Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Sweat likely on a short leash vs. Lions
The Philadelphia Eagles look to be placing defensive end Josh Sweat on a short leash against the Detroit Lions.
Two seasons ago, the Philadelphia Eagles began looking towards the future of their edge rushers on the defensive line. The re-building process first started with drafting Derek Barnett in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Then, they followed up by selecting Florida State product, Josh Sweat in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Many believed the Eagles got incredible value for Sweat in the mid-rounds — but so far he has yet to prove those who hold that theory correct. After an injury in year one, and an underwhelming start in year two, Sweat has yet to really contribute to the Eagles defense. And at this point, it looks like patience is beginning to run thin for the underperforming Eagles’ defensive line.
Earlier in the week, we suggested that it is time to activate preseason standout Daeshon Hall. As Sweat has acquired a limited role with rotational snaps, he hasn’t really filled in well for the recently retired Chris Long, or the recently traded Micahel Bennett.
Basically, Sweat has just been a body on the field for the Eagles as he’s only collected three tackles, registering zero sacks and zero hits on the quarterback thus far. This week, it seems like the Eagles are ready to switch it up if Sweat continues to struggle.
Daeshon Hall activated
Daeshon Hall is active today and #Eagles twitter would have you believe that anything less than three sacks from him would be a disappointment.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) September 22, 2019
As the Eagles announced their active/non-active players 90 minutes before kickoff, many found out that defensive end Daeshon Hall will be available to play for the first time this season. It’s unclear if he will take on Sweat’s role or not, but at least the Eagles are looking to make a change if they come out flat with pressure again this week.
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Expectations for Hall will obviously be high because of his preseason dominance. However, everybody should keep their realities in check. He could be a nice upgrade if Sweat underperforms, but nobody should expect a Michael Bennett or Chris Long-like performance from Hall if he does get snaps — although, that would be nice. Basically, what Hall’s activation means is that Sweat and even Vinny Curry are on thin ice. If they underperform, they will be replaced little by little.