesn't matter
14:17
how much you lay. So you got to play with
14:18
better technique consistently.
14:20
Speaker 1: Yes, there were were some times we watched some film
14:23
on on Jordan Davis and it would be a game
14:25
where he had a pressure or you know, a rare
14:27
sack and then six snaps would not be great though,
14:31
So you would think you'd have this good game if
14:32
you were just box score scouting, and then you'd say, yeah,
14:35
but there were so many opportunities to do this or
14:37
that and you didn't see it there.
14:38
Speaker 2: So you'd like to see the consistency from him, you know.
14:42
Speaker 1: We get asked a lot of questions, especially Sam for
14:45
Inside the Data, and we did an entire mail bag
14:48
episode last week, and Sam did such a good job
14:52
because I specifically asked him to in the spirit of
14:55
what the coaches said. If he could break down Jordan
14:58
Davis last year game by game to see if there
15:01
are any metrics that show that as the season went on,
15:05
his ability to rush the passer got better or the
15:08
stats in that department got better, and everybody should check
15:10
it out because Sam pulled out some really interesting grafts
15:14
and charts, and it's hard. The small sample size always
15:18
makes it difficult because again he's even with quote unquote improvement,
15:21
he only played like thirteen snaps a game, so it's
15:24
hard to read long term into such little contribution. But
15:28
there were some really interesting data and metrics that went
15:31
into the whole episode, and everybody should check it out.
15:34
It'll give you a little bit of a clear, i
15:36
would say, a clearer picture on what Jordan Davis's season
15:40
was like last year.
15:41
Speaker 2: Good.
15:42
Speaker 3: Yeah, and he did end the season well. So as
15:45
we move on here to as this list goes along,
15:48
this one is interesting. Jeremi Triter Junior right now, if
15:51
the season started, he'd be starting, but they got to
15:53
get through training. Cancel Mile Mandan is there. Yeah, who's
15:56
a fifth round pick. And we have to see what
15:58
jah Hot Campbell at some point in August when he's ready,
16:01
because we know he's gonna start off. They're gonna train.
16:03
They're gonna train him first at inside backer. We'll see
16:07
about edge of the season. But look if if he's
16:11
on the field for three weeks in August he looks great,
16:14
he's probably going to start, but they're not gonna know
16:16
that till they get there. They have a plan for him,
16:18
but you have to see how a player's learning is.
16:20
You have to see how he handles it because how
16:22
they taught it at Alabama's gonna there's gonna be some
16:25
differences between what he got there and how Fangio and
16:29
Bobby King won it. So they have to get through that.
16:32
But the odds are the Toronto will start Week one,
16:35
not a lock, but the spotlight will be on him
16:38
in terms of okay, let's see what happens. How does
16:41
he handle the first team reps. You know, he's very smart.
16:43
He did very well and practice last season, as we
16:46
understand it, but that was then. This is now. He
16:48
now is going to be asked to handle a much
16:51
bigger role.
16:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, Adam, I was I was thinking about or I
16:55
was sort of wondering how much the schedule might play
16:58
into this, because you know, we know that Johad Campbell
17:00
will not be practicing, you know, until at some point
17:04
in camp.
17:04
Speaker 2: They don't even know when.
17:06
Speaker 1: And if you look at the first four I was
17:08
thinking about how Cooper Gene last year was injured also
17:11
got off to a slower start because he couldn't practice
17:14
as much as everybody else and he didn't even you know,
17:17
really play until week five. But look at the schedule,
17:20
starts off with Dallas and the Chiefs and the Rams
17:23
and the Bucks, and you know, I would think Vic
17:26
wants somebody who's knows what they're doing out there as
17:30
one hundred percent. May not be the greatest athlete in
17:32
the world, but you know, his discipline, understands the position.
17:35
I think that that gives Trotter Junior the advantage just
17:38
because he's played that position.
17:40
Speaker 2: He's not transitioning.
17:41
Speaker 1: He's not, you know, two years off the way Campbell's
17:44
not coming.
17:44
Speaker 2: Back from an injury.
