With much of the focus being on the new-look Eagles offense, Philadelphia quietly has some exciting football brewing on the other side of the ball. Jonathan Gannon's avante garde approach to defense has been writing on the wall for the NFL for years -- moving towards a more positionless perspective of what defenses can deploy. Without really trying to, the Eagles front office has built an exciting group of versatile young talent that will fit seamlessly into the new scheme. Couple that with a coaching staff that seems hell-bent on catering their playbook to the talent of their roster, there are a ton of tantalizing candidates for most improved player in 2021.
From interviews and coaching history, it's very obvious that Gannon will place a premium on a few key traits: versatility being by and far at the core. That trait will be front and center in two facets -- having the football IQ to play multiple schemes, disguise coverage and know your responsibilities, and having the physical skill set to carry out that assignment. I see the first characteristic on that list being the vital component as a good coaching staff can work around most physical limitations. Gannon has also drilled home the need for high effort players, which again, the Eagles have in droves.
Based these characteristics, who is in a position to benefit the most?
Honorable Mentions
Avonte Maddox
High IQ, scheme versatility and swagger all fit Avonte Maddox to a tee, but finding a place for him on this defense is the real hurdle. If it were up to me, Maddox would move into the slot full-time. However, I don't know that throwing Zech McPherson or any of the other young corners on the roster into the CB2 role makes this a better team for Week 1. If young talent can facilitate Avonte's move into the slot, I think be could really see a rise in production. He doesn't have the length to be a major disrupter, but he covers a lot of space for a man his size. He's a fearless tackler and his IQ would lend well to the position. With more disguises and trickery on the docket, I think his quick twitch and decent ball skills could translate to an uptick in turnovers.
However, on the outside -- I just don't see the same opportunity. It's really a match-up game and I'm not sure how he will fare against the bigger WRs he may face. Regardless, being in a defense that is more than willing to give safety help will certainly be a boon.
Josh Sweat
I should preface this by saying I don't think the change in defense will be a huge boost for any of the Eagles defensive linemen. That has nothing to do with Gannon's secondary friendly approach -- more to do with Jim Schwartz' DL first mindset. Nevertheless, better coverage will certainly benefit the front end of this defense. In addition to the uptick in production we expect out of Sweat just predicated on talent and work ethic, I can see him being the defensive lineman that capitalizes most on the possibility of stand-up rushing. As talented as the defensive end group is, they do lack in length. Josh has length and then some to add to a quick first step and a lethal speed to power move.
With motor and effort being the baseline trait for Eagles' defensive ends for years, each and every player will benefit from the possibility of increased "coverage sacks". It will help turn those inflated QB pressure stats into sacks. However, with more gap responsibility and discipline required for this defense -- instead Schwartz' go-gettem' m.o. -- there will be less of an opportunity to win outright. That doesn't necessarily mean less sacks, but on the outset I don't see a major jump in D-Line numbers for the Eagles.
The Third Linebacker
Behind Eric Wilson and Alex Singleton, there is a clear opportunity for whoever may be the third linebacker in the rotation. It's possible that either of those two could see their playing time cut into if any of the depth options show promise early in the season. I think the main kink to iron out is whether or not Alex Singleton is a more natural fit on the strong side or the weak side. The other factor that could play a role is whether Wilson stays at MLB in dime and nickel packages, or bumps over to the weak side.
My gut tells me T.J. Edwards is the third best linebacker on the roster. He's a natural MLB, but his headiness and natural feel for the football would translate well to the weak side. However, Edwards was in on 58% of snaps last season and it's hard to say that that number will see a major jump in 2021. He's still the most likely candidate for MLB of the future -- and I'm certain the Eagles want to see what he can do in his contract season -- but Eric Wilson's addition throws a bit of a wrench into that plan. It will depend on Gannon's penchant for speed at the position and how quickly the other two candidates can develop. Alternatively, if Wilson moves to WILL in two linebacker sets, T.J. is a no-brainer to fill the middle of the defense.
My heart tells me that this coaching staff really wants to see what Davion Taylor and Shaun Bradley can do. I am a huge fan of what Taylor can eventually bring to this roster, but I imagine that Bradley has the inside track for playing time this season. Davion's length will lend better to the strong side than his draft-mate, but his inexperience could gum up his development in what figures to be a much more diverse playbook than what Jim Schwartz ran last season. A lot of early predictions have Bradley as the third 'backer in line for playing time, which could very well be the case. Nevertheless, I do believe that T.J. Edwards is a better football player at this stage of their careers.
Whoever it may be, there is a massive opportunity to earn some playing time as the third LB on this roster. It will likely be a combination of all three options, but I imagine that one player will eventually earn the role. It will be an exciting competition to watch throughout the season.
