Eric Wilson Shaping Up as the Most Important Piece in Eagles' LB Picture
PHILADELPHIA - Eric Wilson is new to Philadelphia but it's the Eagles who are new to Jonathan Gannon's defensive philosophy, not Wilson, the fifth-year veteran who broke out a bit in Minnesota last season as an injury replacement for Anthony Barr.
The Vikings defense is the brainchild of Mike Zimmer, perhaps the most important fingerprint on Gannon's development as a coach.
Gannon was an assistant defensive backs coach on Zimmer’s staff for four seasons (2014-17), the last of which overlapped with Wilson's arrival as an undersized, undrafted free agent out of the University of Cincinnati.
The Eagles' rookie DC is not a clone of Zimmer but his belief system as a coach leans in the Zimmer direction more often than not which gives Wilson, 26, a leg up when it comes to learning a new defensive scheme even when measured against the players that have been with the Eagles for years.
To further cement that thought, Philadelphia's new linebackers coach, Nick Rallis, also comes from Minnesota as a Zimmer disciple and has already been a part of Wilson's development from that undersized longshot into veteran playmaker by 2020.
“There’s definitely some carryover for him," fellow LB T.J. Edwards said when discussing Wilson. "He’s a guy who is more comfortable, I think, right away in what we’re doing. It’s definitely helpful to bounce questions off him."
Fellow LB Alex Singleton, last year's leading tackler on the team, agreed: “Him and Rallis were together so the terms that they know and the ways that they see things, it’s kind of meshing together. “It’s really nice to be able to communicate."
Eagles LB Eric Wilson is an important piece to the team's puzzle at that position
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Wilson, who signed a one-year, prove-it deal in free agency, is learning the MIKE and WILL positions in advance of being one of the team's two three-down LBs with Singleton.
Edwards will be penciled in as the MIKE in 4-3 base looks and Wilson is the leading candidate to wear the green dot on his helmet as the conduit for the coaching staff because he won't be leaving the field.
"I like both positions," said Wilson. "I like being on the field and being a positive impact for my team in whatever position that I play. I'm gonna do my best and contribute. I think it's great for me.
"I've had experience playing both, starting games at MIKE and WILL and I think that helps my football IQ and just my awareness of where I am on the field."
In Minnesota, Barr handled the communication duties and Wilson took over after the former suffered a torn pectoral muscle despite the presence of Pro Bowl option Eric Kendricks.
“It’s a new defense for everyone,” Wilson explained of the Eagles' setup. “We’re learning techniques and responsibilities, so we’re going to continue to talk through those things and work together to be on the same page.”
At 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, Wilson is known more for his speed and coverage abilities more than his run-stopping proclivities, producing three sacks, three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries last season for the Vikings.
Similar production this time around would shape up as a needed nose for the football that the Philadelphia defense lacked in Jim Schwartz's final season as DC.
"That's one of the key principles to the culture," Wilson said of creating game-changing plays. "... one of the most prevalent statistics in being a great defense is taking the ball and giving the offense back the ball or scoring on defense.
"... It's very important."
John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on both PhillyVoice.com and YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
