‘That’s What They Do’

The Philadelphia Eagles are going through a shakeup in the secondary, headlined by C.J. Gardner-Johnson leaving for Detroit.

On the latest “Inside The Birds” podcast, Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher discussed the team’s most recent transactions.

With C.J. Gardner-Johnson heading to Detroit, the Philadelphia Eagles are now down two starting safeties

C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Geoff Mosher: “This is a guy who the league clearly felt conflicted in trying to evaluate at one year of safety and playing that hybrid nickel spot.”

Adam Caplan: “It clearly was used against him. Our early intel was they were using the data that they had [regarding his switching from nickel and safety] and that would lower his asking price.”

Mosher: “It’s hard for me not think that there’s something [Howie Roseman] has in his mind, a different move, a follow-up. I’m surprised he went higher on the Darius Slay deal but would not give more than $6.5 million fully guaranteed to Gardner-Johnson.”

Greedy Williams

Caplan: “He has the height, weight, and speed, but he has been a significant underachiever. A lot of it has to do with injury. He’s not a physical corner, he’s long and can run. I just sense the Browns were ready to move on from him. It just didn’t work for the former second-rounder in 2019.”

Mosher: “I spoke to a personnel guy from the NFC. [Williams] was considered at the time the next great LSU corner. The personnel guy said he felt that the traits, which were obviously there, made him a little more attractive in the draft analyst’s eye than what you really see when you scout him. Not a great tackler, not a hard-nosed, physical-type player.”

Fletcher Cox

Mosher: “I think it’s a good for deal for them, especially after losing Javon Hargrave. You have to play Jordan Davis at the Zero [technique], so you need two guys. You had Fletch and Javon next to either Jordan Davis and Linval Joseph. Now with no Javon and not being sure that Milton Williams is the guy, getting Fletcher Cox back at a deal that isn’t $14 million and is only up to 10 is fair.”

Offensive Line

Mosher: “The Eagles have to work on this offensive line. They have always prided themselves on having good backups. Jack Driscoll, if he’s not the right guard, will be a good backup. They don’t have a good backup left tackle.”

Caplan: “You have Sua Opeta, who was cut last year and brought back, Brett Toth, who was cut and brought back. Right now, you have Jack Driscoll and Cam Jurgens.”

Mosher: “They’re going to be rebuilding these trenches, starting immediately. You look at the draft, don’t be surprised if they take offensive linemen anywhere, because that’s what they do.”

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

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