Philadelphia Eagles: What happens to certain cornerbacks when Darby returns?
One of the biggest moves the Philadelphia Eagles made this offseason was trading for cornerback Ronald Darby. His injury Week 1 left a hole in the secondary, but the team has stepped up in his absence. Now the question is, what happens to the starters when Darby returns?
The defense of the Philadelphia Eagles has been its greatest weapon so far this season. That is a special thing since the team lost one of their biggest playmakers in the first week of the season.
Ronald Darby, brought over from the Buffalo Bills near the end of the preseason in a trade for wide receiver Jordan Matthews, suffered a dislocated ankle against the Washington Redskins back in Week 1. Luckily, there was no nerve or ligament damage to the ankle, and Darby was expected to return in about six weeks. Those six weeks are about to be up, and now Darby is practicing with the team in hopes of returning soon.
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The Eagles had to scramble to cover up the hole left by Darby, and so far they have done a spectacular job. Jalen Mills has gone back to filling in the top cornerback role he did much of last year, Patrick Robinson‘s playing time has increased, and rookie Rasul Douglas is now playing a vital role for the defense. With these three thriving so far this year, it could be tough to take one of them out in favor of Darby.
The reason why Philadelphia traded for Darby in the first place was to give the team a true No. 1 cornerback to pair with injured rookie Sidney Jones along with Douglas in the future. These three look the part of a really strong secondary group for the Eagles, but right now others who are making plays deserve playing time as well.
Once Darby returns, the move needs to be made to send Robinson to the bench. Douglas was a healthy scratch in Week 1 in favor of Robinson, but he’s played incredibly well in his time on the field, plus he has youth on his side. If Philadelphia really believes Douglas is a key piece for the future, they need to see what they have in him. Playing a healthy Darby and Douglas on the outside while moving the smaller Mills to the slot gives Philadelphia length and physicality outside, and speed on the inside.
Robinson, while playing admirably so far this year, is better suited for a smaller role on the team. Playing him as the first cornerback off of the bench keeps him from going through slumps that could effect the rest of the defense. Veteran leadership is also important, as he will help Darby, Douglas, and Mills become better players overall.
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Darby’s return from injury is sure to shake up the secondary depth chart, but only for the better. With his return from injury, the already impressive Eagles’ defense will gain one more play maker, something the rest of the league should be nervous of.