17:45
Speaker 1: He's going to be taking all the first team reps
17:48
until Campbell's ready to practice.
17:50
Speaker 2: He took all the first team reps in the OTAs.
17:53
Speaker 1: It almost seems like they're preparing him for that. I mean,
17:56
because they don't have a choice. A because there's nobody
17:58
else but b you know, he was impressed last year.
18:00
Vic Fangiel said it, so it would be hard I
18:03
think at this point to knock him off out of
18:05
that starting spot outside of bowling. I'm not saying it
18:07
can't be done because Campbell's is a great athlete and
18:09
maybe he can come back early.
18:10
Speaker 2: We'll see, but I agree with that.
18:12
Speaker 1: I think if you handicap it now, it makes the
18:14
most sense to try to release Gets the first three
18:16
four weeks of the season.
18:17
Speaker 3: Although now if Mandan has a remember they're both fifth
18:21
round picks, true one year after another. If he Georgia program,
18:26
he goes know this very well. They was Schuman the
18:29
the corner they interviewed a couple of years ago.
18:31
Speaker 2: Yep.
18:31
Speaker 3: So they know this program. They know the player who
18:34
knows him and if he blows it up because he's
18:36
he's a little longer than Trott Junior. So we'll have
18:40
to see what happens. But they're very low on depth.
18:42
I mean that's that's a position where there are a
18:44
number of players that they can look at who are
18:48
out there, the number of veterans. But right now their
18:50
plan is for trot Junior, as he did in the
18:53
off season to start start out with the starters.
18:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, we did that.
18:57
Speaker 1: We did a pod once, maybe a couple of weeks
18:59
ago on depth at each position, right, and then we
19:01
were mentioning some potential names.
19:03
Speaker 2: And CJ. Mosley has since retired.
19:06
Speaker 1: He announced his retirement, so you can scratch that one off.
19:09
But as you mentioned, it was still a buyer's market
19:11
if you're looking for a veteran inside linebacker who could
19:15
come in and know his role and be a backup
19:18
and start if he had to.
19:20
Speaker 2: So we'll see as we get closer to camp.
19:22
Speaker 1: But I do think they're going to add a body
19:23
just to add because they need bodies.
19:27
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, they need added It doesn't have to be
19:30
like a ten year vet. It's just you have to
19:32
you have three teams on defense, you have to get
19:34
through it. Yeah, they definitely need to have one at
19:37
some point in training cap because then, of course you
19:39
got the preseason and you don't want your starters playing
19:42
the preseasons. So yeah, they would behoove them to sign
19:45
as many as two, but at least one. Yep.
19:47
Speaker 2: I agree.
19:48
Speaker 1: All right, let's get to the edges, because it seems
19:50
like the entire group of edges is under the microscope
19:53
in twenty twenty five, because I mean, you've lost so much.
19:57
Speaker 2: You lose Josh Sweat.
19:58
Speaker 1: You lose Brandon Grant through a retirement, and that's pretty big.
20:03
Speaker 2: Those are big losses.
20:04
Speaker 1: And now you're kind of starting with one of the
20:06
youngest edge tandems, if not the youngest and least experienced
20:11
edge tandem in.
20:12
Speaker 2: The entire league.
20:13
Speaker 1: As we pointed out several times, Jelex Hunt, a second
20:16
year player, and Nolan Smith, a third year player, have
20:18
combined for eleven starts in the NFL.
20:23
Speaker 2: Jalex Hunt has.
20:24
Speaker 1: Won so adam both of these guys. I think that
20:28
in general, you look at their trajectory and you're thinking, good,
20:31
everything you saw from Jallex Hunt was really good year one,
20:34
and Nolan Smith put it together at the end of
20:36
the year two, really started to learn speed to power
20:40
moves and looked more like an edge than a you know,
20:43
an off ball linebacker moonline to get edge.
20:45
Speaker 2: And that's great.
20:46
Speaker 1: However, young inexperience, and we always say this progression isn't
20:50
always linear. Sometimes guys take a step back. Sometimes the
20:55
lee catches up with them faster.
