Getty Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is in his second year leading the Philly defense.
Here’s an under-the-radar name to watch: Marvin Wilson, the second-year defensive tackle out of Florida State. The 6-foot-4, 303-pounder only saw action in one regular-season game (Week 18) last season, accounting for three tackles on 19 defensive snaps. Not excited?
Well, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has a slightly different opinion. He made a point of crediting Wilson’s improvement during his recent media availability. The second-year player should see a ton of reps in the preseason opener on August 12. The man nicknamed “Big Marv” wears No. 73.
“He’s another one in the defensive line room who has really improved what we asked him to improve,” Gannon said of Wilson. “A lot of that was bend and pad level and striking blocks with his hands. He’s doing a good job. I’m really excited to see him go out and play versus the Jets.”
Wilson was the subject of some controversy after initially going undrafted in 2021. The Cleveland Browns won a “swift bidding war” for him and handed the rookie free agent a $30,000 signing bonus. Then, the Browns waived the college standout in the hopes of adding him to the practice squad. Nope. The Eagles swooped in. The Browns were out of luck. He’s been working to crack the roster ever since.
The latest Eagles news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Eagles newsletter here!
Injuries, Excessive Weight Slowed Production
Wilson was the top-ranked defensive tackle in the country before a season-ending hand injury slowed him down. He came back in 2020 looking slower due to excessive weight, according to scouting reports. He also missed three games with a leg injury. NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein wrote:
His 2019 tape shows a classic stack-and-shed interior lineman with the strength and anchor to help control the line of scrimmage for 4-3 or 3-4 defenses. He lacks reaction time off the snap so playing at a quicker weight might be pivotal for his success. He rushes with sheer force and leverage to push the pocket but might be capable of more with additional schooling. Wilson has potential but could be pegged as nothing more than a rotational two-gapper.
Nakobe Dean, Different Linebacker Combinations
All eyes will be on the linebackers in the preseason opener. Rookie Nakobe Dean is the biggest name, or at least the one drawing the most hype. The 2021 Butkus Award winner slipped into the third round due to injury concerns. Those turned out to be unfounded as Dean didn’t miss a single rep this spring or summer.
“He’s very smart, he’s tough, and he’s very physical. Happy with where he’s at,” Gannon said. “He’s going to continue to improve, and we’ll get a good look at him here coming up in the next couple weeks.”
2 linebackers and a nose tackle for #Eagles defense. Feels like we might see more 3-4 looks than what Jonathan Gannon showed last year
The 5-foot-11, 231-pounder has had an up and down camp but the Eagles will no doubt be showcasing him on Friday night. And, really, all the linebackers. Gannon has been mixing and matching a lot of different combinations at practices. T.J. Edwards (MIKE), Haason Reddick (SAM), and Kyzir White (WILL) are the starters.
But the Eagles constantly disguise and switch up their defensive fronts, sometimes running out as few as two linebackers or as many as four. Reddick is essentially another edge rusher out there.
“There are obviously multiple reasons why we mix and match people in practice — one, because guys are playing one or two spots, so we like to kind of see them in one spot and then the other spot,” Gannon said. “Also, another reason for that is you like them to play versus the different offensive players in camp, too, to see what they can do. I think sometimes you get into a little bit of a deal; you start playing against the same offensive players all the time, and you would like to see some different looks.”
Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon says Haason Reddick can drop back into coverage and he says they are trying that in training camp to see if that would be good sometimes, to win matchups
Eagles are showing 4-3, 3-4 looks in camp
