Regrading the Eagles: Linebacker unit needs help, but Birds shouldn’t expect the old Shaq Leonard

Regrading the Eagles’ 37-34 overtime victory over the Bills upon reviewing the coaches’ film (original instant grades here):

The Eagles need a linebacker with Zach Cunningham expected to be out for at least Sunday’s game vs. the 49ers. An argument could be made they needed one before his injury and after Nakobe Dean underwent potentially season-ending foot surgery earlier this month. But it seems almost probable that general manager Howie Roseman will do something at the position in the next week.

Free agent Shaquille Leonard visited the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday. He may offer an upgrade over potential in-house replacements for Cunningham, but film from his last games with the Colts suggest the Eagles won’t be getting the player who earned All-Pro honors earlier in his career.

But the unit needs help. Nicholas Morrow has performed ably since his promotion off the practice squad in September. But his performance against the Bills, particularly in pass coverage, wasn’t his finest. A quick qualifier: Josh Allen is an elite quarterback who had one of his best games this season, and Morrow wasn’t alone among those on the Eagles defense who struggled — including the coordinator.

Buffalo clearly had plans to target the linebackers in coverage and would have scored a touchdown on its second series had running back James Cook (No. 4) not dropped this pass.

Morrow (No. 41) got beat on the wheel route, but it was a tough assignment in man coverage and the Bills’ call and execution of the rub were timely.

His run defense was strong. Eight of Morrow’s 12 tackles came in stopping the rush. He also made some plays in pass coverage. But Allen completed 4 of his next 7 passes for 68 yards when targeted receivers vs. the linebacker. On this throw, Morrow didn’t get enough depth in an underneath zone and the Bills converted a long third down.

Christian Elliss (No. 53) jumped in at the other off-ball linebacker spot when Cunningham left. He notched a tackle of loss and chipped in on a few other stops, but Buffalo was able to exploit him in the run game, particularly in its late fourth quarter go-ahead drive.

Elliss has mostly been a solid special teams performer for the Eagles. He can be instinctual defender, but he can often get washed out at the second level. He opened the season as part of the linebacker rotation, but was relegated back to strictly special teams duties the next week.

The Eagles may have no other choice but to start him against San Francisco, but it’s not an ideal situation with running back Christian McCaffrey and one of the NFL’s better run offenses coming to town.

Leonard was once one of the better run-defending linebackers in the league. But he missed almost all of the 2022 season after two back surgeries and clearly isn’t close to his previous self — if that’s even possible at this point. The 28-year-old played in each of the Colts’ first nine games, but he eventually became a part-time player.

» READ MORE: Sources: Eagles’ increased interest in Shaquille Leonard dependent upon Zach Cunningham’s injury

In Week 11, Indianapolis benched him and a several days later he was waived. He cleared waivers and is now free to sign with any team. The Cowboys brought him down to Texas on Tuesday and the Eagles had him in Philly the next day. A physical could be key to determining whether he’s worth signing.

Leonard (No. 53) had some decent outings before his departure, but the film from his last game with the Colts shows why they were comfortable letting him leave. The following clips aren’t meant to be representative of his entire workload. But they offer proof that he’s no longer “The Maniac” from his younger years, and at the least not fully recovered from his surgeries.

Jordan Davis (No. 90) was given kudos here for his run defense Sunday, but he deserved far more praise upon further review. He has anchored the Eagles’ D-line the last two years, but what has drifted under the radar is that he hasn’t played as much nose tackle this season. Sean Desai hasn’t employed as many 5-man fronts, which has meant more of Davis lining up at other technique spots.

» READ MORE: Eagles stats: Jordan Davis hits 16.96 mph in pursuit

He can still dominate when lined up over the center, whether he’s quick off the snap and penetrating:

Or he’s engaging with a blocker and shedding him to make a stop:

But the second-year defensive tackle can seemingly defeat double teams from any of the interior spots:

The 6-foot-6, 340-pound Davis played a career-high 62 snaps on Sunday with defensive tackle Milton Williams out and after Fletcher Cox left with a groin injury. He generated only one pressure in 36 pass rush attempts, per Pro Football Focus. But his run defense and his pursuit of Allen in overtime, in which he was clocked at nearly 17 m.p.h. by Next Gen Stats, show how far he’s come in his conditioning.

Rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter also played his highest number of snaps (76). He got banged up at one point and left briefly, but finished the game and made several huge plays, including blocking a field goal.

» READ MORE: Eagles-Bills takeaways: Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter do the dirty work

Carter has been one of the best pass rushing interior linemen in the league this season, partly because of his get off. But his quick trigger can be just as effective when responsible for one gap.

While he never got to Allen, Carter finished with five pressures. The Eagles have lined him up on the edge several times in the last two games and he has shown that he can even get by tackles.

Michael Clay’s units were often the most inconsistent for the Eagles the previous two seasons. But they have been, on the whole, much better in 2023. Sunday’s game might have been Clay’s crowning achievement in Philly.

» READ MORE: From Britain Covey to Braden Mann, Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay’s units have been special

Despite the rainy, windy and cold conditions, the Eagles were sure-handed in their returns, and efficient in their kick and punt coverages. But the hero of special teams was again kicker Jake Elliott, who knotted the score with a 59-yard strike through the uprights with seconds remaining in regulation.

There isn’t much to add to his kick upon the re-watch. But what shouldn’t go unnoticed is the mechanics of generating enough whip in his right leg to boot a football that far. Many like to equate kicking to swinging a golf club. And for Elliott — a very good amatuer golfer — there are similarities.

But I see more of a comparison to pitching and the torque and control it takes to throw a 100-mph strike into a wormhole than to a golf swing. Either way, Elliott is a rare species.