Breaking down every Eagles defensive player ahead of Super Bowl LIX originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Eagles are heading to New Orleans to play in Super Bowl LIX with a really strong roster assembled by general manager Howie Roseman.
While many players were on the team for Super Bowl LVII, there are also plenty of newcomers from the last two years.
We already looked at every offensive player on the roster, so now it’s time for a look at every defensive player on the Eagles’ 53-man roster:
The starters
DE Nolan Smith: Through the first four games this season, Smith had 0 sacks, 0 TFLs and 0 QB hits. After the bye week, he has been a different guy. In his 15 games since, Smith has 10 1/2 sacks, 12 TFLs and 14 QB hits. He’s become their best edge rusher. In the playoffs, he already has 4 sacks in these playoffs and has 4 1/2 sacks in four-career playoff games. That’s the second-most in franchise history in the playoffs behind just Brandon Graham, who has 5 1/2 in 11 playoff games.
DT Jordan Davis: Believe it or not, Davis is actually the only Eagles player to start every game in the past two years. The third-year nose tackle doesn’t produce a lot of stats but he has been a contributing player and had a big sack in the NFC Championship Game; it was his first sack since Week 3 in New Orleans.
DT Jalen Carter: In his second NFL season, Carter took the jump everyone hoped he would. He was borderline unblockable this season and was named a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro. During the regular season, Carter fought through double teams to have 4 1/2 sacks, 42 tackles, 16 QB hits and 12 tackles for loss. He already has 2 sacks, 5 QB hits, 2 TFLs, 3 PBUs and 1 FF in the playoffs. Carter had two full sacks against the Rams and had two incredible reps late in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
DE Josh Sweat: After an offseason where Sweat’s future in Philly was very much in question, he had a solid season. The 27-year-old had 8 sacks and 15 quarterback hits working against left tackles. Going into the Super Bowl, Sweat has gone five straight games without a sack but is still giving the Eagles quality snaps. There’s a chance this could be the final game of Sweat’s Eagles career as he’s set to become a free agent.
LB Zack Baun: On a team full of great stories, Baun’s might be the best. He was an afterthought when he signed with the Eagles in March but Vic Fangio made him an inside linebacker and the rest was history. Baun was an All-Pro in 2024 and is one of five finalists to win the Defensive Player of the Year. He made huge, game-changing plays in every game this year. In the regular season, Baun had 151 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and he has been playing just as well in the playoffs. He will be back in New Orleans for the Super Bowl and a chance to put a bow on his incredible season.
LB Oren Burks: The was Nakobe Dean spot for most of the season but the Eagles’ starting middle linebacker suffered a torn patellar tendon in the wild-card round and faces a long recovery. Burks stepped in to start against the Rams and Commanders and performed really well. The plan against the Rams was for the 29-year-old veteran to split time with Jeremiah Trotter Jr., but Burks played so well he has barely left the field since.
CB Darius Slay: The 34-year-old has what might be his final shot at winning a Super Bowl. While Slay dealt with nagging injuries all season, the six-time Pro Bowler still started 14 games and has played well. He finally go his first interception of the season in the playoffs. After he had 13 pass breakups in 14 games this season, he already has 5 in the 3 playoff games. Slay has been a mentor for the young defensive backs in the Eagles’ secondary but he’s played well in his 12th NFL season too.
CB Quinyon Mitchell: The No. 22 overall pick has had an incredible rookie season. He’s one of five finalists for Defensive Rookie of the Year and has even raised his game in the playoffs. In three playoff games, Mitchell has the first two interceptions of his NFL career and he has been a lockdown corner. He has been targeted 15 times and has given up just 5 catches for 24 yards, per NextGen Stats. He has allowed an opposing passer rating of 2.8!
NCB: Cooper DeJean: Another finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year, DeJean really helped transform the defense when he was inserted into the starting lineup in Week 6. Forget rookies: The draft pick Iowa has been one of the best nickel defenders overall in the NFL this season. He has brought a unique blend of coverage ability and toughness to that position. His hit on Derrick Henry earlier this season is going to be one of the lasting memories of the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles.
S C.J. Gardner-Johnson: In his two years in Philly, the Eagles have gone to the Super Bowl twice. That’s not to say that Gardner-Johnson is the only reason why they’re back in the big game but it’s clear he’s brought some missing elements back to this defense. He talks a lot of crap but Gardner-Johnson has also backed it up this season with some big plays in key moments. He led the team with 6 interceptions this season and was second with 12 pass breakups. He has also been great at delivering big hits on running backs in the hole.
S Reed Blankenship: The last time the Eagles went to the Super Bowl, Blankenship was an undrafted rookie, who was a backup in the big game. This year, he’s a full-time starter and the stabilizing force of the Eagles’ back-end. Blankenship finished the year with 78 tackles, 4 interceptions and 6 pass breakups. He and Gardner-Johnson have formed a really respectable pair of safeties and they’ll get tested against the Chiefs.
The non-starters
DT Thomas Booker IV: While he was a limited contributor with just 166 defensive snaps this season, Booker still had a sack, 2 TFLs, 2 QB hits and a pass defensed this season. In the playoffs, he has played just 4 defensive snaps but does get a handful on special teams.