20:56
Speaker 2: Than they realize.
20:57
Speaker 1: So these guys are under the microscope for a lot
20:59
of reasons.
21:00
Speaker 3: So lot to unpack with Hunt. Let's get started with him.
21:02
So he did not have a snap on defense last
21:05
season two week number four. That's and that game he dressed,
21:09
he was got blown out of Tampa, so they got
21:11
him on the field, but he played on special teams
21:15
a really early effect. He was a healthy and active
21:18
week one because again their plan was to if at best,
21:22
be a fourth edge rusher, but really not be a
21:24
factor of defense. Just learn the system year one, learn
21:29
what the coaches want. Year two, have a bigger role,
21:31
maybe town first starting spot for year. By year three,
21:35
everything's been accelerated. He played a tunnel on special teams.
21:39
As a matter of fact, it really started for him
21:42
in week two on specials with fifty snaps, and it
21:45
kept playing a tunnel special teams, not a lot on
21:47
defense until week the game at Dallas where they crushed Dallas.
21:52
I mean, if you remember, remember we talked to Greg
21:55
because he was doing the film study. Greg said that
21:58
Hunt showed up in that game and it was a blowout.
22:01
So you're just looking for individual sort of snaps and
22:06
see what you could see, and you could Greg said,
22:08
there were some really good snaps in that game. Then
22:11
the Washington game he didn't really play, only on specials.
22:14
Then Vic stayed with him, he put him back in.
22:17
Then you got the BG. That's what it was. The
22:19
Rams game where BG got hurt. The next week after
22:22
the Washington game, then he started haf to play because
22:25
Huff had the wrist surgery. And when Huff came back,
22:28
he didn't get his job back. And and jaylex Stt
22:32
really never looked back. Now they he only started one game,
22:34
as you said, and it was the game that really
22:37
went up meaning nothing Week eighteen. Remember starting only means
22:41
technical who's in for the first snap of the game
22:43
on offensive defense, But what his role was, he was
22:46
in a rotation with their Edgdresser group did a really
22:49
good job. The tape got better and better and better.
22:51
You know what is interesting is they didn't take him
22:53
off special teams even though he's playing a decent amount.
22:56
Though depending on which games, some snaps are up sometimes
23:00
after dallon defense. But he certainly had a meaningful role.
23:02
Now going forward, they're asking him to a to be
23:07
a full time starter or whatever that means. Sixty playtime,
23:11
forty that's something that they'll get through during August.
23:13
Speaker 2: Yeah.
23:14
Speaker 1: I think what really jumps out to me is the
23:15
immediate trust that Vic showed in Jaloks Hunt because Jeks
23:20
proves he can handle it. Because remember when BG tours
23:24
triceps and Huff wasn't playing, I mean they were really thin.
23:27
They went and signed was.
23:28
Speaker 3: It Charles Harris?
23:29
Speaker 2: Right?
23:30
Speaker 3: Uh yeah?
23:31
Speaker 1: And in a lot of cases, you sign a guy
23:33
off the street, you're gonna play him a little bit
23:35
because you need that experience.
23:36
Speaker 2: You need you're so thin, and Hunt would be.
23:40
Speaker 1: Hunt got vaulted to the top of the totem pole
23:42
and they barely ever played Charles Harris or kJ Henry
23:45
whoever you know they were bringing in. Hunt got the
23:48
opportunity and he never looked back, and that was really
23:50
cool to see from a development standpoint.
23:53
Speaker 3: Charles Harris a former first rounder? Was it the Dolphins?
23:59
Speaker 1: Yes, Dolphins, and then he went and played with the Lions, right,
24:02
I think there's another team in there.
24:04
Speaker 3: Yeah Harris, I mean, he he It's funny. He was
24:08
active for four games, but he didn't do anything, you know,
24:10
he really he just because they didn't need him to.
