Notes On The Eagles Defense

There were a lot of players missing from practice yesterday.  Wide receiver DeSean Jackson went down after going for a ball in between Kurt Coleman and Jaiquawn Jarrett.  Danny Watkins has his ankle rolled up on but both of them were walking fine after practice.

Defensive ends Trent Cole and Jason Babin are still out.  Cole with the shoulder and Babin with the calf.  linebacker Jamar Chaney (hamstring), safeties Nate Allen (hamstring), O.J. Atogwe (groin) and , and wide receiver Jamel Hamler (hamstring).

Todd Herremans has a strained shoulder and is still being held out of action.

Big Fletcher Cox was missing, excused for a personal reason.  Evan Mathis is still reovering from an illness.

Special teams phenom Colt Anderson seems to run and cut better every day as he works out on the side, but he’s not ready quite yet.

They’re going to have some tough cuts to make on the defensive line especially inside at the defensive tackle position.  Veteran starter Mike Patterson is still recovering from the off season brain surgery.  He works out every day on the side.

Derek Landri continues to produce.  He finds ways into the offensive backfield and he’s a battler.  Still I don’t know if he can be a successful starter.  He’s been very productive as a backup, but I think he might be the kind of guy, who if he’s given substantially more playing time, his production might drop off.

Antonio Dixon seems to be in better shape this year, but he’s still the biggest one of the crew.  He creates a lot of problems for offenses with his activity in the middle of the defense.

The guy who has really surprised me in Cedric Thornton.  He seems to be much more powerful than he was in the past and he’s been bringing it in the one-on-ones and in the team drills.

Ollie Ogbu has showed glimpses, but he doesn’t play with enough consistency.  At teams that looking for some pass rush help up the middle on 3rd downs may look at him, but he’s not big and sturdy enough to play full time.

We know that Cullen Jenkins, Mike Patterson and Fletcher Cox are going to be here, so the decision about who will stay is likely to involve Landri, Dixon and Thornton.  Right now Thornton and Ogbu are the last ones in line and the most likely to be cut.  If’ they’re cut I think Thornton will be able to make somebody’s team this year.

At the linebacker position, Jamar Chaney picked the worst time of the year to come up with a hamstring injury.  He had just been promoted to be a starter on the team’s nickel defense.  Rookie Mychal Kendricks continues to be active and making plays any time he’s on the field.  I see him getting caught out of position at times, which is understandable for a rookie.

So far Jaiquawn Jarrett has starting to make his presence felt with some big hits in the practice.  There’s no question that he can bring the wood.  This is no time for recently-acquired veteran safety Oshiomogho Atogwe to be hurt because he hasn’t busted a grape yet in camp.  He’s got a lot of work to do if he plans on getting a starting job.  So far I haven’t seen it.

Kurt Coleman has been running around making a lot of plays.  He’s the size of a cornerback, but he brings all he has when he hits somebody.