The Eagles have one of the best three-four defensive lines in the National Football League. They don’t have big sack numbers, but they do a great job of playing the run and keeping offensive linemen off the linebackers. In the three-four scheme, the defensive line is supposed to sacrifice and the linebackers are supposed to shine. Every now, the defensive linemen will make a play, but for the most part it should be the linebackers.
At one of the defensive ends is Fletcher Cox, who is a Pro Bowl caliber player. It took him a while to master the two-gap technique, but he really came into his own last year. Many times Cox is so powerful that he dominates double team blocks and pushes both blockers back into the opponent’s backfield.
He’s one of the league’s best three-four defensive linemen and Cox is a force to be reckoned regardless of where he lines up. I would like to see the Eagles start moving him around more, so the opposing offensive line has no idea where he’s at.
Cedric Thornton plays the other defensive end position opposite Cox, he’s more of a technician rather than a brute force monster like the bigger Cox. Thornton finds ways to make plays by keeping leverage and using his technical skills to split double-teams.. Thornton does a great job of getting off on the snap of the ball, beating the offensive line to the punch and splitting double-teams to get into the backfield.
The Eagles guy in the middle is Bennie Logan, who is 6’2″ weighs about 302 pounds and isn’t as big as he plays. Logan uses leverage and technique to keep offensive linemen off the linebackers. When he senses a double-team, he will make a pile and free up the linebackers to make the play. Like Thornton, Logan uses perfect technique in taking on double teams where the two blockers total about 700 pounds to his 302.
Logan is able to use his body control and technique to withstand the push and keep the offensive linemen off the linebackers. There are nose tackles in the league, who are 360 pounds and above.
The Eagles must find a way to get Vinny Curry on the field. He registered nine quarterback sacks, despite playing only part time. I want to see them stand him up and let him rush the passer as an outside linebacker. They’ve got to creative and get him on the field.
Second-year Beau Allen backs up Logan at the nose tackle position and has the size and smarts to do a good job when he gets in there.
Backup defensive ends veterans Brandon Bair and Taylor Hart along with rookie seventh round draft pick Brian Mihalik are all question marks. It’s time for Hart to step up and show what he can do. Rookie Mihalik will be around for a while, so they give him a chance to develop. The rest of the crew will be fighting for their NFL lives.
First team: Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan, Cedric Thornton
Second team: Vinny Curry, Beau Allen, Brandon Bair
Third team: Taylor Hart, Wade Keliikipi, Brian Mihalik
B.J. McBryde, Travis Raciti
DT Bennie Logan is now listed at 315lbs in both the Eagles Home Web-Site Page & ESPN Roster Listings, so he has put on some weight and hopefully keeps his quickness intact..
Another under the Radar DE to watch for in Camp is Frances Mays who goes 6-9′ & 291lbs out of Florida A&M and who has a Burst and will give Taylor Hart/Brandon Bair a real battle for Reps as he is a bit more Athletic than Hart/Bair.. Keep an eye on this Mays kid…
Bennie Logan is a solid core player. A bit under appreciated but he was a good pick.
Yes he is… I think he’s a very solid 40-45 Snaps a Game Player..
Hopefully Beau Allen, Mihalik or Keliikipi can get a solid 20-25 Snaps a Game
to spell Logan and help keep him Fresh during a 16 Game Season
some on here think he is a third round bust… too funny!
… just two HAC just two lmao
According to a report from ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan, the Eagles are expected to hire former Bears associate director of pro personnel Dwayne Joseph. Caplan reports Joseph will be Philadelphia’s new director of pro personnel.
Bears tried hard to keep him, but he chose to seek a better opportunity elsewhere.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 13, 2015
Joseph and Eagles VP of player personnel Ed Marynowitz worked with the #Dolphins together for one season (in 2007).
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 13, 2015
As you can see, Joseph shares a relationship with current Eagles vice president of player personnel Ed Marynowitz.
Joseph is set to replace former Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller, who the team fired earlier this month. Mueller had been with the team since 2012.
Some more background on Joseph, via ChicagoBears.com:
“Dwayne Joseph is in his second season as Associate Director of Pro Personnel after spending the 2012 season as Chicago’s Assistant Director of Pro Scouting. This is Joseph’s second stint in the Bears front office, previously spending six seasons (1998-2003) in Chicago’s football operations department including the last three (2001-03) as Director of Player Development.
Prior to rejoining the Bears, Joseph has spent eight years (2004-11) with the Miami Dolphins, serving as a pro scout in seven of those eight seasons. He also served as Miami’s Assistant Director of Pro Personnel in 2007. In 2005, Joseph represented the Dolphins at the NFL-Stanford Program for Managers and during the 2007 offseason, he was selected to participate in the NFL Football Operations Personnel Symposium.”
Joseph played one season in the NFL after signing with the Bears as an undrafted free agent. In 1995, he recorded 31 tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble in 16 games played (one start).
The racist Chip Kelly is at it again, call Steven A and all the thee idiots on here who said their was some truth to it, oh wait, Joseph is Black! Now what? On a serious note, we can see their bringing in their own guys, what I like most about it is, it’s someone from another organization n not someone promoted from within.
Thanks for info EHL,
Hopefully Joseph gets off to a fresh start here with the Eagles as the last few Years with the Bears have not been very good.. Even though they have brought in some young talent the last 3 Years (WR Alshon Jeffrey, OL Kyle Long & Jordan MIlls, LB Shea McLellin, LB Jon Bostic & CB Kyle Fuller on Defense to name a few, they just have not gotten it done on the Field the last few Seasons, basically due to Jay Cutler’s Poor Play at QB..
Tra Thomas just threw his phone across the room……IDIOT.
On Snap….I Thought it read “DWAYNE JOHNSON”
I was like we hired “THE ROCK” !!!
LOL…CAN YOU SMELLLLLLLLLLL WHAT THE CHIP IS COOKIN!!!!!?????