July 20, 2022
Over the last few weeks, we've taken a look at every player on the Philadelphia Eagles' roster, and how they fit with the team heading into training camp. Today we'll continue on with the cornerbacks.
Previous training camp previews
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Offensive tackle | Guard | Center
Defensive end | Defensive tackle | Rush linebacker | Linebacker
| LB | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| CB | Darius Slay | Zech McPhearson | Kary Vincent | Mario Goodrich |
| CB | James Bradberry | Tay Gowan | Josh Jobe | Josh Blackwell |
| Slot | Avonte Maddox | Josiah Scott | Jimmy Moreland | Mac McCain |
Slay made the Pro Bowl as a result of his splash plays in 2021. He had three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, in addition to a pair of fumble return touchdowns. His big plays were integral in wins against the Panthers, Broncos, and Saints.
In 2020, Slay struggled against some bigger receivers like Davante Adams and DK Metcalf. In 2021, there were no such obviously bad games from Slay, as he was a steady cover corner all season, even while he was often lined up against the opposing team's best receiver.
He was arguably the Eagles' best defensive player in 2021.
The Eagles had an obvious need at the second cornerback spot opposite Slay, and in Bradberry they have found an upgrade over 2021 starter Steven Nelson.
Bradberry is a big, physical corner at 6'1, 212, who should pair nicely with the playmaking Slay. If the Eagles choose to have their corners trail receivers, it would make sense for Bradberry to draw the big-bodied types while Slay handles the speedy guys or savvy route runners.
In his two seasons with the Giants, Bradberry had an impressive 35 pass breakups and 7 INTs. He was a cap casualty this offseason, when the cap-strapped Giants decided to cut him rather than convert his salary into a signing bonus and spread out his cap hit over future years. That was curious decision by the Giants, given that Bradberry has arguably been their best defender the last two seasons, and their cornerback depth is among the worst in the NFL.
Had Bradberry been a free agent in March, he almost certainly would have attracted a better offer than the $7.25 million he signed in Philly on a one-year deal. The Giants pretty much did the Eagles a huge favor by making him available once other teams around the league had already made their moves at corner.
It's worth noting that when Bradberry was asked if he was playing in 2022 with a eye toward cashing in on free agency in 2023, Bradberry acknowledged that he was (duh). While he may or may not be a long-term player in Philadelphia (we'll see), he should have plenty of motivation to perform at a high level in 2022.
Maddox had a promising rookie season in 2018, followed by a pair of disappointing seasons in 2019 and 2020. He particularly struggled in 2020, when the Eagles misevaluated his capabilities of playing on the outside. At 5'9, Maddox had difficulty covering bigger receivers.
In 2021, Maddox moved to the slot, where his skill set is a better fit, and he played well, earning a three-year, $22.5 million contract extension along the way. A price tag of $7.5 million per season feels a little costly at a comparatively replaceable position where players don't often cash in on the open market.
Still, Maddox is an ideal locker room guy, who is energetic and willing to take on any challenge. He seems to love the sport and wants to get better. In that sense, he is the type of player that coaches want to have around. However, at $7.5 million, paid at a time when Maddox was playing better but hadn't yet shown sustained consistency over a longer period of time, felt a little forced, especially when the team has overrated his abilities in the past.
Contract quibbling aside, Maddox was a good slot corner in 2021, and he can continue to focus on that role in the Eagles' defense in 2022.
The Eagles had a rare season in 2021 in which they did not suffer many injuries at cornerback. With the exception of the Eagles' meaningless Week 18 game against Dallas, the trio of Slay, Nelson, and Maddox did not miss a single game. In past seasons, the Eagles' cornerback position had been decimated by injuries. In the divisional round playoff game against the Saints after the 2018 season, for example, the Birds played guys like Tre Sullivan, Cre'Von LeBlanc, and Josh Hawkins. It's never a good sign when you're in the divisional round of the playoffs, and you're asking yourself, "Wait, who's No. 48?"
As a result of the Eagles' health at corner, McPhearson did not get as much playing time in 2021 that he might have some other season. He was a core special teamer, playing 325 snaps on those units, including a role as a gunner on the punt coverage team, but he only played 179 snaps in the regular defense. Had the Eagles suffered an injury to Slay or Nelson, McPhearson likely would have started in their place. In a small sample size, take this for what it's worth, but pro-football-reference.com had McPhearson down for 9 completions allowed on 17 targets, and a 69.7 QB rating allowed on the season.
Earlier this offseason, before the team signed James Bradberry, we took a closer look at McPhearson's 2021 season. The Cliffs Notes:
• In man coverage, McPhearson may not be a track star, but he has enough short area quickness to provide sticky coverage. He also does a nice job of looking back for the football when in phase. There are moments where he can get grabby, and that has to get cleaned up. He's a candidate to lead the defense in penalties if someone goes down and he ends up starting. But on the whole, his man coverage skills were encouraging.
• In zone, McPhearson seems to see the field well, and has a good feel for the game. In the snaps I watched, he was rarely out of position, and he understands route concepts.
• Somehow, PFF had McPhearson down for an 80.9 rating against the run. Only nine cornerbacks had a better rating. I didn't see that at all. He's a good tackler when he wraps up, but he'll also dive at ankles, and he produced no big hits that I could see, at least in the regular defense. The potential for him to be a better tackler is there, but professional skill position players don't go down as easily as college guys, which is something McPhearson still needs to adjust to.
