6 Eagles Defenders on Thin Ice After Vic Fangio Hiring

4. Marlon Tuipulotu, DT

A former sixth-round pick out of USC in 2021, Marlon Tuipulotu sparingly saw the field as a rookie — but for good reason. The Eagles' defensive line is full of big D-tackles and since he’s been added, it’s only become more crowded.

That didn’t stop him from nearly doubling his appearances in 2022 as Tuipulotu played in nine games. He also increased his tackle total from five to 16 and recorded his first career sack. Even with the addition of Jalen Carter this past season, Tuipulotu continued to see his number of appearances increase. The problem is, he wasn’t on the field nearly as much.

In 2023, he suited up for 14 games but was active for just 17 percent of the defensive snaps. Again, the crowded room has a lot to do with that and it might not get any easier for him this year. Even with the possibility of Fletcher Cox retiring, Tuipulotu won’t have an easy path to the field. He’s not unseating Carter or Davis and now has second-year defensive tackle Mojo Oromo to worry about as well.

He might have tenure on his side, which could matter to some defensive coordinators. That won’t be the case with Fangio though as he comes in with a clean slate and will look for improvement at each spot.