There is a lot of excitement about what the Eagles’ defense will look like this season – a defense that has been infused with some potential difference-making players. Some out there are guessing about the approach Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon is going to take in Year 2, the fronts he’s going to have schemed, and the way he plans to use some of the new faces on that side of the line of scrimmage. Last year, Gannon spoke often about how his philosophy centers around what his players do well and what is the best approach against that week’s opponent. It will be very interesting to see how all of that takes shape over the course of the next few months.
“The more you can do with a defense and the pieces that we have, the better,” defensive end Brandon Graham said recently. “I think it’s exciting to see how it’s all going to come together.”
It’s going to take some time, of course, as Gannon looks to integrate veteran free-agent additions at the linebacker position – Haason Reddick as a go-get-the-quarterback edge player and Kyzir White as an off-ball, sideline-to-sideline player – and top draft picks tackle Jordan Davis (first round) and linebacker Nakobe Dean (third round). Everything the Eagles are doing now is a “concept” in the classroom. The pads don’t go on until Training Camp and even then, there are only three preseason games before the regular season begins on September 11 at Detroit.
So, it’s a work in progress. And it could be that way for some time, maybe even into September as Gannon learns how much his players can handle from a mental and physical standpoint. Gannon spoke about interchangeable pieces last year and about moving players within the scheme and the defense cobbled together impressive numbers in some key statistical categories despite the loss of Graham (torn Achilles tendon) in Week 2, some movement at safety throughout the season, and the normal war of attrition that a 17-game season produces. To refresh your memory …
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