Philadelphia Eagles: Let Davion Taylor put in the work to progress

Welp, it’s official: The 2021 NFL trade deadline has passed.

While the Philadelphia Eagles were unusually active this year, which is saying something, considering their general manager, they will no longer be tempted to make a massive deal to procure midseason reinforcements, unless, of course, they poach a player off a practice squad or put in a waiver claim for Odell Beckham Jr. (more on that here).

With Eric Wilson waived to open up playing time in the linebacking corps, the middle of Jonathan Gannon‘s defense will now be manned by six young linebackers, all of whom are still on their rookie contracts.

And who, you may ask, is the most vital member of that sextet? Well that would be none other than Davion Taylor, the Philadelphia Eagles’ third-round pick in 2020. For the team to finally put their longstanding linebacker issues in the rearview, Taylor needs to develop into a really good WILL, even if that means playing through some sophomore growing pains in the process.

The Philadelphia Eagles need to give Davion Taylor a limitless leash in 2021.

If you know anything about Davion Taylor, it’s likely his unusual path to the NFL.

He grew up in a religious household that held Sabbath from sundown on Friday to sun up on Sunday, started his college career at JUCO, and was ultimately drafted into the League in the third round after two years of action with the Colorado Buffaloes from 2018-19.

His football instincts are raw, but his measurables are borderline prototypical for a modern day weakside linebacker, as his spiderchart clearly showcases.

Did you want a less experienced version of Patrick Queen available 75 picks later? That was the selling point Taylor’s agent sure pushed in any NFL GM who asked, with Howie Roseman ultimately winning the sweepstakes for his services.

As a rookie, Taylor didn’t play much at all. He appeared in 12 games with one start and was only on the field for 32 defensive snaps combined. Fast forward one season into the future and Taylor has already logged 203 defensive snaps in seven games of action while quadrupling his start total from the season prior.

Has he been perfect, fantastic, or even great? On some snaps, yes, Taylor’s potential jumps off screen every now and then, but as a whole, not so much. Taylor’s play has been predictably inconsistent, with some snaps like a pivotal 11 yard gain on the final drive of the Chargers game, quite tangibly having a negative impact on the team’s overall record.

And yet, the Eagles need to embrace these faux pas because they really have no other choice. Taylor is unquestionably the team’s best developmental linebacker prospect, and have invested considerably in him figuring out the game of football.

If he can put it all together, Taylor has all of the tools to become a fixture of Jonathan Gannon’s defense. He has the burst to go downhill and fill gaps, and enough speed to cover sideline to sideline. Heck, while it may not be his ideal deployment, the Eagles could even feel comfortable with Taylor playing dime linebacker against a team’s fourth receiver in zone, even if Gannon really should embrace the DB revolution and play four cornerbacks more often.

If Taylor can become that sort of player, a Jaylon Brown-type performer on the weakside, the Eagles could find themselves with a long-term piece finally worthy of a second-contract with the team.

And if not? Well, Brown is a free agent at the end of the season, why not sign him and draft his partner in the first round next year?

2021 is a transitional year for the Philadelphia Eagles. I know that macro level of thinking can sometimes get lost in the haze of weekly battle, especially when the team secures an increasingly elusive W, but it’s true; the Eagles aren’t going to win the Super Bowl this year and are at best, an average team in the NFL’s landscape. To be contenders once more, the team needs to find the next Fletcher Cox, Zach Ertz, and Jason Kelce, even if that means suffering through some growing pains from naturally gifted players like Davion Taylor in the process.