Tuipulotu played sparingly in his rookie season – 26 of his defensive snaps came in the regular-season finale against Dallas when the starters rested – and he came into the spring and summer knowing he had something to prove.
Nothing was guaranteed for Tuipulotu, not with the arrival of Davis and not with talent throughout the defensive tackle room.
“I’m just working hard every day, keeping my head down, and trying to make myself a better player,” said Tuipulotu, a USC product and the 189th overall selection in the 2021 draft. “All of that offseason work, for that to make me a better player and to see the result of it when I got on the field this year, that’s exciting. Last year was a learning experience. You look at the guys in our DT room and, man, the expectations are high. I’m shooting for more every day. All I can do is work hard. That’s my mentality. I want to gain the trust of my teammates and that’s always my goal.
“I’m all about work. I just want to keep improving myself as a player. I’m looking for any advantage I can get. Grave (Hargrave) and Fletch, they’ve helped me so much. Our coaches tell us to go out and do my job to the best of my ability. That’s what our coaches tell us to do, how to approach it, and that’s what I’m doing.”
Williams had a more significant taste of the action as a rookie, logging 456 snaps on defense. He was part of that five-player defensive tackle rotation in Detroit on Sunday – he had 33 snaps, Tuipulotu had his 29, and Davis was on the field for 22 snaps – and played with great energy and leverage. Williams has also shown in the past that he can play on the edge if needed – as can Cox – so the Eagles have versatility with their defensive tackle group.
While it’s not heralded as much as many other storylines on this team, the development of those three young tackles can play a huge role in the success of the defense this season.
“I feel like we push each other to be the best we can be,” Williams said. “I don’t think anyone is even close to being satisfied. We know we have so much more to do and that starts in this game. Every week, it’s another great offensive line and veterans who understand the game, so our learning curve is pretty steep. We’re here to contribute right now.”
They did it in Week 1 and they’re looking for more on Monday night. The lights. The cameras. The action.
“I just want to play football,” Tuipulotu said. “It’s great to get called and get some playing time, and it’s my job to give the…
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