Should Slay or Bradberry go down, McPhearson is probably the favorite as of now to start in their place, however, he'll have to fend off a whole lot of competition in training camp just to maintain that CB4 job.
If you'll recall, Gowan was the player the Cardinals packaged with a fifth-round pick for Zach Ertz before the NFL trade deadline last season.
After a college career at UCF in which Gowan only played in 13 games, he was selected by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He got picked 223rd overall. The Eagles selected JaCoby Stevens 224th overall.
"He's a guy we spent a lot of time with in the draft process," Howie Roseman said after the trade. "He was somebody that we would have considered with our sixth-round pick. He was in a group of names. He went right before we picked and he's a long corner. He's got tremendous speed."
Gowan's only full season in college was in 2019, when he had 31 tackles, two INTs, and eight pass breakups in 12 games (nine starts). He opted out of the 2020 season, explaining that he had concerns about his daughter's health during the COVID pandemic.
Because of his inexperience at UCF, Gowan entered the NFL as something of a developmental prospect, but one who showed enough in Cardinals training camp to make their 53-man roster. He did not appear in any games for the Cardinals, and was a mainstay on their inactive list. After being traded to the Eagles, Gowan was inactive for all but two games.
Gowan is a tall, skinny corner at 6'1, 186 pounds. He ran a 4.49 40 at UCF's pro day, and he has average athletic measurables otherwise. He's a player I'm curious to watch play in camp.
Scott played in three games for the Eagles in the regular defense, mostly in garbage time in blowout wins against the Lions and Giants, as well as the Eagles' meaningless Week 18 game against Dallas. He appeared in 13 games overall on special teams.
We took a deeper look last offseason at Scott's play during his rookie season in 2020 with Jacksonville, if you're interested in taking a look at that. At 5'9, Scott is probably a backup slot corner only.
Just before the trade deadline closed last season, the Philadelphia Eagles struck a deal, sending a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for Vincent. In their trade announcement, the Eagles referred to Vincent as a defensive back, so his role going forward may not be limited just to cornerback.
Vincent is fast. He ran a 4.39 at LSU's pro day. He's also short, light, and he has short arms.
He appeared in two games for the Eagles last season, and got a start at corner against Dallas Week 18.
Moreland was a seventh-round draft pick out of James Madison in 2019 who made the Commanders' roster as a rookie and even got immediate playing time. In two seasons with the Commanders, Moreland played in 30 games, starting 10. In the 2020 opener he picked off Carson Wentz in a win over the Eagles.
INT as Jimmy Moreland (a fav player from his college days) breaks HARD on the ball with a fantastic read on Wentz who doesn't throw his best ball 17-10 #PHIvsWAS #NFL2020 #FlyEaglesFly #WashingtonNFL pic.twitter.com/Yt7YxCGOEW
— 🏈 🗳️ Steven Van Over (@StevenVanOver) September 13, 2020
Moreland was waived by the Commanders at final cutdowns in 2021, and claimed by the Texans. He appeared in 7 games for Houston in 2021. The Texans waived him in May, and he was claimed by the Eagles.
Because he was claimed by teams both times he was waived, Moreland is still on his original rookie contract. Because he played in at least 35 percent of his team's defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons in the NFL, he is eligible for the "Proven Performance Escalator," and is scheduled to make $2,433,000 in 2022, which is non-guaranteed. In other words, the Eagles at least like Moreland enough to keep him on their books for now at that level of pay, which is more than could be said of Nate Herbig, for example.
McCain was an undrafted rookie free agent signing by the Broncos in 2021 who was waived at 53-man cutdowns, but added to their practice squad, where he was later poached by the Eagles. The Eagles waived him later in the season, and the Broncos claimed him off waivers. When the Broncos waived him later in the season, the Eagles claimed him off waivers. So, he knows the flight between Philly and Denver well.
McCain had some big-play flare in college. He had 8 career INTs four of which he returned for TDs for North Carolina A&T.
The last three corners here are all undrafted rookie free agents. Jobe is a rather well-known corner from a major program who was being projected as a possible Day 2 pick after a strong junior season in 2020 when he had 55 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles. However, a down season in 2021, partly due to injuries, hurt his draft stock. A look:
Jobe has good length, with 32 5/8" arms, and he is a physical tackler.
Like Jobe above, Goodrich comes from a major college football program. He did not get much playing time early in his Clemson career, sitting behind a number of corners who are now in the NFL. As a senior in 2021, Goodrich had 42 tackles, 2 INTs (including a pick 6), 9 pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
Goodrich is thought of as a tough tackler who could be a decent enough fit in a zone scheme. He likely didn't get drafted because he ran a 4.52 at 176 pounds.
Blackwell had 0 career INTs at Duke, but a 4.34 40 at Duke's pro day was certain to get him a look in someone's camp. From Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Press-man cornerback with excellent speed and short-area quickness, but a lack of desired ball skills and instincts. At this point, Blackwell is a better athlete than cover corner and he lacks desired size for the perimeter. He will need to level up the technique and get tougher against the run before he is ready to play slot corner in the NFL. Speed and explosiveness will be intriguing, but his tape just isn't there yet.
Blackwell could be a longer-term project.
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