Top 10 Bengals Philadelphia Eagles must account for to avoid another loss
player. 56. . . . D.J. Reader, defensive tackle. 8
Two defensive stars intend to get in the way of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense.
All-Pro Aaron Donald, Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Fletcher Cox normally get all of the attention when we talk about the NFL’s best defensive tackles, and understandably so. There are still some other guys at the position who need to get some burn.
Taking on double teams and letting others engage and make the plays isn’t a sexy way to make a living. The big men in the interior of the defensive line do all of the dirty work, while their teammates often shine.
D.J. Readers’ game has never been about big numbers in the spreadsheet, but so far he’s recorded 11 solo tackles including a tackle for a loss. Reader’s four-year $53 million deal may be a steep one, but he’s quickly established himself as a core defensive player along the Bengals’ defensive line.
. . . William Jackson III, cornerback. 7. player. 56
One thing the Bengals have going on for them is their penchant for finding good cornerbacks. That goes back to the late 2000s. Back then, they had a solid duo in Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall. Veterans Terrance Newman’ and Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones’ revitalized their career in the 2010s. More recently, William Jackson III has become a staple of Cincinnati’s secondary.
Jackson had an astonishing 27 pass deflections in his two first years in the NFL. Last year, he only had three, but he already matched that number and has one interception to his name in 2020. He will make things difficult for Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who has already thrown four interceptions in the first two games of the season.