Creating the Eagles All-2010s Team: Defense & Special Teams Edition

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Linebackers – DeMeco Ryans & Nigel Bradham

DeMeco Ryans

Ryans is one of the least tenured Eagles on this entire All-2010s team, but he made his impact almost immediately felt once he came to the Eagles. 

Acquired in a trade with the Texans in 2012, Ryans had 113 tackles in his first season with the Eagles.  He followed that with a 127 tackle season in 2013.  His 2014 season was cut short after eight games due to an Achilles injury, but he did have 45 tackles in that half of a season.  

In his final season with the Eagles, 2015, he played in 14 games but only had 49 tackles.  His role on the defense was more of a mentor for then rookie Jordan Hicks, who was lost for the season just a week after Ryans.  

But despite his short tenure, the fans felt that his impact on the defense was big enough to be part of the All-2010s team.  

Nigel Bradham

Another member of the short tenure club on this list is Nigel Bradham, but his tenure with the Eagles is even shorter than Ryans’.

Bradham was signed by the Eagles in 2016 after four years with Buffalo.  The signing brought him back together with his former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who was the DC for the Bills in 2014.  During that season, Bradham had 104 tackles and two and a half sacks, both are still career highs.  

In his three seasons with the Eagles, Bradham has averaged 94.3 tackles and has only missed two games.  He has been the undisputed leader of the linebacker corps and is signed through 2022.  

He has also played in 91.07% of the snaps in games he played, pretty reliable.  Bradham is well deserving of his spot on this 2010s list, and he has a chance to cement that in 2019.