Right now, Quintin Demps is taking all of the reps with the first-team defense, while Sean Jones is running with the second team and contributing on special teams wherever he can.
However, I’m not sold on Demps quite yet, and I’m not sure that he should be handed the starting role, as seems to be the case.
Quintin Mikell started at strong safety last year, but free safety is his natural position. For me, I’d like to see Mikell moved back over to free, with Jones starting at the strong safety position.
Unfortunately for Jones, unless Mikell switches position, he doesn’t have much of a shot to start this year. Free safety is not his natural position, so immediately he’s put at a disadvantage to Demps who is a natural free safety.
Demps is a fine athlete, and has a future as a safety here in Philadelphia, but right now he’s young and probably not where he should be in order to be a starter. Jones, however, is a proven guy who can create turnovers and make plays.
Last season, Demps was used as a hybrid defensive back rotating between playing some safety, and even lining up as the dime corner from time to time. I think this is a good role for him until he can show that he won’t make the bonehead play, and that he fully grasps this defense.
For instance, in the NFC Championship game, Demps allowed the trick play to go for a touchdown, a play that should have never worked. He also allowed Tim Hightower to fall into the endzone when all he would have had to do was grab him and hold him up.
Those two plays were huge in the long run of the game, and had he been in position, or made the play when he should have, there could have been a different outcome.
The concern for the Eagles is pass coverage. Demps is probably a better overall coverage guy, but he won’t get the interceptions that Jones will. Jones is a bit like Ed Reed at the safety spot in that he has a nose for ball, and always seems to, at the very least, be around the ball.
He was hidden in a bad Cleveland defense, but in a good defense like the Eagles have, Jones could become a true superstar in the same Ed Reed or Brian Dawkins fashion. Jones should be a starter here, and let Demps be a role player and learn for a year before stepping in and being the guy.
