The draft is over and the Eagles still only have 2 healthy NFL quality safties. Sydney Brown is recovering from a late season ACL , Tristen McCollom is completely unproven,m and Mekhi Gardner would have to make a position change. 

So we need one. Question is - do you want a starter or a servicable backup?

Starters - Justin Simmons, Jamal Adams, Eddie Jackson, Marcus Maye, Jayron Kearse

Servicable backup - Chandon Sullivan, Ryan Neal. 

So many available, I'd go for the potential starter and it would be Simmons. 

Don’t forget there’s a good chance DeJean plays Safety. I agree a mid level starter would be a good addition to add depth and experience.

Reed Blankenship is a good safety, plus we have CJGJ and Cooper DeJean.  Sydney Brown will be back.  We're fine at safety.

15 hours ago, Procus said:

Reed Blankenship is a good safety, plus we have CJGJ and Cooper DeJean.  Sydney Brown will be back.  We're fine at safety.

I don’t think we are fine at Safety bud. We can disagree about Blankenship all we want but regardless of how we rate him we are scarily thin at Safety. I’m not saying go and add a starter but they have to add at least 1 more Safety. They can’t go in to the year with what they have.

DeJean will play safety. He's versatile to move around. So you have 3 healthy safeties in CJG, Ghost and DeJawn. So they either keep McCollum or bring in a camp body they can stash on the practice squad when Sydney Brown comes back.

They have a lot of corners. Fangio will need to get into camp and sort out what versatility is there to move guys around.

55 minutes ago, NOTW said:

DeJean will play safety. He's versatile to move around. So you have 3 healthy safeties in CJG, Ghost and DeJawn. So they either keep McCollum or bring in a camp body they can stash on the practice squad when Sydney Brown comes back.

They have a lot of corners. Fangio will need to get into camp and sort out what versatility is there to move guys around.

Maddox has played some safety for us as well.  Plenty of options.  

14 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Maddox has played some safety for us as well.  Plenty of options.  

Sure, Maddox could move to safety...and get hurt walking from the corner spot to the safety spot. 

1 hour ago, NOTW said:

Sure, Maddox could move to safety...and get hurt walking from the corner spot to the safety spot. 

Trust the process 

We're good at S

Yeah as everyone else says Dejean will pay safety and that gives us three pretty good healthy safeties who can start with Brown hopefully back in the first month of the season.

No need to add at this stage.

On 5/1/2024 at 2:33 PM, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Don’t forget there’s a good chance DeJean plays Safety. I agree a mid level starter would be a good addition to add depth and experience.

I'm not falling into the racial stereotyping of white athletes. He's a corner and like many many corners could play safety. If he were a second round corner who runs 4.38 of another color the media would not even imagine suggesting him as a safety.  

On 5/17/2024 at 1:59 PM, Rob331 said:

I'm not falling into the racial stereotyping of white athletes. He's a corner and like many many corners could play safety. If he were a second round corner who runs 4.38 of another color the media would not even imagine suggesting him as a safety.  

You're the one that's bringing race into this - nobody else mentioned it.

On 5/17/2024 at 6:59 PM, Rob331 said:

I'm not falling into the racial stereotyping of white athletes. He's a corner and like many many corners could play safety. If he were a second round corner who runs 4.38 of another color the media would not even imagine suggesting him as a safety.  

I’m not saying some of the media aren’t stereotyping him but I’m not. I think he’s going to end up being a Safety in the NFL. In fact I don’t think he’s going to be a top CB in the NFL at all.

17 hours ago, Procus said:

You're the one that's bringing race into this - nobody else mentioned it.

It's about stereotyping!  Why else suggest a 6'0 4.38 second round corner go to safety? 

1 hour ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I’m not saying some of the media aren’t stereotyping him but I’m not. I think he’s going to end up being a Safety in the NFL. In fact I don’t think he’s going to be a top CB in the NFL at all.

I buy your opinion and know you to be fair, but the media is guilty of the stereotyping. No mehtiuon of safety for other 2nd round corners like  McKinstrey, Melton, Lassiter, Sanistrill, or Rakestraw - only DeJean. Pretty hard not to notice.

