“Keep Him In There”

PHILADELPHIA – For over three quarters Sunday afternoon, the Eagles’ defense held up its end of the bargain, limiting the Broncos to just three points and stifling second-year quarterback Bo Nix.

But the reality is that the defense, which logged 74 snaps after playing 72 the week prior in Tampa, was only able to hold on for so long, eventually surrendering 18 unanswered points in the game’s final frame. The offense stalled, unable to uplift a unit on the ropes, a dire recipe culminating in the Eagles’ 21-17 loss.

But as we swiftly approach Week 6, there are a handful of notable storylines on the defensive side of the ball. Who will be the No. 2 cornerback? What’s in store for linebacker Nakobe Dean? And have the Eagles identified a viable rotational piece in a free-agent addition?

Here are a few takeaways from coordinator Vic Fangio’s weekly availability.

Eagles DC Vic Fangio is looking for a rebound against the Giants on Thursday.

Some stability at CB2?

For the past two weeks, the Eagles have deployed third-year cornerback Kelee Ringo as a starter opposite Quinyon Mitchell. The initial start, against Tampa, was out of necessity, as veteran Adoree’ Jackson was nursing a groin injury and rendered inactive. The team went back to the well Sunday despite Jackson’s return, again giving Ringo the nod. Jackson accounted for one defensive snap in the Eagles’ 21-17 loss.

So, why go back to Ringo against the Broncos with Jackson, a starter for the first three weeks, primed and ready to go?

“It was a combination that [Ringo] had played good enough the previous week,” Fangio explained. “Adoree’ was just coming off his injury. So, it was a combination of both.”

Does that mean the Eagles will reprise Ringo’s role of the past two games Thursday night against the Giants?

“Possibly,” he said.

Coming off his performance in Tampa, where Ringo logged 59 snaps in the scorching Florida heat, Fangio said he thought Ringo was “pretty sticky” in man coverage, adding that he’d like to see his tackling improve. Fangio added that tackling on defense is different than tackling on special teams, but that he believed Ringo would improve in that area.

To be fair, Ringo wasn’t tested in coverage all that much against the Bucs, but when in coverage, he largely held up. The game Sunday told a different story, with the Broncos and head coach Sean Payton seemingly making a concerted effort to identify one-on-one matchups against Ringo in coverage, as evidenced on the successful two-point conversion late in the game. In total, Ringo was targeted six times, allowing four receptions for 55 yards.

The best way for a young player to improve is to gain experience from live reps, and it’s evident to the eye that Ringo looked increasingly comfortable in his second start of the season. The team has invested years of development into the 23-year-old and appear intent on seeing it through for a more comprehensive evaluation. While Fangio’s answer theoretically leaves the door open for Jackson to reclaim his job, it seems the Eagles are leaning toward Ringo. Time will tell.

Nakobe Dean update

The Eagles last week opened the 21-day practice window for linebacker Nakobe Dean (knee), a 15-game starter on the 2024 Super Bowl team. Dean, who practiced throughout the week and was listed as full-go Friday, was ultimately ruled out for Week 5, perhaps setting the stage for a potential activation ahead of Thursday night.

“There’s a chance he could be active this week,” Fangio said. “Not positive yet.”

Dean suffered an injury to his patellar tendon Jan. 12 in the Eagles’ 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round. Before training camp practices, the fourth-year linebacker would routinely be spotted on a far field working with a trainer and participated in everything from a schedule perspective, with the exception of practice and game action.

Complicating matters is that the Eagles have a talented tandem of off-ball linebackers in Zack Baun and rookie Jihaad Campbell. Fangio doesn’t typically rotate at the position, and with Campbell’s rapid growth, it’s hard to suddenly envision even a moderately reduced role.

It’s worth noting the Eagles still have an open spot on the 53-man roster, which they carried through Week 5. So, whenever Dean does return, what might his role entail?

“Oh, it would just be – because he hadn’t had any [2025] game [experience], no training camp – it wouldn’t be a full-time role yet,” Fangio said.

Free-agent edge rusher impresses

With numbers dwindling at the EDGE position – Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo were placed on injured reserve in consecutive weeks – the Eagles were forced to dip into their deep stash of reserves. The next man up last week was Azeez Ojulari, an intriguing free-agent signing who’d been rendered inactive the first four games.

According to Fangio, that had nothing to do with Ojulari’s practice performance, as the veteran coordinator said Ojulari had been “practicing good.” Rather, it came down to numbers; as a fifth or sixth edge rusher on game day, special teams value becomes a prerequisite. Ojulari, if you’re wondering, has only notched 66 special teams snaps over his five-year career.

Ojulari had a relatively quiet camp and didn’t factor into the team’s plans until Week 5, but it’s worth reiterating that some players are simply better on game day.

The former New York Giant saw his first regular-season action with his new team Sunday against the Broncos, tallying a tackle for loss and quarterback hit. The 25-year-old, seemingly chomping at the bit, brought juice to the pass rush, providing something of a spark. For perspective, Ojulari played 34 snaps, more than Josh Uche and Patrick Johnson and equaling Za’Darius Smith.

But was that the plan going into the game or a byproduct of Ojulari’s play?

“Yeah, I think it was kind of both,” Fangio said, “but when he was going, when he made a couple plays, keep him in there.”

The Eagles now have a rotation that includes Jalyx Hunt, Smith, Uche, Johnson and Ojulari, who will face his former team twice over the next three weeks. It feels as though the numbers in the sack column could compile over that span.

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com