Nolan Smith reveals what's fueling his potential breakout Eagles season
Nolan Smith is an absolute soundbite machine. That man has a lot of wisdom and is really good at communicating his thoughts & feelings.Here he shoots down a question regarding all the winning he's done in his career and also talks about picking out a new book at Barnes & Noble pic.twitter.com/JhrYiSlS7B
We live in a microwave society. You've probably heard someone you admire teach that to you a few times. As it turns out, they were right. Patience isn't something we place in high regard. That's especially true of the Philadelphia Eagles fan.
Once upon a time, there were teams that wanted their young quarterbacks to sit and learn before throwing them into the fire. Nowadays, those same franchises hope those guys get up to speed and begin constructing Pro Bowl-caliber numbers before the calendar reaches Thanksgiving.
If drafted higher, the clock is sped up. Here's the thing. Most acknowledge that quarterbacks need reps. Less often do we hear that sentiment when discussing young edge rushers.
Nolan Smith's quiet confidence says everything Eagles fans need to hear
Believe it or not, we're already entering year three of Nolan Smith and Jalen Carter's era in Philadelphia. We knew the latter would be a sure thing upon his entry into the NFL.
Some had their doubts about the former. His size was mentioned as a potential weakness. He was staring up the depth chart at a Pro Bowler, Haason Reddick, so much of Smith's first season was spent on special teams.
There was also a shoulder issue he was trying to labor through. Wouldn't you know it? That's all it took for some to shackle him with the 'bust' label.
Bust? Are you serious? Those in the know, including this platform, knew all he needed was experience and time, and in his sophomore campaign, he turned the corner.
Now, he has his sights set on achieving even more.
That's what some refer to as quiet confidence, but as we've gotten to know Smith, we've found something out about his personality. Sometimes, that confidence is expressed at a higher decibel.
Nolan Smith says he's looking to have more than 12 sacks next season!'That's on the low side' pic.twitter.com/ewKuHKLm4B
Did he just say he's on the hunt for double-digit sacks? Let's take an inventory.
Last season, he trumped his single sack as a rookie by notching 6.5 in 16 games with ten starts. Then, he led all defenders with four sacks and four tackles for loss during the Eagles' march to another Super Bowl win.
That being said. One of two things is possible. He could wear down by playing more snaps now that Bryce Huff and Josh Sweat are gone, or he could rise to the occasion with more responsibility and opportunity. We all have our opinions. This way, wagers are being placed on the latter scenario.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
16 minutes ago
- Forbes
NFC Training Camp Preview: New Coaches, New QBs In The Spotlight
Jalen Hurts embraces the Super Bowl trophy after the Eagles' victory over Kansas City last season. ... More (Photo by) The National Football Conference provided memorable moments in 2024, capped by the Philadelphia Eagles' dominating victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards, the eighth-highest total in NFL history, and was the consensus Offensive Player of the Year after joining the Eagles as a free agent. The Detroit Lions scored 564 points, the fourth-most all-time, and led three NFC North teams into the postseason. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, outshone the No. 1 pick, Chicago's Caleb Williams. But that was then. There are new storylines to follow this summer. New Coaches in Dallas, Chicago and New Orleans Brian Schottenheimer was the highest profile hire. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones promoted him from offensive coordinator to head coach after firing Mike McCarthy following a 7-10 season mitigated by another injury to quarterback Dak Prescott. Brian Schottenheimer will make his NFL head coaching debut after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones promoted ... More him. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Schottenheimer, the son of Hall of Fame coach Marty Schottenheimer, was seen an underwhelming hire by some. CBS Sports ranked him No. 31 of the 32 NFL coaches, primarily because of his inexperience. But Prescott and wide receiver Cee Dee Lamb are top-tier talent, and the Cowboys ranked first in the NFL in scoring in both 2021 and 2023, the last two times Prescott played the entire season. The Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints hired offensive-minded assistants, a recent trend. Ben Johnson, who called plays for the Detroit's remarkable offense last season, replaced Matt Eberflus in Chicago. Johnson was brought in to continue the development of second-year quarterback Williams, whose talent is unquestioned. The Saints turned Kellen Moore to replace Dennis Allen. Moore was the Eagles' offensive coordinator in 2024 after serving in the same position with the Cowboys and the Los Angeles Chargers. He spent five seasons in Dallas. Does Russell Wilson Have Anything Left? The New York Giants' search for a quarterback to replace Daniel Jones landed on Russell Wilson, 