The most interesting starting job battle in this camp is the one between Quintin Demps and Sean Jones. Demps will be a first year starter if he wins the job, while Jones is a multi-year starter and proven big playmaker.
I’m anxious to see if the young fella can hold off the vet.
Right now, the Eagles have Demps playing free safety and Jones playing strong safety. Some of you might say, this makes no sense, they’re battling for a starting job but they don’t even play the same position.
The truth of the matter is that the Eagles want their safeties to be interchangeable.
In fact defensive coordinator Sean McDermott expressed that desire yesterday, “Yeah, interchangeable. I think, in this day in age of football, you want to have two safeties that can play any position. It’s such a game built on the passing game and speed that you want guys that can cover in space and also support the run.”
Trouble is they have only one safety, Quintin Mikell, that they’re sure can do anything they need done at the safety position.
They’re confident Demps can run deep with wide outs but can he come up and he be a sure tackler in the open field.
Jones can be a sure tackler in the open field but can he run deep with the speedy wide outs in the NFL.
I talked to both of them after practice and Demps was confident about his ability to hold Jones off. He said, “I know what I can do, and I’m going to show everybody why coach has me out there.”
He stressed that it’s early, “We’ve only put in a little bit of the defense. It’s only the second day of camp. There’s a long way to go.”
Demps hasn’t jumped out at me as I’ve watched the first team defensive unit. I haven’t seen him miss any tackles. His speed hasn’t allowed wide outs to get behind him. Stopping big plays is the reason he’s back there.
I’m waiting for him to make some big plays, such as interceptions, but I think Sean McDermott would be happy with him merely preventing big plays by opposing offenses.
In practices a year ago and during his college career, he showed the ability to read a quarterback, break on the ball and make the “mouth-opening interception”. I think he needs more time back there to add to his confidence, then he’ll be more willing to take some chances in pursuit of the big play.
I know Jones has the ability to make big plays, but his opportunities have been limited, thus far. The veteran safety has a proven track record of making big plays with his 14 interceptions in the last three years, which ranks behind only Ed Reed in that period.
Jones explained his method of getting his hands on the ball. He said he studies offenses and quarterbacks to get to know what they like to do in certain situations.
Once he’s done his homework the rest of the job is easy because he knows what to anticipate.
Guys like Jones aren’t as impressive in practices as they are in games. I think he’s going to have to take this job in the preseason games, if he’s going to take it all.
McDermott hasn’t been clear about what the criteria for how one of them wins the job. As far as I can see it’s Demps’ job to lose. The Eagles would rather give up some of the pounding tackling for somebody who can eliminate big pass plays deep downfield.
Jones will have to be overwhelmingly better to take this job from the kid.
