Philadelphia Eagles Linked to Recently Drafted 2nd-Round Edge
The Philadelphia Eagles are sitting near the top of the NFC at 4-1, but their defense has looked far more ordinary so far this season than it did just last year.
Through five games, Vic Fangio’s unit has recorded only seven sacks, with two of those coming in their Week 5 loss to the Denver Broncos. The injury bug deserves much of the blame, as the defensive line has been hit hard. A promising season for edge rusher Nolan Smith was derailed by a triceps injury that landed him on injured reserve in September, and the timeline for his return remains unknown.
Things worsened when veteran Ogbo Okoronkwo suffered a torn triceps of his own, a blow that will likely sideline him for the rest of the season. Even star defensive tackle Jalen Carter popped up on the Week 6 injury report with a heel issue that raises some legit questions about what Philly’s D-line could look like Week 6.
With several defensive ends currently out, the Eagles decided to kick the tires on a potential reinforcement. On October 8, Philly brought in former San Francisco 49ers second-round pick Drake Jackson for a workout.
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GettyThe Philadelphia Eagles brought former San Francisco 49ers defensive end Drake Jackson in for a workout.
Jackson, still just 24, flashed serious upside early, with 6.0 sacks over his first two seasons. He hasn’t played since a torn patellar tendon ended his 2023 campaign, however. He was waived by San Francisco this past spring.
Now a free agent, he’s been making the rounds and is also set to work out for the Commanders, Jets and Ravens.
Before entering the NFL, Jackson built an impressive résumé at USC that made him one of the most intriguing edge prospects in the 2022 draft. Across three seasons with the Trojans (2019–2021), he racked up 103 total tackles (25 for loss), 12.5 sacks and a pair of interceptions in 28 games.
Signing him would be a bit of a gamble, of course. But even if he’s eased in as a rotational piece or practice squad addition, he’d offer fresh legs and developmental upside at a position desperately thin on both.
Eagles DEs not Contributing to Pass Rush in Meaningful Ways Yet
“The production or the sack numbers are what [they are],” Fangio said on October 7 when asked why he thinks sack totals are down for his unit. “I do think the ball is coming out fairly quick a lot. I think the sack numbers, when you eliminate the big games that some teams have, are down overall in the last few years. The guys have been rushing good enough. We just haven’t gotten there.”
Veterans like Za’Darius Smith and Azeez Ojulari have had flashes, but neither has provided the steady presence this defense badly needs. Smith currently is the only defensive end on the team with more than one sack (he has 1.5).
“Obviously the game’s not too big for him,” Fangio said about Smith. “He’s been out there a lot in his career. [He] made a critical sack last week, which pushed [Denver] out of field goal range. I think he’s getting better and better every week.”
Whether they add Jackson or someone else to help harass opposing quarterbacks, expect the Eagles to continue to look for ways to bulk up their pass rush.
Lions were just handed clear blueprint on how to beat Patrick Mahomes in Week 6
Even though the Detroit Lions get the benefit of facing off against a Kansas City Chiefs team that is wounded at 2-3 heading into their Sunday Night Football duel, Dan Campbell needs to put together a masterful gameplan if they are to slow down Patrick Mahomes.
Luckily for Campbell, Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars may have given the Lions a place to start after their 31-28 comeback win. Defensive coordinator Anthony Campinale made some serious adjustments in the second half, including getting away from the zone coverage looks that have been his staple.
Mahomes destroyed the Jaguars when they played zone coverage, as he completed 27 of his 32 passes against zone for 311 yards passing. When they weren't playing so far back and tried to see if Kansas City's wide receivers can get open against an improved DB room, the result was a resounding no.
Mahomes was just 2-9 passing for seven yards against man coverage. One of those completions was a touchdown to Travis Kelce that may have been offensive pass interference, and Mahomes' 99-yard pick-six to Devin Lloyd in the red zone also came against man coverage.
Lions need to play man coverage to beat Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs in Week 6
The Lions entered Week 5 playing man coverage at one of the highest rates in the NFL, showing that new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has maintained the same attacking principles Aaron Glenn installed before departing to join the New York Jets. That could come in handy against Mahomes.
Sunday Night will be the last game of Rashee Rice's suspension, meaning that Detroit will have to contend with a beaten-up Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and JuJu Smith-Schuster. No wonder Jacksonville switched to man and dared those receivers to win in single coverage.
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The Lions needed a matchup with a subpar wide receiver room, as they are dealing with some preposterously bad injury luck at the cornerback position once again. Both youngster Terrion Arnold and veteran DJ Reed are scheduled to miss a few games, and highly-touted draft pick Ennis Rakestraw Jr. remains on the mend.
While the Lions' defense has gotten back on track lately, Lamar Jackson was able to move the ball through the air with relative ease against them. Time will tell if another elite quarterback in Mahomes will be able to exploit a beat-up secondary or if the Lions find themselves on the receiving end of a classic No. 15 demolition.