24:13
It turned out to be that they had such good
24:15
guys filling in Hunt was always a big story. So
24:17
the only question for Hunt is from a technic standpoint,
24:21
because he's so raw. This is this is This is
24:24
year four for him as an edge rusher, two years
24:27
at Houston Christian he was a safety before that, and
24:30
now his second year with the Eagles, so he's still
24:33
very raw. This is a big ask to ask him
24:36
to do it. I know he's very smart and coachable,
24:38
that's great, but this is a big role. Asking him
24:43
to be a full time starter here, This is a
24:45
big deal for him. I will be interesting to see
24:47
if they either they do they take him off special
24:49
teams or do they limit his special team snaps. That's
24:52
something we'll look for in training camp.
24:54
Speaker 2: Good question Andrew to check over.
24:56
Speaker 1: A really good story on came out Monday morning on
25:00
and the fact that the team asked Hunt to get
25:02
a little bit bigger and stronger in the offseason. That
25:05
was their number one ask of him at the exit interviews.
25:09
So Andrew put up with Jaloux, Hunt trainer down in Houston.
25:13
We went to college and talked about what they what
25:16
techniques they're using to make sure that he does get bigger.
25:19
Speaker 2: But does not lose the explosion. So it's a great story.
25:22
Check it out.
25:23
Speaker 1: Inside the Birds dot Com. And then obviously in the backups,
25:28
it's it's Aziz and josh Uch are definitely under the microscope,
25:32
I feel for different reasons. I think if you just
25:34
look at Jeli's career, as long as he's healthy, he's
25:38
a very productive player.
25:40
Speaker 2: He's a part.
25:40
Speaker 1: He's a situational player, so you hope that he never
25:43
has to be a starter, but he's productive when.
25:45
Speaker 2: He is a on the field.
25:47
Speaker 1: Whereas is trying to show that that one year that
25:51
he was very productive but hasn't been since that something
25:54
that within the Eagles, as Greg Cosell says, there's something
25:57
there and that maybe the Eagles can coax it out
25:59
of him. For him, it's more about really making this
26:01
team and showing he's a good player.
26:03
Speaker 3: Yeatch is has such a low end deal. Yeah, he's
26:08
got to He's got to work his way onto the team.
26:10
So it's Smith Smith coming back from the triceps, but
26:12
he was very close at the end of their off
26:14
season program, so we're assuming he'll be on the field
26:16
early and cleared. You got you got Hunt, you got Smith,
26:21
Ojer Lari. He mentioned to me he's going to unless
26:27
something surprising happens, He's going to be their third edge.
26:30
That's what Dey signed to be. And then we'll see
26:33
what happens in terms of what that how many snaps
26:36
that looks like. But he just got to stay on
26:37
the field because the tape is phenomenal. When he's healthy.
26:41
You got who you you want to be your fourth
26:43
Powell Ryland, who probably will There'll be weeks he doesn't draft.
26:46
If everybody's healthy, and so you keep you keep four,
26:50
they'll probably he'll he'll almost certainly make it as the fifth.
26:53
The only way Patrick Johnson makes it is for special
26:55
teams you don't use six thrushers, and of course you
26:58
have the Campbell factor. Does he get a chance later
27:01
in the year to play some edge? The Eagles are
27:04
hoping that they don't need him to that everybody's healthy
27:06
and playing well. But that's that's obviously there for the future,
27:10
so they don't really need anybody. It's just but but
27:13
here's the problem though, if one of them gets hurt,
27:16
you've got a problem. Yep, that's that's that's the issue
27:20
right now, all.
27:23
Speaker 1: Right, Hey, if everybody stays healthy. By the way, this
27:25
could be a really nice edge rush. Yeah, I mean
27:27
those four and then you see what you get out
27:29
of APR.
27:30
Speaker 2: But that's that's pretty good.
27:31
Speaker 1: But you know, it's kind of sort of a big
27:32
if given some of these guys injury histories and track records.
27:37
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Speaker 1: All right, let's continue look at some guys under the
31:23
radar and the back end of the Eagles, not under
31:26
the under the microscope of the back end of the
31:28
Eagles defense.
31:29
Speaker 2: And you know, the one that.
