How Pairing Anthony Harris With Rodney McLeod Benefits the Eagles’ Defense
PHILADELPHIA —DeVonta Smith may have been the glamor addition from the Eagles offseason thus far, but Anthony Harris could be the home run this defense needed and is starting to fly under the radar.
A season removed from being a franchise-tagged player, GM Howie Roseman landed Harris at a bargain one-year, $5 million deal. The contract doesn’t scream marquee free-agent deal, but the play of Harris could make you think otherwise.
I’ve already analyzed the impact Harris will bring from an individual standpoint. Now, it’s time to project how the safety will pair with his new running mate, Rodney McLeod.
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First, Harris and McLeod go back to their days together at the University of Virginia, even rooming together when McLeod was a senior and Harris a freshman.
"I was kind of like a big bro to him, in a sense, mentored him," said McLeod on Wednesday afternoon. "Coaches told me right then and there, ‘Once you leave, he’s going to be the guy.’ And he proved that."
Second, McLeod and DB coach Dennard Wilson go back to their days together with the then-St. Louis Rams.
"He's somebody I have a lot of respect for and somebody I look to for a lot of guidance, and he’s really big on fundamentals and technique, which I love," said McLeod about Wilson. "And he's very passionate. Guys have responded well to him."
For those keeping track, McLeod has primarily been a free safety his entire career. Coincidentally, so has Harris up to this point as well.
Yes, safety positions are considered interchangeable, but it’s still fair to question how new Eagles defensive coordinator, Jonathan Gannon, plans to utilize two safeties, who excel in the backend of the secondary.
The answer could be found from the Indianapolis Colts defense.
The Colts heavily utilized three safety sets in 2019. Malik Hooker, George Odum, and Khari Willis were the defensive backs benefiting from these packages.
Gannon had a front-row seat to see the effects of these sets coaching the Colts' secondary during the 2019 season. Odum and Hooker covered the backend together while Willis played the dime linebacker role and lurked around the line of scrimmage.
Now, the Colts shied away from these sets in 2020, but reports indicate the season-ending injury to Hooker forced the change of course.
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Given Philadelphia’s willingness to keep McLeod coming off a season-ending injury himself while also throwing Harris into the mix, it should indicate Gannon aspiring to bring these sets to Philadelphia.
The impact of these three safety groupings will be felt immediately by the Eagles’ questionable cornerback group.
The panic among Philadelphia’s fanbase is the lack of talent adequate to play the No. 2 cornerback spot, but with guaranteed help on the backend, unlike Jim Schwartz’s philosophy of leaving his corners on an island, the pressure is incredibly lessened on that specific player and Darius Slay.
According to Pro Football Focus, McLeod has never posted a coverage grade lower than 70 during his five seasons in Philadelphia and has allowed only three touchdowns in that period. Harris was arguably the most dominant safety in coverage from 2018-2019, allowing not a single touchdown in that time (coverage grade 87.1 in 2018 and 91.6 in 2019) while posting nine interceptions.
The Eagles possess the safeties who can shine in coverage and support one of the weaker position groups on the roster in a cornerback.
There will be a debate on who fits the profile for the third safety role on this team.
Second-year defensive back, K’Von Wallace, fits the mold of a prototypical in-the-box safety and could project as the best fit, but competition from rookie JaCoby Stevens for the same role should be monitored as well.
Regardless of who the third safety is for the Eagles, the answer to how Gannon plans to fit Harris and McLeod’s skillset together is more pressing.
The two are on one-year contracts, and Philadelphia will need results to reinvest in either one of the safeties, which is another indicator of just how much the Eagles will utilize the two in 2021.
The passing defense has always been the Achilles’ heel of the Eagles unit.
The addition of Gannon as defensive coordinator signaled emphasis on changing that narrative, and the signing of Harris to pair with McLeod gives a potential glimpse of how the first-year defensive coordinator plans on addressing the weakness.
Conor Myles is a contributor for SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Reach Conor at ConorMylesSI@gmail.com or Twitter: @ConorMylesSI
