Eagles positional stock report ahead of Week 2 game versus Vikings

Jonathan Gannon didn’t do much to improve his approval rating in Week 1.

Before we make mention of anything, here’s something that you have to think about. The Eagles were void of a pass rush versus an offensive line that fielded backups and was banged up (unless they brought a blitz). Let that sink in for a second.

Defensive end (stock down)

Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham combined for 78 defensive snaps, three tackles, and 0.5 sacks, and none of those tackles resulted in a loss of yardage. Sure, that’s a little concerning.

Defensive tackle (stock down)

If one more person says Fletcher Cox can’t get rolling consistently because he faces too many double-team blocks, we’re going to scream. Clearly, you aren’t paying attention if that’s your argument. In Week 1, he was matched up with a backup guard and, for the most part, was held in check.

He’s one of the greatest Eagles of all time, but some of you need to realize that his best days are behind him. Conversely, Marlon Tuipulotu may have been the Eagles’ most dominant defensive lineman in Week 1.

Linebackers (stock down)

Kyzir White made some plays. T.J. Edwards is a stud as he’s now this team’s quarterback on defense, but to a man, collectively, this unit will probably admit that they’d love to have several plays back. There’s no need to worry yet, but stay tuned.

Cornerback (Stock even)

James Bradberry, Darius Slay, and Avonte Maddox are going to be phenomenal, but neither one of these guys operated at peak performance in the opener. Do we chalk this up to Week 1 rust? That seems to be the consensus, one we agree with.

Safety (stock trending upward)

After months of questioning how well the backend of the Eagles’ defense would hold up, Marcus Epps led the team in tackles, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson finished fourth. Both were on the wrong end of some big plays by the Lions’ defense, but we feel much better about this duo now. They’ll continue to improve as the season wears on.