Eagles make smart moves with linebacker signings
Coming into training camp, the weakest link on the Philadelphia Eagles defense was their linebacking corps.
Their projected starting linebackers at the beginning of camp were Haason Reddick, Nakobe Dean and Nicholas Morrow. Even then, Reddick is often considered a defensive lineman. His 16 sacks last season led the Eagles by far. Dean saw little playing time in his rookie season, and Morrow is a journeyman whose only experience has come with the Bears and Raiders, two of the NFL's worst defenses.
It was clear that the Eagles needed help, which they got in the form of veteran linebackers Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham.
Jack spent last season with Pittsburgh, where he led the Steelers in both combined tackles (104) and solo tackles (61). Prior to that, his first six seasons were in Jacksonville. Jack's 335 solo tackles between 2016 and 2021 were the sixth-most of any linebacker in Jaguars history. He was the last holdover of the Jags' famed "Sacksonville" defense of 2017, and his talent is deserving of a high-profile team like the Eagles.
The same goes for Cunningham, who only played six games for Tennessee last season due to a lingering elbow injury. In 2021, after five seasons with Houston, Cunningham was released by the Texans for violating team rules, namely recurring tardiness and a late arrival to a scheduled COVID-19 test.
When he has been on the field, however, Cunningham has been one of the more productive linebackers in the NFL. His 106 solo tackles in 2020 not only led the Texans but the entire league. Additionally, his 358 solo tackles between 2017 and 2021 were the third-most among linebackers in Houston franchise history, trailing only Brian Cushing and current Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans.
It's understandable for there to be character concerns surrounding Cunningham. However, he's entering a stable locker room in Philadelphia, with veteran mentors such as Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. If Cunningham can return to his level of play from Houston, and if Jack can continue his dependable play from Jacksonville and Pittsburgh, the Eagles could very well answer whatever questions remain about their linebacker depth.
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