Thumbs up or down: Eagles beat reporters weigh in on Kyzir White signing

In my preview of free agency, I predicted the most likely player the Eagles would sign at positions of need, and for inside linebacker, I selected Kyzir White. The mention here isn’t self congratulatory, but more as an explanation as to why I’m giving his signing a thumbs up. Not only did the acquisition make sense in addressing a need, but also the Eagles didn’t sacrifice much in terms of dollars and cents.

White signed a one-year contract worth up to $5 million. It’s less than I thought he would get after his best season, but his undervalued position and, I’d imagine, his relatively short resume factored into his having to take a prove-it deal. But that he lasted so long into free agency is worth noting. White played safety in college at West Virginia and was immediately converted into an off-ball linebacker upon his arrival with the Los Angeles Chargers.

He’s small for the position at 6-foot-2, 218 pounds, and that may hurt him some in the run game, but he has the speed to run with athletic tight ends and running backs in man coverage. Was he perfect in coverage last season? Hardly, but he should be an upgrade over the departed Alex Singleton, who ended the season opposite T.J. Edwards, and should compete with the returning Davion Taylor for snaps.

A year ago, the Eagles took a one-year swing with Eric Wilson. He didn’t even last half the season and was cut when it was clear that he couldn’t fill run gaps effectively and failed to make the appropriate plays in coverage. The entire defense struggled to adapt to Jonathan Gannon’s new scheme, but additional stress was placed upon the inside linebackers with the safeties often playing deep zones. White’s numbers from last season were impressive. He notched 144 total tackles, caught two interceptions and forced two fumbles. He rushed 41 times and generated 12 quarterback pressures to go along with a sack and four hits.

He should get opportunities to blitz with Gannon having a more versatile piece on the edge with Haason Reddick. Both White and Reddick are undersized, and they may leave the Eagles susceptible to power run offenses. But passing is the name of the game in the NFL, and Gannon needs more speed to cover space in his defense. White should help in that regard and at not much cost.

Like Haason Reddick and Zach Pascal, Kyzir White is a player who was linked to the Eagles going into free agency for myriad reasons. He plays a position of need, he fits well in their defense, he has some local ties, and he fits the mold that Howie Roseman seeks.

As a result, this was a predictable signing, but predictable isn’t always a bad thing.

White, who just turned 26, immediately becomes the Eagles’ best outside linebacker and can stay on the field in sub packages. He’s technically a “safety convert” out of West Virginia, which might dredge up some flashbacks of Nate Gerry and cause some of you unease. But it’s not quite the same thing. White played the “spur” position in the Mountaineers defense, which is more of a hybrid linebacker/safety. What his college experience really suggests is he has logged tons of snaps as a tough, undersized box player who drops into coverage and also takes on blocks at times.

That’s pretty much what he did in his four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, too. Rewatching White’s snaps against the Eagles last season, it’s apparent that his strengths are in coverage and when he’s able to use his speed to close space on ballcarriers. He is 6-2, 218 pounds, so you don’t want him making a living getting downhill against the run and taking on blocks, and that shows up when you watch him. He’s best when he’s not forced to shed blocks, which is something the Eagles’ restocked defensive front should allow him to do. If they do, the Eagles will have a sideline-to-sideline player who is a capable tackler; he had 144 tackles last season.

This feels like a quintessential Roseman signing. An ascending young player on a low-cost deal. Fans will like that he’s an Emmaus, Pa., native who grew up rooting for the Eagles. He has two brothers, Kevin and Ka’Raun, who have been in the NFL and he was a team captain at West Virginia.

It’s only a one-year deal worth roughly $5 million, which is good value for a starting linebacker with some upside. Even if he isn’t an impact player, the Eagles added a competent starting linebacker, which they badly needed. Doing so allows them to prioritize value in the draft rather than fill starting spots, so there’s a lot to like here.

Time will tell whether White pans out, but he’s an apparent upgrade over Alex Singleton, who departed for the Broncos in free agency.

As a converted safety, White has experience appearing at different levels of the defense, and those playing traits should excite defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. The most realistic expectation is for White to slot in as the featured off-ball linebacker. His playing style shows he’s a volume tackler who can handle his own in coverage and also pursue ballcarriers out of the backfield. Considering White’s career-best production from last season — 144 tackles, six quarterback pressures, and two forced fumbles — it’s a bit surprising that he didn’t receive a long-term deal in free agency. His arrival in Philadelphia could be an indicator of White simply betting on himself and believing he’ll produce enough under Gannon to reset his own market heading into 2023.

Around this time last year, the Eagles signed linebacker Eric Wilson on a one-year deal. Less than two months into the regular season, he was released. Wilson’s signing paired with the addition of defensive end Ryan Kerrigan were two of the biggest whiffs in last year’s free agency. The Eagles cannot afford a repeat of that situation, and while White seems like an obvious upgrade, you truly just never know until players hit the field.

There are still concerns about the position group’s depth and lack of young talent. T.J. Edwards established himself as a regular contributor and Davion Taylor is an emerging piece, but not many others have stepped up. The team should still prioritize drafting a linebacker during the early rounds of the NFL draft. Regardless, White will be able to help fill the void — at least temporarily — as an immediate starter.