I hope at the end of this season we’re not wishing the Birds had given Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nmandi Asomugha another chance. Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher aren’t the most athletic cornerbacks in the league and they’re going to get roasted at times when they’re in man-to-man coverage, especially if the pass rush struggles.
The play of Fletcher Cox, Connor Barwin, Trent Cole and Brandon Graham will have a lot to do with how well the corners play.
I couldn’t take another year of the cowardice and traitor-like play of Rodgers-Cromartie and Asomugha. They should have been benched early in the season because they didn’t want to play football.
They’ll be at their best when defensive coordinator Billy Davis has them in a cover two zone coverage or in a cover two man with both safeties protecting the deep area. Williams and Fletcher have long arms and physical attitudes. They will be physical, which mean a number of penalties. These guys will need to send a message to the league’s receivers every time they walk up on them.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Brandon Boykin gets the chance to challenge for the job because he’s got more quickness and speed. Boykin lacks the ideal size for the cornerback spot and he hasn’t been very consistent.
Rookie Jordan Poyer has good size, savvy and craftiness. He’s not the fastest player, but he will get his chance to show what he can do. Keep an eye on him, he could be a surprise.
Fletcher looks to be a better athlete than Williams, because the former Baltimore Ravens cornerback doesn’t have the speed and quickness of the league’s premiere cornerbacks. He has to intimidate and get under the skin of his opponents. Thankfully he’s got a personality which helps him get under their skin. (Williams has a chip on his shoulder both on the field and off of it), so expect him to get his share of penalties.
Williams plays a smart game and you can see he learned the importance of communicating with teammates and anticipating what the offense is going to do. Forgive him for some of the flags because he has to be a pain in the butt, in order to play on the corner. Williams has to distract, hold and agitate the wide receivers, so they don’t focus on beating him. He can’t run with the league’s faster ball catchers.
I think Fletcher has the potential to be a very good player as long as he studies the wide receivers in the league like a scientist. He’s got great size, which will allow him to beat them up, when Davis allows him to move up and get in the receivers’ faces. Williams flourishes when he’s allowed to get his hands on them.
Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie didn’t want to hit anybody, Williams and Fletcher will knock you head off. Williams is either going to be loved here or hated here, because he’s going to stand out because fans will love the way he gets under the skin of the receivers, or he’ll be getting beaten too often. Again a lot that will depend on the pass rush.
We’ll see how it works out.. I don’t know much about anything,anymore, but I do know this … The Eagles CB play in 2013, cannot be any worse than the garbage play we have seen for the last 2-3 Years from the Eagles CB’s collectively..
I think they will add a Veteran come halfway thru Summer Camp..
There are still some out there
The Key is Boynkin & Marsh
Can thee Platyers need to Step-up and play at the NFL Level or not…
I believe it’s do or die time for Curtis Marsh.. I like Jordan Poyer a lot and think he will be the Slot Cover CB by 2014
Cary Williams is slow I would hav marsh Boykin and fletcher as my trio Cary is gonna get smoked by dez,gracon,nicks,Cruz and miles Austin Cary sucks I trade him or release him
did everyones background just get a cheesy 1990’s wallpaper saying “Gcobb” or just me?
haha yea the wallpaper I don’t care for much either…I do like the originality football with the G and the laces though…
THIS is in my opinion the biggest question mark on this team. Bigger than the QB… bigger than the coach… bigger than the new d.c. …..
These CB’s are not ready to take over this team. We have no starters… bad depth and no safety help either. Its a mess.
Yup Stevo…its an interesting thing to me…I don’t see better talent at CB than the Eagles had a year ago…But I do see the possibility of them playing better…mainly because of the switch to the 3-4 defense which should get more pressure on the QB and possibility of more turnovers….
With the lack of pressure on the QB a season ago…it would of been difficult for any CB to have a pro bowl year playing on this squad…unfortunately in my opinion, the CB’s we had took the bullet for a bad defense as a whole starting with the Def Coord position.
i hear ya Real but pass rush or no pass rush… we need players. We need guys to go up and get the ball. The best CB’s shut it down no matter what and we have nothing like that right now.