36, who will be playing for his fourth team in five seasons. It is a one-year, $21 million gamble. Russell Wilson will have a new playmaker in Giants' wide receiver Malik Nabers. (AP Photo/Seth ... More Wenig) Wilson was 6-5 as Pittsburgh's starter last season after returning from injury. His numbers were good, but the Steelers' offense generated only 57 points during a season-ending four-game losing streak that ended with a playoff loss. Jameis Winston and rookie Jaxson Dart are in camp, but Wilson was named the starter last week and will hold the reins. He is not the same player he was during the glory days in Seattle, but the Giants are counting on his deep-ball success and his interception avoidance, even if sacks follow. Is Sam Darnold More Than a One-Hit Wonder? Seattle is betting on Darnold, who turned career-year with the Minnesota Vikings into a whopping three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks that includes $55 million in guaranteed money. Darnold would not have been the Vikings' 2024 starter had rookie J.J. McCarthy not suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp, but Darnold met opportunity head on and took advantage. He threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns as the Vikes went 14-3 before stumbling against the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs. Darnold will replace inconsistent Geno Smith, whose career-high 4,320 passing yards were offset by a 15 interceptions and 50 sacks. Darnold's passer rating was sixth in the league a year ago. Smith's was 18th. Smith landed in Las Vegas with former coach Pete Carroll and first-round draft pick running back Ashton Jeanty. Who Will Be This Season's Saquon Barkley? Barkley became the poster guy for 'difference-making free agent' when joined the Eagles last summer, and his dazzling season led to a two-year $41.2 million contract extension in the offseason. Wilson and Darnold are the biggest money free agents signees, plenty of others could provide impactful performances with a change of scenery. The Baltimore Ravens signed wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and his 984 career receptions for a miniscule one-year, $5 million to pair with Lamar Jackson. The Arizona Cardinals signed Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million contract to stiffen the defensive line, and Vikings added defensive tackle Jonathan Allen on a three-year, $51 million deal. Sweat had eight sacks last year, and run-stuffer Allen was a two-time Pro Bowler in Washington.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Sean Payton reacts to Deion Sanders news: 'We're excited for him'
Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders announced Monday that he battled and beat bladder cancer. He has been cleared to coach without restrictions with the Buffs set to begin fall practices soon. Across town, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said he sent a text message to Sanders after he heard the news. 'I'm proud of him, excited for him, happy for him," Payton said. "I consider him a close friend all the way back to when I first entered this league. Unfortunately, I started with Philly and he was in Dallas. Then I went to the Giants. We saw him all the way up until he retired. Then in Dallas when I was there, I had a chance to see his high school team play. Years later, they stopped in New Orleans and had a practice right after we practiced. They were on their way to Florida to open the season in an ESPN2 game. [I] really got to know him. "Our thoughts are with him because football is better with him. Colorado is better with him. It's impressive to watch him coach and teach. He was calling offensive plays at one point when I met him, and I kind of looked at him with a funny eye, but he enjoyed that. His son was like a sophomore at the time. It was great news to hear yesterday, and I know we're excited for him.' Sanders, a two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, started his coaching career at the high school level before spending three seasons at Jackson State, helping them reach two bowl games. He joined Colorado in 2023 and after going 4-8 in his first season, Sanders helped the Buffaloes improve to 9-4 last fall. Now entering Year 3 in Colorado, Sanders will look to improve on his 40-18 overall record at the college level. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Jonathan Smith talks first practice, plenty of 'excitement' to get going
Michigan State football officially kicked off the 2025 season on Tuesday with the team's first practice of fall preseason camp. The Spartans took to the field for the first time on the 2025 season, with media getting the opportunity to watch a brief portion of practice. Following practice, a number of players and head coach Jonathan Smith met with the media to field questions on the upcoming season. Check out below the highlights and full video from Smith's first post-practice media availability of the 2025 season. Highlights Here are some of the notable items Smith talked about with the media following the Spartans' first practice of preseason fall camp: Full Video This video is courtesy of Michigan State Spartans Athletics. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
