The Eagles’ defense has looked impressive leading up to the regular season. Bolstered by a top defensive line, the Eagles’ defense has looked disruptive so far. With additions like Anthony Harris, Eric Wilson, Steven Nelson, and Ryan Kerrigan, the Eagles have added some very nice talent to an Eagles defense that already has Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Darius Slay. This Eagles defense has been sneaky good so far, so the question is, could this unit be a top force in the NFL?
The Eagles have always believed in building a team in the trenches, and their defensive line this year looks to be top tier. Headlined by Pro Bowlers Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham, the defensive line looks to be providing constant pressure all season. Javon Hargrave is having a dominant camp and looks to be a lethal force paired alongside Fletcher Cox. Josh Sweat looks to be one of the Eagles’ biggest breakout players this season and his running mate Derek Barnett will be getting a lot of runs this year too. Ryan Kerrigan and Milton Williams will be rotating in for snaps as well, capping off a loaded defensive line for the Eagles. The defensive line will anchor the defense all season long and will be one of the league’s bests. There is a lot of talent and depth along the line that Eagles fans should be very optimistic about.
#Eagles defense, particularly the defensive line, has the early advantage during team. Josh Sweat just had a strip sack on Zach Wilson, but Brandon Graham and Javon Hargrave were in there too.
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) August 24, 2021
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The Eagles linebacking crew got a big bolster in free-agent signing Eric Wilson to pair with Alex Singleton. A combo of Alex Singleton and Eric Wilson will look to handle most of the snaps at LB, with TJ Edwards, Davion Taylor, and Shaun Bradley also looking at getting some extended playing time. The emergence of Singleton last year was a great sight for Eagles fans and now adding a player like Eric Wilson to pair with him really helps the linebacking crew. The depth at LB could be tested considering the youth of the unit. TJ Edwards, Davion Taylor, JaCoby Stevens, and Shaun Bradley look to be the backups or other starting LB. The Eagles LB unit might not be the greatest, but they have some good talent and some young guys ready to play.
The Eagles really bolstered their secondary this offseason. The biggest signing of the offseason was Anthony Harris. In 2019 Anthony Harris led the league in interceptions, and the Eagles signed him for only five million dollars. The deal looks like a steal for the Eagles and he will look to lock up the backend of the secondary. The Eagles have their best corner duo in some time with Darius Slay and Steven Nelson, but the depth could be an issue. Rodney McLeod will end up being the other starting safety, but his availability for week one is still in question. All in all, the Eagles’ secondary is much more improved than last season, but the depth is still a big issue.
Practice ends with an INT from S Andrew Adams. Defense dominates in joint practice No. 1 today. Jets could not handle Eagles’ front 4. pic.twitter.com/N1WWPP5ee4
— Dave Spadaro (@EaglesInsider) August 24, 2021
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Now looking at the defense as a whole unit, the group has a lot of talent. Headlined by a stacked defensive line and improvements to the linebacking and secondary groups, they could certainly be a top-ten defense in the league. Implementing a new defensive scheme could be hard but the Eagles haven’t shown any hardships so far. The Eagles’ defense has been dominant in camp, joint-practices, and they have looked good in preseason games. The Eagles have the talent to be a top ten defense in the NFL they just all need to put it together. The biggest factor will be the health of the starters. Besides the defensive line, the depth on the defense could be an issue. I think the Eagles defense will have to carry the 2021 team and I think they will end up as a top ten unit.
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