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Rodney McLeod
Perennially underrated, McLeod finally had his chance to shine as the feature safety for the Eagles defense last season. As a whole, the season did not go as planned, but it was certainly not Rodney's fault. The new head of the Philadelphia secondary was having a great season before it was derailed by injury.
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So, where is the room for improvement? Well, as good as McLeod is, there are a few aspects to his game that aren't top tier. Although he's not a slow safety by any means, he's sometimes limited by the fact that he doesn't have true sideline-to-sideline presence. Also, although he's more than willing, he's not a major factor in the run game.
To the first point, everything indicates a more frequent use of two high safeties in Gannon's scheme. That allows Rodney to cut the field in half and really dominate his side of the field. His already impressive coverage skills will only stand to benefit. Add that to the uptick in disguised coverages and pre-snap movement, McLeod really has an opportunity to showcase his football IQ. This defense is going to play mind-games with opposing quarterbacks and Rodney will be at the heart of that.
To the second point, Gannon has stressed over and over again that this defense will cater to what each player does well. I don't foresee Rodney being the go-to box safety with so many capable parties on the roster. Obviously, that isn't much of a change from last season. However, with added gap responsibilities for the defensive line, there will be less times where McLeod is the second line of defense -- something we saw often in Jim Schwartz' scheme. I imagine the safeties will play more of a stop gap role in the run game this season. If not fantastic, Rodney is a serviceable run stopper in a pinch. Plus, now there's two guys back there to deal with any leaks.
K'Von Wallace
I've said before that I think Wallace is still about a year away from being a feature part of this defense. That could easily change with a promising start to the season. It's difficult to imagine how K'Von Wallace becomes a full time starter in 2021 unless the defense opts to maintain a heavy use of the box safety. As a rotational feature, there aren't many players that have such a fantastic opportunity for growth in this scheme.
Simply put, there aren't many things that K'Von can't do. He's that versatile piece that a defensive mind like Gannon dreams of. He moved all over the field in college, especially in nickel and dime formations. He's a fantastic blitzer, a strong tackler and an edgy playmaker that adds that much needed toughness that makes receivers second guess catching a ball over the middle.
Does he have a cemented position on this defense? No, but that may be entirely the point. If nothing else, having K'Von on the field throws some unique wrinkles at opposing offences. Having a wide array of disguises and bluffs will only add to Wallace's ability to capitalize on his downhill playstyle.
It will all come down to how quickly he can grasp the playbook. I still have some questions about how instinctual of a player K'Von is and how much he will grow with the mental side of the game. Gannon mentioned time and time again that the language of his defense is meant to be simple to understand but multiple in its applications. I think that bodes well for a second year player like Wallace -- who is attempting to memorize his third playbook in that many years.
If he can put it all together, lookout 2021. Beyond that, what a massive boon to his development that versatility will provide. He may not be a starter this season, but if he can prove himself capable in his second year -- the sky is the limit for his development going forward.
Alex Singleton
A PSN favorite, after so many misses, Eagles LB Alex Singleton has proven himself as one of those players we got right. In Gannon's defense he ticks all the boxes, and he knows it. His football IQ is through the roof and still developing and he's shown a real thirst for knowledge in the first few interviews I've seen of him this season. Simply put, that's a coaches dream.
With his size, speed and coverage skills Singleton fits well as a scheme diverse plug and play player in pretty much every concept Gannon will want to deploy. His hustle and heart are second to none, which again bodes well for his playtime on this team. This coaching staff will love his ability to fly to the football and rack up tackles. He should be able to play all three linebacker positions in this defense, which essentially guarantees him a spot on the field.
I mean, we already knew this about Singleton -- I'm not saying anything revolutionary. Also, to avoid being a homer, there is a reason he only had a PFF grade of 58.9 last season. Coming from the CFL, then from the practice squad -- Singleton is still learning how to play LB in the NFL. He's not spectacularly athletic and his upside might not be as high as some other young 'backers on this roster. Although, it should be said that we saw his numbers and grades steadily increase as the season went on.
However, it is his ability to do everything and anything asked of him is a massive boost to his potential in this defense. On a team that wants to make opponents earn every yard by staying disciplined and throwing a myriad of looks at opposing quarterbacks, Singleton fits the ticket. Although he may not get the league-wide respect he deserves, I know that by the end of the season Eagles fans will know how truly valuable he is to this defense.
I know the coaching staff isn't supposed to pick favorites, but something about me just knows that Singleton is exactly what Gannon wants in a new-look Eagles linebacker.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
