How trading for Josiah Scott affects Eagles’ cornerback position

[time2rock]

How trading for Josiah Scott affects Eagles’ cornerback position

Posted May 19, 6:30 AM

New Eagles cornerback Josiah Scott's presence could impact several things with the team's cornerback position(AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

 

By Chris Franklin | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

 

The Eagles seem to be tinkering a lot with their defense lately. After the team announced it was signing defensive end Ryan Kerrigan Monday, Philadelphia completed a trade Tuesday, acquiring cornerback Josiah Scott from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for cornerback Jameson Houston and a 2023 sixth-round draft pick.

 

The cornerback swap showed the Eagles are still looking to find the right combination of corners to take into the 2021 season.

 

There is no question that Darius Slay will be one of the starting cornerbacks. However, with Tuesday’s trade, it appears as if the team remains committed to Avonte Maddox as the other starting cornerback for the second straight year.

 

The big question will now become who becomes the primary slot cornerback for the nickel corner. Scott is better suited for this role, especially with possessing the speed needed to cover slot receivers. Scott, a 5-foot-9-inch cornerback, was the Jaguars’ fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Scott played in six games last season, collecting 11 total tackles. He was also targeted in pass coverage seven times, allowing six completions for 77 yards.

 

Rookie Zach McPhearson could develop into this role, lining up on the outside and moving Maddox back inside, but will need time to develop.

 

With it appearing as if the Eagles will have an aggressive form of a Cover 2 defense, the cornerbacks may not be relied upon to run deep with receivers, especially with safety help behind them. However, there could be a greater emphasis on tackling than ever, especially with teams running more wide receiver screens, slants, and quick out routes to get the ball into receivers’ hands quickly.

 

As for the future, the Eagles have to find out what they have at the cornerback position, given the current contract situations of several players at that position. Before Tuesday’s trade, Slay, McPhearson, and Shakial Taylor, who the Eagles claimed off waivers from the Giants in February and last significant playing time was in 2019, were the only cornerbacks who were under contract beyond this season. At the very least, Scott would be another known quantity in the secondary.

 

https://www.nj.com/eagles/2021/05/how-trading-for-josiah-scott-affects-the-eagles-cornerback-position.html

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

7 hours ago, time2rock said:

There is no question that Darius Slay will be one of the starting cornerbacks. However, with Tuesday’s trade, it appears as if the team remains committed to Avonte Maddox as the other starting cornerback for the second straight year.

If that's true and that's what happens then my god things are going to be ugly again next year. How can they even think Maddox is serviceable on the outside? He isn't. He's not an outside corner, he's one of the worst in the league. Poor guy. 

[time2rock]

1 hour ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

If that's true and that's what happens then my god things are going to be ugly again next year. How can they even think Maddox is serviceable on the outside? He isn't. He's not an outside corner, he's one of the worst in the league. Poor guy. 

Yeah I'm not buying that.  I think Scott was brought in to compete with Maddox in the slot.  I sure hope I am right and they do not plan to play him outside again.  

[UK_EaglesFan89]

5 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Yeah I'm not buying that.  I think Scott was brought in to compete with Maddox in the slot.  I sure hope I am right and they do not plan to play him outside again.  

I hope you are right. The idea of Maddox on the outside fills me with dread.