Timmy Jernigan gives the Eagles a fearsome tandem at defensive tackle

Timmy Jernigan is going to be a lot of fun to watch.

It’s an exciting time for the Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Carson Wentz is entering his second professional season after a strong rookie campaign and, unlike last year, has weapons to throw to in Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.

Almost as exciting is the Eagles’ offense, though, is the defensive line. Fletcher Cox remains one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL, Brandon Graham has become a household name and Derek Barnett, who the Eagles selected with their first-round pick in this year’s draft, has the potential to become a menace on the edge.

Of course, we can’t forget about Timmy Jernigan. The Eagles acquired Jernigan via trade from the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. And all it took to get him was a simple swap of third-round draft picks. The acquisition comes at a great time, too. The Eagles lost Bennie Logan to the Kansas City Chiefs during free agency and, very realistically, may have replaced him with a superior talent.

Jernigan, just 24 years old, is one of the better young interior defensive linemen in the league. In three seasons with the Ravens, he registered 91 tackles and 13 sacks and has established himself as a dominant run stopper (as well as a pass rusher).

With Jernigan and Cox both set to be the starters at defensive tackle, it’s hard to imagine the Eagles won’t again be in the running for one of the top starting defensive tackle tandems in the league.

Jernigan is set to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason and will likely be looking for a massive pay raise. With so much money already invested in the defensive line, it’s hard to tell if the Eagles will be willing to pay him what he’ll likely be asking for. While his long-term impact is unknown, though, the Eagles will at least get to take advantage of him for the 2017 season.