Can’t disagree there…I dont have much confidence in our CB’s…I’m hoping Williams brings some hard hitting to the secondary..I see Williams and Boykins as part of the secondary…does Boykins stay in the slot?…not sure where we go after that, Fletcher? not sold…not sold on Williams either…more confident in Boykins than any of our corners…but I think thats because I’m unfamiliar with these other guys except Marsh and Lindley…and dont have much confidence in either of those guys…hopefully Phillips is healthy and can help tighten up this secondary..
well… williams as at the top of a lot of lists.. and i dont mean the good lists. He gets beat..LOTS.
doesn’t matter who the corners are…. if they cant generate a pass rush, they are fried once again.
Im not a fan of Williams, I hope he proves me wrong and plays well tho. But he clearly is a starter in the NFL, in fact last time I checked he was the starter for the team that just won the SB. Thats why it always will come down to the QB. The faster the Eagles find that QB, the sooner the Eagles will start winning. The Redskins and Colts didn’t make that turnaround because they had stud corners.
I do like Fletcher. I think he will surprise a lot of ppl this year. Id rather see Wolff play than Nate Allen who is a proven bust.
Eagles signed Tackle Michael Bamiro Stony Brook product. Very athletic but very raw. Considered a long term project but has all the physical tools needed to play the position. 6 ft 8 in. 344lbs. Massive arm length. Wont make the 53 man roster but would be a nice addition to the practice squad.
Practice Squad Players are NOT Protected and can sign with ANY team at ANY time. If he is going to be a player he must earn the last swing tackle spot. He and Dennis Kelly will provide Giant Blockers at the end for depth.
Speaking of Big Players (“big people beat up little people”) Has anyone seen anything promising about the 6’7 receiver #80?
Cary Williams will be fine. He will instantly become the leader of this secondary. Patrick Chung and Williams to me are the 2 locks in the secondary. Kenny Phillips would be a HUGE addition if he can stay healthy. Phillips is a top 10 safety if he can play all 16 games.
The question is who will play next to Williams? Fletcher? Poyer? Boykin? Marsh?
You guys keep listening to the media this defense has a lot of talent and playing in front of that dumb wide 9 will expose any defense the Detriot Lions run that same stupid defense and suck even though they have a good def line so my point is I can judge the defense because they were in a no win situation bad coaches and schemes.
Just tackle somebody and I will smile (This year at least)
The Secondary is not much better than last year, if at all. Same ????’s exist! They wasted a golden opportunity to make major upgrades this off-season, with FA & the draft being the deepest its been in years, in all Secondary positions.
Should have Seleceted CB Leon McFadden in the 3rd Round instead of Dat Logan.. McFadden will be a Day 1 Starter for Browns who selected him right after the Eagles selected Logan…
I do like Safety Wolff be he is a year away from competing for a Starter’s spot..
and also CB Poyer as a slot CB by 2014..
Brandon Fletcher will be the most consistent CB on the Roster in 2013 and unless Boykin & Marsh really stepped up their games, this unit will struggle early
Im predicting Marsh Fletcher and Boykin in the Slot. Poyer might Shock everyone and trevard Lindley also. Williams had some big plays in the playoffs, but he seems like one of those cats that gets his money then don’t play anymore till next contract year. I hope im wrong but that the feeling I get from him. Either way I think its gonna be a long first 3rd of th season defensively. Once things settle down and people get used to each other and the scheme I think they have a chance to do well. There is some talent on this Defense.
Hell yeah theyll be better because they cant get worse.. even if the get burnt the same amount of times as nnamdi and DRC they can still hit and tackle and are involved in running plays
I think this CUrrent CB Corps will at lease compete out on the field which we haven’t seen the last couple of Seasons out of the Eagles Secondary..
Yes they will get burned, what Secondary doesn’t these days of teh pass-happy NFL.. the 49ers,Steelers,Seahawks,Bears,etc and other good Secondaries get burned also..It’s how you respond and compete and fight to win the next play and next series that the good Defenses are able to do.