Will Eagles continue to play rookie corners in playoffs?

[time2rock]

Will Eagles continue to play rookie corners in playoffs?

Both Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks ended up with defensive roles late in the season and that could continue in the playoffs.

By Dave Zangaro • Published January 11, 2024

 

The Eagles expect to have Darius Slay back from his four-game absence when they take the field in Tampa against the Buccaneers in the wild card round.

But what does that mean for Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks?

Well, de facto defensive coordinator Matt Patricia didn’t rule out the possibility of finding ways to keep getting the young rookies some playing time in the playoffs.

"Certainly, we can get into that situation and then we're obviously excited to get [Slay] out there in play,” Patricia said. 

"And then we'll just try to get everybody else in a situation depending on whether it's down and distance or personnel package or something like that, area of the field, where we think those guys that we have now seen, those young guys we have now seen, if we think they can help us in that situation and try to get them on the field when we can. Sure.”

The Eagles used a fourth-round pick on Ringo, 21, out of Georgia and signed Ricks, 22, as a priority free agent out of Alabama when the draft concluded. Ricks got his opportunity to play defense pretty early in the year and ended up playing 301 snaps (26%) in the regular season, playing both outside cornerback and in the slot.

Ringo played 199 snaps (17%) in the regular season but 198 of them came within the last five weeks. He started at outside corner during Slay’s four-game absence after having arthroscopic surgery on his knee.

The two rookie cornerbacks have been playing major roles on defense in recent weeks. And while the defense, as a whole, has been pretty bad, both of the rookies have at least shown some promise.

"I think it's been good for those guys to go out and play,” Patricia said. "I think it's exciting for us to see what they've been able to do in certain situations, and some of them with some flexibility. We've had a chance to move them kind of inside and outside and put them in some different matchups which has been good too. 

"Having that experience will certainly help us now and then in the future as they grow and go, and certainly hopefully with Slay and all that, we know how great he is and everything that he brings.”

The Eagles had several injuries in their secondary this season and ended up playing a total of 16 defensive backs, including a few who aren’t even on the roster entering the playoffs.

As the Eagles gear up to play the Buccaneers on Monday night in the wild card round, here are the defensive backs at their disposal: Slay, James Bradberry, Reed Blankenship, Kevin Byard, Avonte Maddox, Bradley Roby, Josh Jobe, Ricks and Ringo. They also have Tristin McCollum, Mekhi Garner, Mario Goodrich and Josiah Scott on the practice squad. The Eagles have been elevating McCollum recently and the elevation counter doesn’t matter in the playoffs.

The Eagles did unfortunately take a hit in their secondary when Sydney Brown was lost for the rest of the season with a torn ACL he suffered in Week 18.

It’ll be interesting to see how Patricia deploys his defensive backs in the playoffs. Because he had been using some three-safety looks with Brown on the field. But now the Eagles don’t have as good a third safety option and Blankenship is coming off a groin injury against the Giants too.

Would the Eagles be willing to put McCollum on the field? Or would they ever consider moving Maddox back to safety in sub packages with options like Roby and Ricks available to play in the slot?

And then there’s Bradberry. The aging veteran corner played the most snaps (1,052) of any defensive player this year but has clearly not been as good in 2023 as he was in 2022. At times this season, we’ve seen Bradberry move inside, including in recent weeks, when he’ll kick inside and get replaced by Ricks on the outside. It’s possible either Ricks or Ringo could fill that role in the playoffs. Bradberry this season played 126 of his defensive snaps in the slot.

The Eagles will need to overhaul their secondary a bit this offseason. They’ve gotten too old and too slow. But there’s a chance Ringo and/or Ricks could be a part of that future. And there’s a chance they remain involved on Monday night too.

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/will-eagles-continue-to-play-rookie-corners-in-playoffs/557724/

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Here’s what they should do… Slay comes back in because he’s not been bad. He’s not been the same top top CB but he has been decent. And then you decide out of Ringo and Ricks who is the better option to play on the other side. And Bradberry you bench his ass.