10 hours ago, Rob331 said:

I buy your opinion and know you to be fair, but the media is guilty of the stereotyping. No mehtiuon of safety for other 2nd round corners like  McKinstrey, Melton, Lassiter, Sanistrill, or Rakestraw - only DeJean. Pretty hard not to notice.

Most CB prospects aren't really good enough tacklers, or offer little support vs the run, or aren't physical enough to be projected to be a fit at safety. His versatility has everything to do with his attributes and nothing to do with his color. He's actually viewed very much the same way Dawkins was coming into the NFL.

 

14 hours ago, brkmsn said:

He's actually viewed very much the same way Dawkins was coming into the NFL.

Thanks for that. Do you really believe this is the case where it concerns DeJean? Perhaps we disagree, but I see what I see. 

It's obviously the case because it doesn't matter what scout you ask he is gifted with versatility. Here's another one for you:

 

Malcom Jenkins:

Analysis

 

Overview

There isn't much NFL scouts don't like about Jenkins. Athletic, intelligent and consistent, Jenkins surprised many when he elected to return for his senior season despite a first-round grade from the NFL Advisory Committee in 2008. The three-time first-team All-Big Ten pick and two-time All-American improved his overall consistency, winning the Thorpe Award as the nation's elite defensive back as a senior. A shutdown cornerback who intercepted 11 passes over the past three years, Jenkins was effective at cutting the field in half and sometimes moved him to free safety to generate big plays. A first-round caliber prospect at safety or cornerback, Jenkins' consistent play and versatility should land him a spot in the draft's Top 10.

Strengths

Positives: Lockdown corner. ... Very physical at the line, has a strong punch to knock receivers off their route. ... Attacks ballcarriers behind the line, making secure tackles. ... Also willing to assist in tackles downfield or inside. ... Effective playing off receivers as he can flip open his hips and accelerate, close quickly on the ball in front of him or change direction to mirror receivers. ... Stays with even the fastest receivers down the sideline. ... Plays free safety on occasion and has all of the tools to succeed there in the NFL. ... Excellent hands for the interception, and he has the vertical to high-point the ball and strength to fight for it. ... Can make plays with the ball in his hands. Negatives: Creates havoc on the blitz but doesn't always finish. ... Will take chances to make a play on the ball. ... Could improve his tackling in the open field -- will occasionally drop his head instead of watching what he hits. ... Inconsistent taking on and getting off receiver blocks, and will hesitate to get to ballcarriers coming into his area. ... Must prove he has the mental discipline needed to handle getting constantly challenged as a rookie after rarely being thrown at in college.

 

 

On 5/19/2024 at 6:29 PM, Rob331 said:

I buy your opinion and know you to be fair, but the media is guilty of the stereotyping. No mehtiuon of safety for other 2nd round corners like  McKinstrey, Melton, Lassiter, Sanistrill, or Rakestraw - only DeJean. Pretty hard not to notice.

I think he’s shown more versatility to play other positions though? I think he’s got a chance to be a play maker so I think you almost want to move him around to get him in those match ups.

15 hours ago, brkmsn said:

It's obviously the case because it doesn't matter what scout you ask he is gifted with versatility. Here's another one for you:

Interesting that your example is well over 20 years old. It doesn't change my opinion but Malcolm Jenkins also comes to mind. 

10 hours ago, Rob331 said:

Interesting that your example is well over 20 years old. It doesn't change my opinion but Malcolm Jenkins also comes to mind. 

The examples I used were Eagles, so I figured you'd be familiar with their work. 

The thing about DeJean is that he could fill various needs in the secondary for a team with a certain need. In our case, Slay is solid on one side and the winner between Mitchell and Bradberry should start on the other side. Blankenship starts at safety and CJGJ was brought in to be his counterpart there. DeJean's best path on to the field is to beat out Maddox for the nickel role. Because of his versatility the expectations are high. If an injury happens to one of our safeties or to one of our starting CBs, he could end up covering that role in a pinch with Maddox moving back into the nickel role. 

I think you'll see Fangio use DeJean all over the secondary as the season progresses. 

Without reading too much into these early OTA sessions, can confirm that Maddox has been getting 1st team reps at S in addition to NCB.

 

Did anyone happen to see the highlight interception Malaki Starks mase this weekend?

UNBELIEVABLE!!!