Keys to Jonathan Gannon’s Eagles defense: Forcing takeaways, applying pressure, showing consistency

Gannon has to feel better in Year 2 of his time in Philadelphia, with an influx of talented players on defense.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox during the game against the Saints on Nov. 21.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

Published Sept. 6, 2022, 7:14 p.m. ET

Ask anyone across the Eagles organization which coach boasts the most infectious personality, and you’ll likely discover Jonathan Gannon pops up several times.

The second-year defensive coordinator is full of enthusiasm and energy. His ability to elevate the mood of a room was a big factor why Gannon, just 39, flirted with several head coaching jobs earlier in the offseason.

But when Gannon was asked Tuesday afternoon for his reaction to the team adding new defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, he remained relatively tame. This came as a bit of a surprise considering Gardner-Johnson’s physical style of play and versatile skill set.

“Not much,” Gannon said. “It was good to add him to the unit, to that entire room, and really like the player that he is. Looking forward to seeing him mesh with our defense and hopefully make some plays for us.”

Gannon maintained an admirable poker face. He also possessed a strong relationship with former safety Anthony Harris, who was cut before the team added Gardner-Johnson.

Deep down, though, Gannon is probably celebrating the influx of defensive additions.

Last year, Gannon attempted to introduce his scheme, although he didn’t necessarily have the proper personnel to do so. At times, he asked players to either play out of position or outside of their comfort zone, which resulted in tension between veterans and the coaching staff. Following a loss to the Raiders in late October, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox publicly voiced his frustrations with Gannon and the scheme. The defense notably struggled against seasoned quarterbacks; during that loss, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr completed a career-best 31 of 34 passes.

However, this season, Gannon’s unit has a handful of new weapons expected to make an immediate impact, including Gardner-Johnson, defensive tackle Jordan Davis, edge rusher Haason Reddick, linebackers Kyzir White and Nakobe Dean, and cornerback James Bradberry. There’s an argument that they are all better fits than their predecessors.

Gannon addressed the difference between last year and now, and he pointed out the new level of trust between him and his players.

“I think letting them play a little bit more, and not to say that we didn’t let them play last year, but I told those guys, we have to problem solve and you guys have to think on your feet and get me out of trouble when a call is not ideal,” Gannon said. “That’s what I think that our defense, the guys that we have right now have shown that through camp, and I just honestly trust the whole room a little bit better. Part of that is being second year in the system. They’ve seen a lot of the things that we talked about last year.

“Now they’ve seen some of that and they can function on the move in between the whistles, which I’m really excited about.”

Asked about his relationship with Cox, Gannon replied: “The only thing I know about Fletch is he comes in here and works and he’s the standard of effort and how to practice and play. That’s why he’s one of our captains. I love where Fletch’s game is at right now, and he’s going to be a huge part of this defense.”

Last season, the Eagles focused heavily on limiting explosive plays; they allowed the fifth fewest in the NFL (117). The Eagles allowed 328.8 yards per game, which was 10th in the league, although they ranked 25th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA rankings (defense-adjusted value over average).

Gannon’s unit recorded 12 interceptions and four forced fumbles. The Eagles’ 16 takeaways tied for fourth fewest in the NFL. For comparison, the Cowboys led the league in takeaways with 34.

With his new additions, Gannon is aspiring to create more havoc across all three levels of the defense.

“We want to take the ball away a little bit more, affect the quarterback a little bit more, and be consistent,” Gannon said. “Because you guys saw there are certain games where we played lights out and certain games where we didn’t. ... My responsibility is to make sure that the defense and the coaches, to make sure the defense is giving our team a chance to win the game.”

Inquirer Eagles beat reporters EJ Smith and Josh Tolentino preview the team’s season opener against the Detroit Lions. Watch at Inquirer.com/EaglesGameday