Eagles DC Vic Fangio confirms S Marcus Epps in line to start Monday night vs. Chargers

Veteran safety Marcus Epps is in the 21-day practice window. Eagles DC Vic Fangio indicated Epps could start Monday night if he's activated.

By Geoff Mosher
PhillyVoice Staff

Bill Streicher/Imagn Images

Vic Fangio could be making some changes in Week 14, including starting Marcus Epps at safety.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wasted no time indicating that veteran safety Marcus Epps is in line to start Monday against the Chargers if he's activated from injured reserve.

The first question of Fangio's press conference Wednesday asked if Epps, who on Tuesday was placed in the 21-day practice window, could: a) be ready by Monday; and b) be in contention to start (there was a "c" that asked Fangio what he liked about Epps).

"Yes to the first two," Fangio said, before answering what he liked about Epps – "he's an experienced safety, got good instincts, got a good feel for the game."

Fangio added that he'll need to "get a feel and barometer" of where Epps is in his comeback from the injury this week in practice before the team makes any decision about activating Epps back onto the 53-man roster.

But if Epps is good to go, look for the veteran safety to get the start. 

Before going on IR with an undisclosed injury, Epps was the third safety on the depth chart behind Reed Blankenship and rookie Andrew Mukuba and ahead of third-year pro Sydney Brown.

Mukuba is presently on Injured Reserve and missed the first of at least four games on Black Friday against the Bears, putting Brown into a starting role for the first time this year.

How'd that go? 

"A lot like the rest of us – some good, some bad," Fangio said, which wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement.

Jalen Carter still bothered by shoulder

Something else Fangio acknowledged was that defensive tackle Jalen Carter is still hampered and playing through the shoulder injury that's been bothering the Eagles' top defensive lineman since the start of camp – really, an issue that has plagued Carter since his college days at Georgia.

"He does have a shoulder issue," Fangio said. "He's been playing with it. Late in the game he had a great play with it, but yeah, it's definitely something there."

Carter was part of a defensive front that got steamrolled by the Bears to the tune of 281 rushing yards and an average of 6.0 yards per carry. For the second straight season, Carter is playing more than 80 percent of the defensive snaps. Fangio was asked if he needs to make some snap-count changes up front, especially with Carter laboring.

"We'll see how it goes," he said.

Carter spoke cryptically, per Cory Nidoh of Philly Sports Network, about dealing with his injury after Friday's game in the locker room:

Patullo: House egging 'crossed the line'

The Moorestown, N.J., home of Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was egged in the early hours of Saturday morning, ESPN reported on Monday.

In his press conference, Patullo called the Philadelphia area "awesome" and a "unique place to coach and play" but he lamented that his family had to also become the target of fan backlash.

"I've been here five years now and it's been awesome," he said. "This is such a unique place to coach and play. It's an amazing atmosphere to be a coach and a player. As coaches and players, we all know part of our job is to handle criticism. But when it involves your family, obviously it crosses the line. That happened, and at this point we just gotta move on."

Patullo also said his neighbors have been very supportive and that he wasn't uncomfortable presently living in the same house or coaching in Philadelphia.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/vic-fangio-safety-depth-marcus-epps-start-monday-night-chargers-jalen-carter-kevin-patullo-injury-news/

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21 hours ago, LacesOut said:

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