S Sydney Brown: The second-year safety never really carved out a role on defense this season but is one of the Eagles’ most important players on special teams. Even after missing the first five games on PUP, Brown still played 205 special teams snaps and is a very good gunner on punt team.
S Lewis Cine: The Eagles had a roster spot and signed Cine to their 53-man roster on Jan. 8. He hasn’t played at all and isn’t expected to in the Super Bowl either. But Cine is a former first-round pick and the Eagles really liked him at Georgia so they thought it was worth getting him in the building.
DE Brandon Graham: Graham is still on IR, but the Eagles activated his practice window on Thursday before they got on the field at the Linc, which was his first step toward a possible return in Super Bowl LIX. Graham tore his triceps against the Rams on Nov. 24 and has been out since. Graham was playing at a really high level before the injury with 3 1/2 sacks, 7 QB hits and 6 TFLs. Even if he can’t play up to that level, it would be a huge emotional boost to get the Eagles’ longest-tenured player back for the Super Bowl.
DE Bryce Huff: If you think back to March, Huff was actually the Eagles’ biggest signing in free agency. He signed a three-year, $51.1 million deal. It hasn’t worked out. Huff struggled, lost his starting spot and needed wrist surgery. He played in 12 game sand had 2 1/2 sacks and 4 quarterback hits. During the playoffs, the Eagles have mostly used a three-man rotation, making Huff the odd man out. He played 12 snaps in the NFC Championship Game but most of them came after the game was out of reach.
DE Jalyx Hunt: The third-round pick from Houston Christian was considered a raw prospect when the Eagles drafted him but he is ahead of Huff in the playoff rotation and it’s not close. Hunt slowly got better and better throughout his rookie season and after having 9 pressures in 16 games in the regular season, he already has 5 in 3 games in the playoffs. Hunt is looking like he has a bright future.
DB Avonte Maddox: The veteran started the season as the Eagles’ nickel cornerback but struggled and was replaced by DeJean coming off of the bye week. That had to be a tough blow for Maddox, who had played at a high level before in his career, but he handled it well. He continued to be a backup and play special teams. Entering the Super Bowl, Maddox is the top backup nickel corner and the next safety off the bench in addition to his role as a key special teamer.
S Tristin McCollum: Earlier in the season, McCollum was the top backup safety but eventually we learned that Maddox had overtaken him. In the playoffs, McCollum has played 45 special teams snaps, which ranks sixth on the team.
DT Moro Ojomo: A second-year defensive tackle from Texas, Ojomo carved out a role in the DT rotation this season behind Carter and Milton Williams. Ojomo played the exact same number of snaps (388) as Davis this season and has out-snapped him 77-43 in the playoffs. Ojomo got his first career sack in the fourth quarter of the Rams game. Ojomo has 26 pressures this season.
CB Eli Ricks: The Eagles like Ricks enough to keep him around and develop him. But the second-year cornerback from Alabama is buried on the depth chart. He played in seven games this season but has been inactive for the playoffs.
CB Kelee Ringo: Because of the influx of talent in the cornerback room, Ringo didn’t play much on defense in his second season but he has become a major key on special teams, both as a gunner on punt team and a vice on punt return. He led the Eagles in special teams snaps in the regular season (340) and is leading them in special teams snaps in the playoffs (66).
CB Isaiah Rodgers: A year ago, Rodgers was on his couch and now he’s preparing to play in a Super Bowl. Rodgers was suspended for the entire 2023 season and was at home in Tampa just waiting to be reinstated. This year, he has been the Eagles’ top backup outside cornerback and is the first guy in the game whenever Slay or Mitchell come out. Rodgers, 27, could get a gig somewhere as a full-time starter in 2024.
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.: The Axe Man Jr. is behind Burks on the depth chart and played just 4 defensive snaps in the first three playoff games. But he’s a special teams player and is second on the team with 65 snaps in the playoffs. With Burks taking on a bigger role on defense, Trotter is seeing even more reps on special teams.
DT Milton Williams: Maybe we should have listed Williams with the starters. Even though Williams hasn’t started any of the three playoff games and started just 7 of 17 during the regular season, he plays the second-most snaps among the Eagles’ DTs and had a 5-sack season in 2024. In the playoffs, Williams hasn’t gotten a sack yet but he has a couple big batted passes and figures to play a major role in Super Bowl LIX, which could be his final game as an Eagle.
The specialists
K Jake Elliott: It hasn’t been a great season for Elliott. He made just 28 of 36 field goals in the regular season (77.8%) and was just 1-for-7 from 50+ yards. In these playoffs, Elliott has made 6 of 7 field goals with his one miss coming from 54 yards in the NFC Championship Game — it was the first miss in 23 career playoff attempts. Elliott has also missed three PATs in these playoffs. While Elliott has had a great career, there’s reason to be a bit concerned about him going into Super Bowl LIX.
LS Rick Lovato: You probably haven’t noticed Lovato all season, which is a fine compliment for a long snapper.
P Braden Mann: The Eagles seem to have a better punter for this Super Bowl with Mann instead of Arryn Siposs. Mann this season had an average of 48.8 yards per punt and a net average of 41.9. He also downed 37% of his punts inside the 20.
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