How the Eagles’ Jordan Davis got in better shape: ‘Greater power comes great responsibility’

Davis has seen his offseason efforts at improving his conditioning help, as the second-year defensive tackle prepares for a larger role with the Eagles.

Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis signs autographs after practice on the second day of open training camp at the NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia on Friday, July 28, 2023.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer / Heather Khalifa / Staff Photogra

by EJ Smith

Published July 31, 2023, 1:36 p.m. ET

When Jordan Davis looks at his reflection, he likes the face looking back at him.

The Eagles’ defensive tackle spent his offseason trying to improve his conditioning in preparation for a bigger role up front this year. The 2022 first-round pick said he spent the summer “moving,” whether it was going for walks or riding a stationary bike to go along with his weight-lifting regimen in an effort to improve his endurance.

The numbers on Davis’ scale aren’t reading much differently — he’s still around 340 pounds dating back to last year — but he’s noticed a more defined jawline.

“That’s all I worry about; it’s just how I look in the mirror every day,” Davis said Sunday. “My face slims up, I’m like, ‘All right!’ I look a little bit more handsome. That’s a little motivating, too. You want to look good, feel good, play good. And be healthy for life, too, so that’s all it really takes.”

A year removed from the Eagles drafting him 13th overall, Davis went into his first NFL offseason with the expectation to see a significant uptick in playing time from his rookie season when he played just 26% of the team’s defensive snaps.

Early in his first year, the former University of Georgia standout offered solid run support for a defense that struggled to contain opposing offenses’ ground games without him. Just as his playing time started to increase, Davis suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 7 that sidelined him four games and seemingly hindered him even after his return. His injury facilitated the Eagles signing veteran nose tackle Linval Joseph to stand in for Davis as the space-eating interior lineman of the group.

This year, Davis figures to be the anchor at the heart of the Eagles’ defensive front and have the opportunity to show that he’s explosive and stout enough to be an impact player.

“Going into this offseason, I understood I’d be in a bigger role,” Davis said. “With that greater power comes great responsibility. I’m just going to do whatever it takes; whatever I can do to help the team, whatever package I’m on, just be conditioned and be ready for that call.”

Davis has been running almost exclusively with the first-team defense during training camp, often playing alongside veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Davis has even been a main fixture in the Eagles’ even fronts after spending the overwhelming majority of his rookie season confined to the nose tackle in odd fronts.

It’s still early and the first padded practice Tuesday will certainly be a better indicator for the Eagles’ linemen on both sides, but Davis has gotten into the backfield a few times in the first week of camp and impressed his teammates.

“He’s healthy,” Cox said last week. “Last year, I think he really started to ramp up and then he got hurt as a rookie. I think that kind of affected him. ... Now he’s healthy and he’s flying around and you can feel his presence.”

Physical appearance aside, Davis said early in camp he has noticed a difference stringing plays together without getting tired.

“It’s like, you go five plays and you’re like ‘Dang, five plays. That’s pretty cool,’” Davis said. “Obviously, as we go further along the summer, there’s going to be more plays, I’ll get more conditioned. That’s just how it is, you can condition all you want in the offseason, but until like 600 pounds is pushing on you, that’s like real football [stuff.]”

Davis’ ability to impact the run game should come easy, but the bigger question lies in how he eventually rushes the passer. He was typically off the field for known-passing situations in college and just 52% of his snaps last year came on passing plays, according to Pro Football Focus.

He’ll need to develop as a rusher to realize the potential that made him a first-round pick, something new defensive coordinator Sean Desai said Davis’ physical traits should make a real possibility.

“I think all those guys can be impactful pass rushers,” Desai said. “We’ve just got to find those roles, and it’s our job to get them in those roles to do it. Yeah, I think we’ve got a lot of guys that can be impactful pass rushers.”

“You see him. Go find another human being that looks like him,” Desai added when asked more specifically about Davis. “So I think that part of it. There are not many people built like that. He’s strong. He’s fast. He’s quick. He’s powerful. It’s about putting it all together.”