With free agency and the NFL draft around the corner, the Eagles are expected to be big players in both fields. With key needs on defense, it would be wise for the Birds to seek out a more experienced safety to slot into what is rapidly becoming a very young team. Marcus Williams fits that bill perfectly.
In years past we’ve seen the Eagles build around the talent of their safeties. The talent of Brian Dawkins forced Jim Johnson to build his scheme around him as if he was the QB of the defense. Malcolm Jenkins was also a huge focal point for Jin Schwartz’s defense when the two were around from 2016 until the year Malcolm was cut.
Why not take a similar approach this season? The Eagles could be an outstanding fit for former Saints safety Marcus Williams. They’re also in a position to outbid nearly any other team to make it happen. Williams is 25-years-old and has elite ball skills that would really complement Gannon’s defensive ethos.
The Eagles are expected to move on from either Rodney McLeod or Anthony Harris this offseason, if not both. This would leave Marcus Epps and K’Von Wallace as the heirs to the safety position. While Epps has shown his growth and has developed a decent range with good ball skills, it may be too risky to deem him as the go-to guy.
We barely saw K’Von Wallace play the safety position last season for some odd reason as they mostly kept him on special teams. Wallace has the potential to be a difference-maker but wasn’t given the chance to prove it last season. This is why the Eagles need to go with the more experienced player in this mix.
Marcus Williams was a leader in the Saints locker room and a threat for opposing offenses. He’s collected 15 interceptions while almost deflecting 38 passes over the last 5 seasons. He’s only missed 5 games in that span. Williams tallied 74 tackles last season as the Saints fell short of the playoffs.
His time spent with Malcolm Jenkins could also be a huge factor in his decision to come to Philly. We all know how bad the split between Malcolm and the Eagles was, I wonder if that sour taste in his mouth could ruin this opportunity for the franchise? While Malcolm was a huge ambassador to the city of Philadelphia and is one of the more beloved players over the last ten years, one has to wonder what has been mentioned to Williams about the Eagles.
Either way, the Eagles are better off going with an experienced player with some youth at the safety position instead of drafting a rookie to do the job. The defense has big names all across the board but they’re missing that face that should be the “QB” of the defense. Could Marcus Williams be that guy?
Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire
