Latest news with #EaglesDefense
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns Trade Of Ex First-Round Pick To Eagles Stirs Rumor Mill
Browns Trade Of Ex First-Round Pick To Eagles Stirs Rumor Mill originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Eagles may be eyeing Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II as a potential trade target to strengthen their defensive backfield, according to rumors being stirred up by league insiders. Advertisement What would the Browns be thinking here? And what would the Eagles be getting here? With Kelee Ringo battling veteran Adoree' Jackson for the CB2 spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean locked into the slot, the Eagles are reportedly exploring options to add depth and competition to their secondary. Would Newsome work? The Browns selected Newsome in the first round (26th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after finishing his rookie season with 37 combined tackles and nine pass deflections in 12 games. The 2021 first-round pick posted career highs in 2023 with 49 tackles, 14 passes defensed and two interceptions, including a memorable 34-yard pick-six against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Advertisement But he had faded since, and during the 2024 season, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski demoted him to the third cornerback on the depth chart - and that was done despite the Browns having exercised Newsome's fifth-year option worth $13.37 million guaranteed. His season ended prematurely when he was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. So maybe the Browns have tired of the player. And in Philly? Newsome's versatility might be valuable to the Eagles. According to Pro Football Focus, he has played 1,428 snaps at outside cornerback and 1,163 snaps at slot cornerback, meaning he could seamlessly rotate between positions based on matchups. Advertisement This flexibility would allow defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to move players around without significant drop-off in coverage quality, while providing immediate competition for the CB2 role between Ringo and Jackson. What about the money? Cleveland might want to dump out ... and the Eagles would be asked Eagles to absorb Newsome's $13.3 million fully guaranteed contract for 2025. That's no bargain. But Newsome's combination of youth, experience, and proven ability makes him an intriguing option for an Eagles team looking to strengthen every aspect of their defense. ... and his relative failure puts him on the Browns rumor mill. Related: Watt Trade Proposal Would Mark Eagles' Worst Nightmare Related: Browns Rookie Shedeur Sanders Must Overcome 'Mailed It In' Reputation This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles Edge Rusher Wrongly Named As 'Make or Break' Candidate
Eagles Edge Rusher Wrongly Named As 'Make or Break' Candidate originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Is it too early to say that a third-year edge rusher is entering a "make or break season? Even if that player is coming off an excellent postseason? Advertisement That's the question (or two) surrounding Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith. The former first-round pick from the 2023 draft enjoyed last year's breakout postseason when he recorded a league-high four of his 6.5 total sacks in the playoffs. Most analysts would consider Smith a 'bigger breakout' candidate. Not someone in a pressure cooker. Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman isn't one of those analysts. Wasserman highlighted Smith as a "make-or-break" candidate for the team heading into 2025. "Smith's make-or-break candidacy isn't an indictment of his NFL resumé as much as it is an indication of the Eagles' need for him to be a star," Wasserman said. "The team lost veteran edge defenders Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham this offseason, making Smith a sure-fire starter for the first time in his career." Advertisement Smith is set to play a significant role on the Eagles defense this year. He needs to produce at a high level if Philadelphia is to have any chance of fielding an elite defensive line. The organization is confident he can reach that mark this year. Despite tearing his triceps in Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles strongly believe in Smith's work ethic and abilities. And to us? And to Philly? That would make him a "re-breakout" candidate, not a "make-or-break" candidate this season. Related: Eagles Called Potential Landing Spot For All-Pro Safety Related: Eagles Defense Called 'Miles Ahead' of Last Year's Top Unit This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles Defense Called 'Miles Ahead' of Last Year's Top Unit
