Checking in on the Eagles safety concerns after first joint practice against the Browns
The Eagles have mostly leaned on Marcus Epps and Anthony Harris as the starting safety duo during training camp, but the race to become the next man up lacks a front-runner to this point.
BEREA, Ohio — Midway through the Eagles’ first joint practice against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, Anthony Harris and Andre Chachere went screaming into the backfield.
The two safeties each closed on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, having overloaded Cleveland’s protection to their side, but it was Chachere who was credited with the “sack,” based off the celebratory helmet slaps and post-play celebration as the group headed back to the huddle.
Pass rushing isn’t high on the list of defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s requirements from his safeties, but any impact from the reserve safeties will be noteworthy over the next few weeks. The Eagles have mostly leaned on Marcus Epps and Harris as the starting safety duo during training camp, but the race to become the next man up lacks a front-runner to this point.
“You’ll see us continue to mix guys,” Gannon said before Thursday’s practice. “I think they’re doing a really good job. Excited to see them practice versus some other people now and be in there with different guys.”
The guys in the “mix” so far have been Chachere, former fourth-round pick K’Von Wallace, free-agent signee Jaquiski Tartt, undrafted free agent Reed Blankenship, and part-time cornerback convert Josiah Scott.
Each player has seen some playing time with the first-team defense at some point during training camp, partially because of minor injuries costing both Epps and Harris a couple of days of practice over the last few weeks. Epps missed Tuesday’s practice with a back injury but returned for Thursday’s session against the Browns.
What is Gannon looking for from the group of guys vying for a role in the defense?
“[Range], ball skills, and coverage ability,” he said. “You’d like to be able to see — when the ball goes up in the air and they’re on that side of the field — if they can make a play on it, to make a play on it. But range, that comes in a lot of different forms. Depth equals range. You hear me say that. ‘How deep are they?’ That gives them more range.
“Anticipation, timing,” Gannon added. “What their eyes are seeing and the coaching points of all those things within each coverage to be in the right position to have a chance to make certain plays on balls down the field.”
Tartt entered training camp getting most of his reps with the second-team defense and occasionally working with the starters but has been mostly with the second- and third-team defense after missing a few practices for personal reasons earlier this month.
Blankenship and Scott have both gotten some first-team looks in the last week, with Chachere and Wallace working in at times as well. Chachere was a special-teams ace for the Eagles last season but has flashed potential to be a bigger part of the defense this summer.
Blankenship, a former Middle Tennessee State standout, was one of the notable undrafted free-agent signings the Eagles brought in and has climbed the depth chart quickly. Gannon said he’s earned first-team reps because of his versatility and his tendency to avoid making the same mistake twice.
“He’s not a post safety or a box safety. He can do it all,” he said. “He tackles and he processes fast, and he just needs some reps and time on task. There are certain things, as a rookie, he hasn’t seen like some of the older vets have seen. ... When he makes a mistake, he’s not a repeat offender. From that, you know he’s going to continue to keep progressing.”
Even though the Eagles have only gone live for one period in the last few weeks, Blankenship (6-foot-1, 196 pounds) has made enough physical plays both in that lone tackling session and during “thud” parts of practices to suggest he can hold his own from a physical standpoint. He had a team-high seven combined tackles in the preseason opener against the New York Jets.
Against the Browns, the Eagles’ first-team defense had an even day. Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski, a Philadelphia native, runs a play-action heavy offensive scheme that looks quite different than Nick Sirianni’s, which Gannon expected to be a challenge for his group.
The Browns had a handful of chunk plays off of run fakes during the early team periods, including a completion from Watson to Browns receiver Anthony Schwartz that got by Avonte Maddox for a 40-plus yard gain.
The Eagles’ starting defense recovered during the final team session, though, holding the Browns to one first down and forcing multiple incompletions.
“It’s really good to see the style they run the ball, the way they run the ball, and the pace,” Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. “Up front, it’s really unique. It’ll give us a chance, again, to go back, look at things, and critique ourselves, get better, and be ready for it tomorrow.”
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