EAGLES NFL DRAFT PREVIEW: The Cornerbacks
The Eagles have already remade the cornerback position to a significant degree but there’s still plenty of work to be done.
That should tell you just how poor the Philadelphia defense was outside the numbers with a secondary named “most likely to be gashed” in the 2019 NFL yearbook.
Turning the desert into an oasis was started with the trade the sent two 2020 draft picks - a third- and a fifth-rounder - to Detroit for three-time Pro Bowl selection Darius Slay, easily the most accomplished option the organization has had at the position in the Doug Pederson/Jim Schwartz era.
That wasn’t the original plan but when the bidding got too steep for Byron Jones in free agency, Howie Roseman had to pivot and kick the tires on another free agent - Chris Harris - before begrudgingly handing over draft capital he didn’t want to lose and locking down Slay, who was unhappy with Lions coach Matt Patricia, into a big-money extension.
Slay is penciled into the LC position that has been Jalen Mills' job. Mills, however, is going to attempt the move back to safety after re-signing on a one-year deal.
The other big move made at CB was in the slot when Roseman got a player he’s coveted for a long time in Nickell Robey-Coleman, like Slay a much more accomplished option than what the Eagles have had in the past. It was also much more cost-effective as Robey-Coleman took a one-year deal to reunite with Schwartz, who was his DC in Buffalo during Robey-Coleman’s rookie season.
The presence of Robey-Coleman also will push Avonte Maddox to the outside opposite Slay and the undersized Pitt Product will get the first opportunity to win the job over the more-pedigreed Sidney Jones.
When forced to play outside in the past and the 5-foot-9 Maddox has actually held up rather well and some might argue even better than in the slot, where so many run fits are in the equation.
Roseman brought up some interesting, and impressive, comps when discussing Maddox’s abilities.
“I grew up admiring the Darrell Greens and Aaron Glenns of the world, and these guys, they’re explosive, twitched-up guys who had an incredible vertical, and it’s hard to get the ball on them. Avonte’s got a lot of those same characteristics,” said the Eagles GM.
Jones is in the last year of his rookie deal and will have one final opportunity to live up to the billing he had coming out of the University of Washington before the 2017 draft before a torn Achilles’ muddled things.
Jones has been working to stay in shape in Texas with Ronnie Braxton, the resident trainer for the stars when it comes to defensive backs in the NFL.
“For us, Sidney is a guy that, he really has to have the opportunity to have an offseason where instead of rehabbing he’s really working on his body and coming into camp (healthy) because we do feel like this is a guy that when we’ve seen him healthy he does have a skill set,” Roseman said. “He’s got to go prove it.”
Rasul Douglas, who came in the same year as Jones, has been healthy and the Eagles have ultimately decided that the North Jersey native is not in their plans past the final year of his rookie deal in 2020 which is why Douglas is on the trade market.
The skinny there is that Douglas has some traits with his length and ball skills but he’s speed-deficient and doesn’t project to safety as so many expound because of his body type.
“Rasul has a body of work that’s kind of been put out there, and so for him he’s just got to keep continuing to work on it and competing,” Roseman said.
As for the rest of the options on hand, Cre’Von LeBlanc should fit in nicely as the backup behind Robey-Coleman in the slot with the ability to kick outside when needed and Craig James will always have Dave Fipp pounding the table for him due to his coverage skills on special teams.
Trevor Williams was maybe the Eagles’ most interesting futures signing as a Penn State product with some starting experience but his opportunities have already been cut drastically now that Slay and Robey-Coleman are on board.
The final body on the offseason roster is Tremon Smith, who was on the Eagles’ practice squad late last season.
The other notable change is at secondary coach where Marquand Manuel replaces Cory Undlin, now the DC in Detroit. A former player, Manuel brings a fresh approach to the plate and a player like Jones particularly could be helped by that.
Despite the additions and obvious improvements at the position, CB remains a low-key possibility at No. 21 overall if things don’t fall the way the Eagles like at the WR position.
The thought around the league is mixed at CB behind the top two options - Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah, who could be a top-five pick, and Florida’s C.J. Henderson.
If the latter is there for Philadelphia the Eagles would pounce, but that scenario is almost as unlikely as the top three receivers falling.
From there, scouts are mixed and cases have been made for Clemson’s A.J. Terrell, TCU’s Jeff Gladney and Utah’s Jaylon Johnson as the next to come off the board depending on what flavor a GM might like.
For Roseman, that’s Douglas-like length with the athleticism to back it up which could point to Terrell or Johnson and even Alabama’s Trevon Diggs, the brother of Buffalo star WR Stefon Diggs.
As far as known due diligence, Philadelphia has checked in on a number of middle and later round prospects as well like Louisiana Tech's Amik Robertson, UCLA's Darnay Holmes, and Pitt's Dane Jackson.
BUILDING THE PERFECT CORNERBACK
Press coverage - Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State - If you are looking for the true lockdown CB from the draft, it’s probably Okudah or bust. The only real knock is over-aggressiveness and most defensive coordinators will love that.
Zone coverage - C.J. Henderson, Florida - When it comes to reading the quarterback and reacting, Henderson is your guy. He had the luxury of playing all over the secondary with the Gators and has an understanding of what’s going on with the entire back end.
Recovery speed - Jeff Gladney, TCU - Mid-4.3 speed can mask quite a few mistakes and that’s what Gladney is working with.
Run support - Trevon Diggs, Alabama - Diggs is raw and this is a projection but he’s got the size to fight through any receiver's block with want-to alone.
Nickel - Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech - If you’re looking for a pure slot CB, the highly productive Robertson is the guy.
EAGLES MAVEN TOP 10:
1. Jeffery Okudah, Ohio State
2. C.J. Henderson, Florida
3. A.J. Terrell, Clemson
4. Jeff Gladney, TCU
5. Jaylon Johnson, Utah
6. Trevon Diggs, Alabama
7. Kristian Fulton, LSU
8. Damon Arnette, Ohio State
9. Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn
10. Bryce Hall, Virginia
Sleeper - Reggie Robinson, Tulsa
Boom or Bust - Jaylon Johnson, Utah
John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com. You can listen to John every day on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes and on ESPN 97.3 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