Eagles Defense Called 'Miles Ahead' of Last Year's Top Unit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season, Vic Fangio and his experienced staff gave the Philadelphia Eagles a crash course on playing defense. Advertisement Things are different this time, even if the team is reeling from some concerning offseason losses. Philadelphia lost several starters from its championship defense last year. Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, Darius Slay, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are just some of the key starters who will be on different teams this year. That doesn't mean the Eagles will be worse on defense, though. Speaking on the Exciting Mics podcast with teammates Reed Blankenship and Cooper DeJean, All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun discussed how this year's unit could be very different. In the best possible way. "To think that was all of our first year in that scheme. Like, what are we going to do next year? Baun stated. "Already, I feel like we're miles ahead of where we were last year at this time." Advertisement Scheme alone can win out in the NFL. When a scheme is married with top talent, the effects can be among the best in the league. That is exactly what the Eagles did last season. Fangio's system allowed Philadelphia's top defense to excel, and it's how the team shut down one of the biggest blowout efforts in Super Bowl LIX. With another year under the Fangio scheme, Philadelphia's defense has a chance to be even more "put together" than last season. If the team can successfully build off their dominant season last year, the defense can be another catalyst for a potential repeat effort. It looks that way, regardless. Advertisement Related: Eagles Biggest 'Hidden' Schedule Matchup Driven by 'Hate' Related: Eagles' Reed Blankenship Could Be Next Up for Major Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Quiet' Zack Baun Poised For Major Difference with Philadelphia Eagles
'Quiet' Zack Baun Poised For Major Difference with Philadelphia Eagles originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In the first five years of his career, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun has never been a leader on any of the defenses he's played on. Advertisement That is about to change. The Eagles saw the departures of several of their defensive leaders from last season. Cornerback Darius Slay is in Pittsburgh, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was traded to Houston, and edge rusher Brandon Graham retired. There's a hole in the team's leadership room on defense. The organization hopes Baun will step into that role. Throughout offseason workouts, the All-Pro was getting used to it. "It's kind of different for me," Baun said. "Obviously, I'm a quiet guy. I kinda don't say much and try to keep things to myself naturally. I'm more of a lead-by-example type guy, but as I feel more comfortable towards the guys in the locker room - I feel more natural talking to everyone and being that more vocal leader now." Advertisement With fellow linebackers like Jihaad Campbell and Nakobe Dean recovering from injuries, Baun - in a major ask - will need to do more than just be an All-Pro in 2025. He'll need to produce on the field but help keep the unit afloat from a leadership perspective. Philadelphia is counting on him to be the kind of leader many legends have been in past years. If Baun can meet those demands, the Eagles unit should not miss a beat in their work toward a Super Bowl title defense. Related: Eagles Young Lineman Labeled Breakout Candidate Related: Eagles Leader Says Three Rookies Are Turning Heads at Camp This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles Defense Shows Difference To True Title Contenders
Eagles Defense Shows Difference To True Title Contenders originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has been around the NFL for a long time. As a former head coach of the Denver Broncos and defensive coordinator for multiple teams, he has seen changes in the way the game is played, and the way athletes react to certain levels of coaching. Advertisement Sometimes, those changes don't exactly fit with his style. Take his lone season with the Miami Dolphins as an example. Fangio was brought in to assist a very talented defensive room with All-Pro guys at each level. But … Despite some statistical success, his tenure only lasted a single season with many Dolphin players chastising the coach for his "old school" ways of coaching. Things changed drastically once he was hired by the Eagles last offseason. Instead of having veterans blinded by egos, Fangio joined a defense that was only interested in getting better. That is exactly what happened, too. And Philadelphia's players, unlike several stars in Miami, have nothing but great things to say about their coach. Advertisement "Whatever was said in Miami, that's their locker room. Our locker room is completely different," starting safety Reed Blankenship said. "We've got guys that liked to be coached and like to be held accountable and obviously that shows on the field. We're a young group, but we understand if we want to win the big things we've got to be coached hard." Blankenship's comments shouldn't be overlooked. During his time in Miami, Fangio joined a defense with already established stars. His way of coaching and teaching didn't jive with players who did things a certain way to a level of success. In Philly, they have fielded one of the youngest defensive groups in the league over the last two seasons. They needed that hard coaching. And along the way, they caught a level of excellence with Fangio that many of Miami's stars could only dream of. Related: Eagles Running Game Plan Takes New Shape In Roster Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
