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Kentavius Street pointed to three things when explaining why he chose Philadelphia in free agency. The first thing he rattled off was the culture, it’s just a different vibe around the Eagles — one that marries well with the other selling points: the defensive scheme and the talented people in the building.
Street inked a one-year contract on April 3 to join what he called a “special” place. The 26-year-old spent last season playing for the New Orleans Saints prior to three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He got a taste of camaraderie and Brotherly Love during a business trip in 2022. The Saints beat the Eagles 20-10 that day, but Street watched with envy as Eagles players celebrated their successes together by jumping in the air, hugging each other, and butting heads after every big play. The scene stuck with him.
“I feel like my talents and what I bring to the table as far as my intangibles fit into this scheme, and I’m ready to do whatever they need me to do,” Street told reporters. “So, from the outside looking in, it looked like the players, everyone dealing with the organization really enjoyed coming to work here.
“And I feel like that’s very rare in our line of work. It can very grueling, of course, it’s very demanding, and to be able to come in day in and day out, and smile and enjoy being around your co-workers … that’s special, that’s rare — and I’m so happy to be a part that.”
The former fourth-round pick in 2018 had one more request: call him Street, not Kentavius. It’s just simpler that way.
“I’ve had people call me Street Money, Super Street. It’s a lot more to play with than Kentavius,” Street said. “Kentavius has a larger margin of error, so I try to avoid that.”
Excited to Play with Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox
Another selling point was the opportunity to share the trenches with Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox in Philly. Those two defensive playmakers have combined for 135 total sacks, with Street watching their storied careers from afar. He’s anxious to get into the film room and learn from living legends.
“I’ve been watching these guys since I was a puppy,” Street said. “Fletch and BG have been setting the standard for d-lineman for a long time now. And being able to be in the building with these guys, going to practice, going to war with these guys is going to be huge. I think it’s going to add so much to my game, just being able to pick their brains, see what they see, react on how they react, pass rush like they pass rush, you know, try to add that to my game I know I can only get better.”
Street also singled out two other all-time greats from bygone years: Trent Cole and Brian Dawkins. Yes, he’s been a closet Eagles fan for quite some time.
“I really feel like this Eagles organization has always had a standard that they’ve upheld,” Street said. “It’s never bent. It’s never faltered. It’s extremely exciting to be a part of it because I really feel like I can my best foot forward here.”
Fully Recovered from Injuries, Tough Rookie Year
Street suffered a torn ACL during his pro day in 2018 which caused him to fall down draft boards. He was forced to sit out his rookie year, then returned in 2019 and saw action in only three games. It was a rough start as he bounced between the injured reserve and the active roster to start his NFL career. Street didn’t really feel 100% healthy until the COVID-affected season in 2020.
“As crazy as COVID was, I feel like that was the first time I felt normal,” Street said.
Now he is feeling confident and excited about a new journey. He sat down with new defensive coordinator Sean Desai on April 3 to talk scheme and overall impact. He feels he’s in the best possible spot to contribute right away.
“Seems genuinely excited to be a part of this and to continue the success that the Philadelphia Eagles defense has been having,” Street said about his conversation with Desai. “I think it’s going to bring a plethora of things to this defense and I think that we’ll only improve with him at the helm. I’m very excited to be a part of this defense.”
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