Philadelphia fans do not yet know what their secondary is going to look like in September when the season begins. They do know that regardless of whether or not Lito Sheppard is on the team, they will be better than last year.
If Sheppard leaves, then they are left with newly-acquired Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, and Joselio Hanson. Asante is clearly an upgrade over oft-injured Sheppard and is the playmaker that the Eagles so desperately needed last year. Brown is the same guy he was last year, and Hanson, who took over at the end of last year for the now released William James, is a solid nickelback.
However, if Sheppard stays and plays on the right, across from Samuel, then the Eagles are left with a star-studded upgrade over last year, and the best secondary in the NFL.
Sheldon Brown is an excellent nickel, and has expressed interest in playing as the nickelback instead of on the outside. With Hanson as their fourth cornerback, who could easily come in and play in dime, dollar, and quarter formations, Jim Johnson could unleash blitzes the way he likes, and not have to worry about receivers being covered man-to-man.
The Eagles currently use a nickelback in approximately half of their plays, so getting all of their playmakers on the field would not be a challenge. Combine these cornerbacks with a faster linebacking corp than last year, and you are left with a serious pass-stopping defense. Since teams are throwing the ball more now than in the past, this is a valuable asset for any team. The Eagles are poised to strike deep into the postseason, barring any major injuries.
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