Philadelphia Eagles: Who Will Be Their Strong Safety in 2012?

The most interesting positional battle in the upcoming Philadelphia Eagles’ training camp is at strong safety. Three candidates will vie for the the starting spot opposite Nate Allen, the free safety that the Eagles drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Jaiquawn Jarrett, O.J. Atogwe and Kurt Coleman will each have to show their best, and persuade Andy Reid that they deserve the starting role. The competition will be intense, but all three safeties have the chance to win the job.

Jarrett, a former second-round pick, is entering his second year as a professional player. In 2011, he failed to justify the Eagles’ decision to take him so early in the draft. Apparently, that decision was a reach, but the problem is that Jarrett didn’t perform, not only as a starter, but also as an adequate backup.

What we kept hearing last summer was Jarrett’s hard-hitting style. Unfortunately, we saw none of that during the 2011 season. He made only 17 tackles in the 12 games he played and even worse, he looked confused in a lot of plays. He bit on fakes and overall, he was overwhelmed by the speed of play in the NFL.

Coleman was the starting strong safety last year, despite his limited potential. He played in 15 games, recording a total of 78 tackles and four interceptions, three of them against the Washington Redskins in week six.

Coleman never struck fear into the opposition and didn’t turn heads with his performance (the Redskins game being the only exception). However, he played the best he could and the Eagles know that they have a trustworthy player in him.

O.J. Atogwe arrived in Philadelphia as a free agent, after being released from the Redskins, the team he played for in 2011. The Eagles needed a veteran safety to provide depth and if required, make plays on the field.

The Eagles didn’t sign Atogwe to start, but mainly as a backup plan in case Jarrett fails to meet their demands and as an upgrade over Coleman. That’s why they gave the 31-year old safety a one-year deal.

From my point of view, the odds are pretty even, as all three candidates can win the starting job in  training camp. Atogwe is the most experienced out of the three, while Jarrett has the greatest potential (at least, theoretically). On the other hand, Coleman is someone that puts the team first, with limited skills but proven worth.

The Eagles’ training camp is highly anticipated and the strong safety spot is up for grabs. It remains to be seen who will dominate and will win the job of the starter.