The anticipation for the 2024 NFL season intensified as the Eagles opened up their first team practice in Training Camp at the NovaCare Complex yesterday. Today, they’re back at it and first-year Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio took the podium to answer questions regarding the defensive unit that has some questions around it with the mix of highly touted rookies and seasoned veterans coming into the new season.
I believe one of the most important points Eagles’ fans should take out of the near 10-minute presser with Fangio was that he has not been and will not be afraid to play the rookies if they are good enough.
“I’m all for playing the best guys,” Fangio said. “If you look at my history with rookies, we played them, providing they were good enough, they were playing. We didn’t play them just because they are young. With the two expansion teams I was with, we would just throw them out there to see what we have. But we have more serious business here. If they are worthy of playing, they will play.”
Of course, the two biggest rookies on the defensive side of the ball are in the secondary in cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, with the latter recently being ruled out for a few weeks due to an injury. The duo is expected to make an impact sooner than later.
Focusing on Eagles new pass rusher
Staying with new faces to the team this year, Bryce Huff, who came over from the New York Jets is expected to be a playmaker after inking a three-year, $51 million contract to wear midnight green while the Eagles let Hasson Reddick walk. Last season, Huff played in 17 games recording 10 sacks, which was inside the top-25 in the NFL last season.
Huff certainly has the ability to rush the passer, but Fangio and the Eagles are hoping he can become an every down player and be able to defend the rush as well.
“I think everyone thought he could play every down with knowing the floor would be just rush downs. He has taken the challenge on very well. He has the talent to do what we want him to do. He has to get familiar with doing it. It will be a work and progress. It’ll come down to him getting comfortable and doing it. Does it look like he could he do it today? No. But I think eventually he will.”
Competition at the Linebacker position
Inside linebacker is also a position of emphasis with a lot of competition. The Eagles’ notoriously have had poor play from the linebacker position for years, but Fangio believes the competition will be a good one.
“Yesterday was first day doing any 11 on 11 work which is true teller when evaluating defensive players. Most fundamental thing you have to do as defensive player is determine if it’s a run or pass. Everything was a pass in the spring. I like Zach…he’s played very little inside linebacker in his career, but we think he can do it. Obviously, Devin (White) has had a career where he has done it. Nakobe (Dean) has shown he can do it in college but hasn’t had a chance to do it much here because he had two good players in front of him in his first year and last year was injured. Same thing with Trotter, Ben (VanSumeren) and Oren (Burks). They’re all in the mix really.”
Lastly, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the Eagles have a new offensive and defensive coordinator. With Training Camp practices far fewer than in the past, Fangio, who’s been in the league for a long time realizes that installing his defensive scheme and philosophy will be incorporated much quicker than in years past.
“Told the players that was whatever was installed in the spring, that’s already in. But we are going to have a focus each day, so they kind of know what is going to be called each day. Back in the day when you had 40 days of practice, you can install very slowly. You can’t do that anymore. You just have to go.”
Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire
