Competition Galore

The 2024 Philadelphia Eagles defense will look much different than in years past, but do they have enough depth to reach their ceiling?

On the latest episode of “Inside The Birds,” Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher gave an outlook on the team’s defensive depth chart.

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles will be counting on ILB Nakobe Dean to take the next step in 2024.

Defensive Tackles

Adam Caplan: “This has to be one of the youngest defensive lines in the National Football League, which is a good thing. The two elder statesmen are Milton Williams and Marlon Tuipuloto, both on the final years of their rookie deals.”

Geoff Mosher: “I am little of a Tuipuloto skeptic. At some point you have to show it. Even when he was playing those snaps two years ago, I saw him play okay but nothing ever really jumped out at me. A kid like Moro Ojomo who has his burst almost entices me more than Tuipuloto who is not supposed to be great at any one thing but good at a number of things.” 

Edge Rushers

Caplan: “With (Haason) Reddick moving on, there is going to be opportunity in the rotation for someone to come off the bench. Their hope is Nolan Smith, but (Julian) Okwara is stronger physically, a little bulkier.”

Mosher: “Because Okwara has played a decent amount of special teams and can also play edge, does he have a better chance than Janarius Robinson did of upsetting Patrick Johnson for that last spot?”

Inside Linebackers

Caplan: “I am interested in what (Nakobe) Dean can do because this is year three of his four-year deal. This has to be his season. They need to see what he is made of.”

Mosher: “This is a statement in June, but I have a hard time projecting that Zack Baun is going to beat out Nakobe Dean to start at inside linebacker next to Devin White. It would take a colossally bad camp for him and at the same time they have to be really encouraged by what they see in Baun as an inside linebacker going into the season…there is a lot nuance to this position in this defense. This is something Dean has spent two years in a similar conceptual defense whereas Baun has not.”

Cornerbacks

Caplan: “People are really excited about (Kelee) Ringo…He has a long way to go but he also showed a lot. (Quinyon) Mitchell, barring something highly unforeseen, will be starting in Week 1.”

Mosher: “It is Quinyon Mitchell’s job to lose. As long as he is on an equal level with [Isaiah Rodgers and Ringo] or doing what he is supposed to do as a rookie, you want him out there opposite of Darius Slay in Week 1.”

Safeties

Caplan: “There is an opportunity for somebody to come out of nowhere like Andre Sam or Tristin McCollum.”

Mosher: “My big question is how weak will you allow your weakest link to be and how detrimental could that be to getting where you want to go? There are things schematically you worry about Vic Fangio trying to do with the current set of safeties.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.