31:30
Speaker 1: Really just jumps out involves that competition at left cornerback
31:36
between Kiely Ringo and adri Jackson. I think of both
31:40
of them, Ringo really is the microscope player. Because we
31:44
go back to that theme of it's year three. It's
31:47
time to either make or break and either establish yourself
31:51
as part of this team and productive, or it's gonna
31:54
be hard for you to be around unless you have
31:56
an amazing year four.
31:59
Speaker 3: Yeah, I would say with with Ringo, they know what
32:03
they have here, they know what the challenges are. They
32:05
know what he's got in his body, the lanth of speed,
32:09
the one two he's got that he's doing all the
32:11
right things. It's he's just got to put it together.
32:14
It's their sincere hope that he wins the starting job.
32:17
Sure he'll enter training camp technically as a starter. That
32:21
means absolutely nothing, folks. The off season matter what position is,
32:26
it's like another season. The off season is like it's
32:29
never happened. Once you get to training camp, anything you
32:32
did in the all seasons irrelevant. It's about what you're
32:34
going to do going forward. I would liken too. The
32:37
off seasons is double A baseball. Oh hey, guys, he's
32:40
killing it like the Phillies guy at reading. That's great.
32:43
Let's see what he does at Triple A. Well, Triple
32:45
A is training camp, preseason A. Regular season is the majors.
32:50
But we saw this Ringo last year. He didn't carry
32:52
over anything really from the off season. It just he
32:55
first week we kind of knew that it was kind
32:57
of over for him starting that Rogers took the job.
33:00
So he's he's he's got to take it and run
33:02
with it and ultimate ultimately, how he does will decide
33:08
whether they go out and sign a veteran or not
33:10
if or make a trade. How He's done this at
33:12
other positions before the start of the season. We saw
33:15
this at twenty seventeen with Ronald Darby right before the
33:18
season started.
33:19
Speaker 1: That's right, good old Ronald Darby and then CJ.
33:21
Speaker 2: Gordon Johnson at safety.
33:23
Speaker 1: Yeah, twenty twenty two, so that's the right time for
33:27
Howie to kind of what do we call it, recalibrate
33:29
and see what he's got.
33:31
Speaker 3: Yeah, and Jeorge Jackson. Yeah, it just want to mention
33:34
him and the thing. Look they could they saw on
33:36
the tape lace year. He could still run. But as
33:39
we've learned throughout the eight years of doing the show,
33:41
you never know what a guy's could have lose it
33:43
when he went in the legs go so far, so good.
33:46
Let's see what happens in training camp.
33:47
Speaker 1: Though I was going to say that I was sort
33:49
of underwhelmed with the Adoria Jackson side.
33:51
Speaker 2: I mean, I realized it was just a one year deal.
33:53
Speaker 1: It is what it is, but you're trying to replace
33:55
Slay here and watching him in mini camps, I was
33:59
actually in press with how well he still moves, smooth,
34:02
mover fluid hips. I mean, he was a first round
34:05
pick for a reason, even though it.
34:06
Speaker 2: Was several years ago.
34:08
Speaker 1: But I could see the traits that made him, you know,
34:12
a desirable cornerback in a pretty good cornering the league
34:15
for a while. And I don't think this will be
34:16
easy for Killia Ringo because a Door may not be
34:19
at the top of his game anymore, but he's neither.
34:22
By the way, Slay had lost a little bit of
34:24
a step over the last few years, but was still
34:26
veteran and smart enough and good enough to hold his
34:29
own and I think Adri will give Khilliy Ringo all
34:33
of that and then some you.
34:35
Speaker 3: Know, what's interesting about Sleigh is okay, so you mentioned
34:37
how he lost a step, and then Greg co Sell
34:40
tells us he goes, I gotta tell you guys, all
34:42
of a sudden, he's playing really well, like slight to
34:45
close the season. That is like crazy at thirty four
34:48
years old, you just don't see that. But with Joey Jackson,
34:50
I mean he turns thirty September, so he's a thirty
34:52
year old player. He's had a number of injuries, he's
34:55
he's under five eleven, he's closer to five to ten.
