After ten games without a franchise defensive tackle, the Eagles may finally be close to getting Timmy Jernigan back in action.
Roster Move: #Eagles have activated DT Tim Jernigan from NFI list and waived DT T.Y. McGill. pic.twitter.com/1ALhG2jLJu
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 20, 2018
Jernigan ended his first year in Philly with 29 tackles but burst out of the gate early. Through nine games, he had 10 QB hurries, 5 QB hits and 1.5 sacks. An ankle injury looked to slow his progress, but it didn’t stop him from being one of the team’s biggest defensive standouts. As Jernigan wreaked havoc inside, the rest of the defensive line, Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox included, feasted. It was that stellar play that led the Eagles to sign him to a huge $48M contract. All of a sudden, the Eagles had one of the most ferocious DT pairings in the NFL and they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
But then, disaster struck. It was announced that Jernigan suffered a herniated disc that would require surgery, keeping him out of action for the first half of the season at the very least. This was a worst-case scenario for Howie Roseman, who had just invested a considerable amount into the future of his defensive line. More importantly, it was a worst-case scenario for the Eagles defense.
Through the opening ten games of the season, the Eagles pass rush has not looked like its usual self and Jernigan’s absence has played a big role in that. The depth at defensive tackle has been minimal, with Ngata’s durability leaving undrafted free agents and practice squad promotees filling the void. Bruce Hector, Treyvon Hester and T.Y McGill are three of the names who have seen action next to Fletcher Cox this year, with none of them able to draw the double teams away from Cox.
Jernigan was always a dominant run defender but in his first season in Philly, we began to see a very different monster as he started hounding quarterbacks. The idea of Jernigan and Cox accompanying a speedy edge-rush that even includes the versatile Michael Bennett is something that has left fans salivating all year long and now, they will finally get their wish.
Given the recent run of injuries and re-injuries, it’s safe to assume the Eagles may be a little mote conservative with Jernigan’s return, but this is a promising sign for a defense that’s beginning to wilt.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
