Philadelphia Eagles: Will Parks is the ultimate Philly fan

Not only is Will Parks a massive fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, but he just so happens to be a member of the team. Talk about a winning combination.

When the Philadelphia Eagles signed Will Parks earlier this offseason, they did so with the intention of adding one of the more underrated defensive back in the NFL to their rebuilding secondary on a one-year, prove-it deal.

But that’s not all they got.

No, the Eagles also added a homegrown, Philly born and bred safety who just so happens to be a massive fan of the team.

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How cool is that?

Seriously, when was the last time the Eagles added a starting-caliber local product who grew up a massive Philly fan? Wendell Smallwood in 2016? Vinny Curry all the way back in 2012? Corey Clement is from the Glassboro, but he grew up a (*gulp*) Cowboys fan.

Parks is such a big fan of Philly sports teams – and the City of Brotherly Love in general – that he literally picked the Twitter handle @Phillywill11 when he joined the platform in October of 2013.

And hey speaking of Twitter, all it takes is a quick trip over to his page to see just how deep Parks’ obsession runs, especially when a throwback Eagles game is being re-aired on TV.

See what I mean? Who didn’t have that same reaction to DeSean Jackson‘s iteration of the Miracle at the Meadowlands?

From supporting local causes like the 215-based nonprofit ‘Philadelphia Ceasefire‘, to holding a defensive backs camp for the best High School prospects the city has to offer, and even a fervent believe that Allen Iverson is the best point guard of this generation, Parks’ Twitter could just as easily belong to any given mid-20s Philly fan as opposed to a fifth-year NFL safety.

Which makes sense, because Parks is a mid-20s Philly fan who just so happens to be a fifth-year NFL safety.

Once the NFL Draft passes and teams are allowed to return to normal football activities, it’s going to be a blast to see Parks flying around the field as the Birds’ potential replacement for Malcolm Jenkins – fittingly wearing Smallwood’s number 28.

But here’s the things about Parks’ prospects with the Eagles, he’s far from a feel-good, local-man-made-good story.

A sixth-round pick out of Arizona turned four-year contributor with the Denver Broncos, Parks is a jack-of-all-trades safety with an ability to make plays off the ball, in the box, and even ‘slotted in at nickel cornerback. While he isn’t particularly fast, as evidenced by his 4.63 40 yard dash, and played mostly a hybrid-linebacker role with the Wildcats from 2012-15, Parks has proven time and time again that he can make the right plays in coverage as a do-it-all defensive back.

Jenkins almost exclusively lined up in the box last season, so if Parks can fill his role moving forward for a fraction of the price, his addition will surely go down as the steal of free agency.

Baring a third reunion with Curry in free agency, it’s also safe to say Parks should be on the shortlist of Cherry Hill Nissan and/or Blue Auto Insurance endorsees.

In the NFL, it’s relatively rare for a player to play for their hometown team. It happens every now and then, but when it works out and works out well, boy oh boy is it something special to behold. Whether Will Parks is able to capture a full-time starting role at strong safety and etch his name into the long-list of great Philadelphia Eagles safeties is up in the air, but it’s ‘safe’ to say there will be a little something extra coming from number 28 when he gets to play in front of his hometown fans later this year.