Consistency

Posted:July 26th, 2025 |Author:Tommy Lawlor|

One of the words that I will use the most when writing about playes this summer is consistency. That’s really the key to being a good NFL player, whether a star, key backup or role player. Consistency.

Every guy in the NFL has some trait that got him into the league. It might be size. Or strength or speed. It could be positional ability. These are the best players in the world. Even the 90th man on the Eagles 90-man roster has legit NFL ability/potential. Good players play well on a consistent basis. You can count on them.

Let’s talk about Kenyon Green, the guard the Eagles got in a trade with the Texans. Green is a former first round pick. He’s got 23 career starts. If you watch his highlights you see a guy with Pro Bowl ability.

The problem is that Green is highly inconsistent. He’s had issues with his pad level. There are times when he gets off-balance and gets beaten easily. He can be sloppy with his hands. Green keeps them too wide at times and almost looks like he is trying to hug the DL across from him. OL need their hands to be close together so they can have impact when they hit the defender. Other times Green is too passive with his hands. He doesn’t strike defenders aggressively and with confidence.

Some people assumed Green might be this year’s Mekhi Becton, a former first round pick who got his career turned around by Stoutland University. We’d all love to see that happen. There is a big difference, though. Becton played on a dysfunctional team. He played LT and RT. The Eagles brought him in to be a backup OT and then gave him a shot at RG.

Green is coming to Philly from Houston, where the team won 10 games each of the two past seasons. DeMeco Ryans is a good head coach and they had a solid overall staff. Green’s problems were about his performance, not position switches and a chaotic overall situation. Green just didn’t play well on a consistent basis. The talent is there, the consistency isn’t.

Jeff Stoutland is a great OL coach so he might be able to get Green turned around. Just don’t count on it. Stoutland has to get Green to play better from a technical standpoint. He’s also got to rebuild his confidence. An OL who isn’t confident is going to struggle. If Stoutland can push the right buttons, Green could end up as a good addition. Green is dealing with a minor injury and hasn’t practiced yet so we’re still in wait and see mode on how this will work out.

There are other Eagles who face the same challenge of being more consistent. Several WRs fit this category. Jahan Dotson was a first round pick by Washington, but disappointed there. He didn’t do a lot early on last year. Dotson came alive later in the season and playoffs and showed the ability that got him picked so high. If he can be more consistent this year, the passing game can be even better.

Danny Gray and Terrace Marshall were Day 2 picks in recent years. Neither panned out with the teams who drafted them. Gray had a good showing in the spring. He’s got 4.33 speed and could be a good role player for an offense that likes to throw deep. Marshall is more of a possession receiver. He’s got 67 career catches, but only 1 TD. Marshall looked good in the spring and has flashed so far in camp. If these guys can keep this up, the Eagles could actually have some depth at receiver.

TE is wide open after Dallas Goedert. Grant Calcaterra has flashed big potential at times.

He’s also been maddeningly frustrating, mostly with his blocking. No one expects Calcaterra to look like Lane Johnson, but he’s got to at least be competitive on a regular basis. You don’t have to win every battle. Just lose slowly. Calcaterra looked like a turnstile way too often last year.

Kylen Granson and Harrison Bryant have both played really well at times in their careers. Granson is the athletic TE who can move around and make things happen. Bryant is more traditional. He can block and catch, but isn’t a special athlete. The Eagles are hoping that one of them (or both) will have a good summer and win a job. We know DG isn’t likely to stay healthy all year. No one is comfortable counting on Calcaterra. There is a need for another TE to show something.

Josh Uche has 20.5 career sacks. 11.5 of them came in 2022. One great year, four up and down seasons. That’s about as inconsistent as you can get. Uche can be a disruptive pass rusher. He’s one of the few guys who has given Lane Johnson problems. Uche must be more consistent this year if he’s going to secure a regular role on the Eagles defense and keep his career going.

Vic Fangio has had some success with undersized pass rushers. Heck, just look at what he did with Nolan Smith last year. If Uche really buys in and listens, this could be a key year for him. The further we get from 2022, the less relevant that great season becomes.

There are two young DBs who need to be consistent to maximize their talent. Kelee Ringo has a great combination of size and speed. His numbers make him look like the ideal CB. Watch him play and he’s too up and down. Ringo got off to a slow start in camp. Hopefully he’ll work his way through the struggles and start to play consistently well. If not, he’ll remain a backup and STer.

Sydney Brown has been a backup and STer. A major injury limited his growth in 2024. As Fangio has pointed out a few times, Brown didn’t start practicing until October and things are limited by that part of the season. Brown is a good athlete and physical player.

Brown has the talent to be a good starting safety. He’s got to play more under control. Brown loves to fly around the field and attack. That’s great on STs. It isn’t as great at safety. That’s a position that requires more thought and discipline. You must be able to diagnose plays and get to the right spot. If you’re out of control, the offense will burn you. If Brown can play under control more consistently, he has a chance to win a starting job, or even force Fangio to use 3-safety sets more often.

We know not all of these guys will pan out as hoped. That’s just the reality of pro football. Let’s just hope a few of them do so the Eagles have the kind of quality depth you need to contend for a title.

http://igglesblitz.com/2025/07/consistency/