Why White relishes his mistakes in Eagles practice

[time2rock]

Why White relishes his mistakes in Eagles practice

 

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Eagles linebacker Kyzir White doesn’t mind making mistakes in practice.

On one condition.

"If I make a mistake, I just want to make it at a thousand miles per hour,” White said on Thursday. "I don’t want to be hesitant. I just want to come out here and play real fast.”

He’s done that.

White, 26, has had an impressive first training camp with the Eagles. And it really looks like he’s going to end their long string of ineffective free agent linebackers. White is good; and he’s going to help them this year.

Earlier this week, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon praised White, calling him "extremely intelligent.”

But White on Thursday explained that he couldn’t simply learn this new defense on the white board or from a tablet. He needed cleats on grass.

"I gotta go through things to learn them,” White said. "I can’t just see it on the board and come out and master it. I like making mistakes. I know it probably sounds crazy, but I actually learn better when I make mistakes. Come out here and go through it and do it.”

Gannon pointed out that his defense isn’t all that different from the defense his buddy Brandon Staley runs in LA, so the biggest hurdle for White was learning the new verbiage. Still, he’s been impressive in the new defense and has looked at home since Day 1.

White said he wants to still get better in the run game but agreed that his history as a college safety has given him the tools to excel in pass coverage as a linebacker in the NFL. We saw that when he picked off a pass in the first preseason game against the Jets.

Really, though, we’ve seen that ability all summer from White. He’s always around the ball and either knocking it down or picking it off. He’s formed an impressive duo with T.J. Edwards, who is likely to man the MIKE spot, while White plays the WILL.

After that, the Eagles have a rotation that includes Nakobe Dean and Davion Taylor.

White last season started all 17 games for the Chargers. He had 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups and 144 tackles. But based on his relatively inexpensive one-year deal with the Eagles, it looked like Los Angeles didn’t prioritize bringing him back.

That has given some fans pause and has tempered expectations for White in 2022. But he’s just about done thinking on that.

"I don’t know if they feel like I didn’t play good enough or what,” White said. "But I’m glad I’m here. Of course, it’s motivation. I just want to prove myself. I just want to prove what kind of player I am and what I can do on the field. That’s in the past now. I’m glad I’m right where I’m at.”

White’s one-year deal with the Eagles is worth just $3 million guaranteed with another $2 million in possible incentives. While White might only be here one year, the Macungie, Pennsylvania native is hoping his stay lasts a little longer.

A bunch of his family members were at the Linc for the first preseason game and a bunch of them got to watch play for the first time since he was at college at West Virginia.

"It was the best feeling in the world,” White said.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-training-camp-2022-kyzir-white-relishes-practice-mistakes