34:58
But he's super competitive. He's smart guy. He could still run.
35:04
But I would say this, if he does win the
35:06
starting job, I hope it's because it's clear that he
35:10
was better than Ringo, rather than they just hand him
35:11
the job because Ringo wasn't good enough. So to me, honestly,
35:15
if Ringo's not good enough, that's when you start considering
35:19
if you're Howie, okay, we're gonna have to add another
35:22
veteran because we because if Ringo can't do it, if
35:25
it's clear he cannot be a starter with Jackson, who's
35:29
your history, and this team absolutely could go on another run.
35:33
You can't take any chances, so we'll see what happens.
35:35
Speaker 1: Agree, and that leaves us with our final player who
35:38
is under the microscope in a really big way.
35:40
Speaker 2: Again. It's that year three. Time to shine, time.
35:43
Speaker 1: To stay who you are, and you hope it's not
35:46
too late for this kid because he has obviously made
35:48
moves at safety, and Sydney Brown right now finds himself
35:53
looking up at read blanket ship and maybe even Andrew mccombery.
35:55
You don't draft a guy in the second round who
35:57
fits your scheme to a tee to not get that
36:00
guy on the field.
36:02
Speaker 2: So Sidney Brown has a lot of.
36:03
Speaker 1: Work to do to show that he is a disciplined player,
36:07
that he can function within the scheme that Vic Fangel
36:10
is playing, that he is some kind of fit somewhere
36:13
in this defense and can be a usable player. He
36:16
has some great traits. We saw last year that interception
36:19
against the Giants from a deep safety where he came
36:22
across the field and picked off the pass. So he
36:25
the traits can be used in this defense, but it's
36:28
got to be for seventeen weeks.
36:29
Speaker 2: Got to be consistent.
36:30
Speaker 1: He has to know what his assignments are and be
36:32
able to execute them to get on the field.
36:35
Speaker 3: Yeah, maccuba's got better versatility and that's the thing. He's
36:37
got better ball skills. So it's Brown's very physical. But
36:41
the funny thing is mccuba, despite the now frame that
36:44
always puts some mass on that frame. That doesn't guarantee
36:46
you anything. It's it's generally a good thing, but you
36:49
have to see how it translates on the field. But
36:51
Macoba's just a smooth mover who's a been a willing
36:54
guy to throws body rounds. So let's see what happens.
36:57
But you don't draft to get the second round, not
36:59
to start. You always draft a guy in the second round.
37:02
There's no discussion. When you draft a guy in the
37:04
second round, he'd better start. And your hope is it's
37:07
in your one. So it's gonna be hard for Sidney
37:10
Brown and beat him out. And how they look at this,
37:12
We'll see what happens. It is his third year, by
37:15
the way, and there are a number of players that
37:17
they could extend. Noel Smith is we talked about for
37:21
Ringo Ojomo again, they have to play well and Sydney Brown. Look,
37:26
if he wins the job and he blows it up
37:30
a contract extend, it's a long look, it's it's it's
37:33
broad thinking there, but it could happen if he hits PETERRT.
37:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, and remember this is the final as of now,
37:39
it's the final year of read blankenships deal that little extension.
37:43
Speaker 3: That he saw that I'd be shocked if that's not
37:46
done by training camp.
37:47
Speaker 2: I would too.
37:48
Speaker 1: But if it's not and then they can't agree, then
37:50
maybe you move forward with a Macuba Brown pairing if
37:54
that's the case going forward, But we're far from there first,
37:57
as you just said, City's just gott to prove that
37:59
he's good for this defense, can play in it and
38:01
get a role that Vic Fangio trusts him in, and
38:05
that is why he is like many of the guys
38:07
we've talked about under the microscope in twenty twenty five.
38:10
Speaker 2: That's gonna do it for this episode of Inside the Birds.
38:14
Speaker 1: The leading podcasts and Eagles Intel and as always, we
38:17
thank you for flying with us inside Ubber. Be sure
38:24
to check out our friends at Phlsportsnation dot com. They're
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38:31
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