25 Burning Questions for the 2013 Philadelphia Eagles: Defense

It's been four years and the Philadelphia Eagles have still not recovered (or even come close to recovering) from the loss of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson (cancer) and the departure of All-World safety Brian Dawkins.

As a result, the entire defense has suffered. After allowing just 289 points in 2008, the fourth-best mark in the league, the Eagles surrendered 337 points in 2009. They allowed 377 in 2010, 328 in 2011 and a ridiculous 444 in 2012.

The revolving door at coordinator sure hasn't helped, but neither did the inability of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to live up to expectations. Jason Babin only cared about sacks. And Jim Washburn was a loudmouth bully who found himself fired in the middle of the 2012 season.

Yes, there was a lot of drama on the Eagles last year. A lot of it.

With veteran Billy Davis as the new defensive coordinator and a new defensive formation, don't expect things to run smoothly for the Eagles in 2013, even though there should be less drama than last year.

You've got players switching positions, veterans hanging around at the tail end of their career, former high draft picks looking for a career revival, castoffs and misfits. There's no identity on defense and no leader. That will need to change this season.

The following slides will highlight 25 questions surrounding key defensive issues in 2013.

1. Fletcher Cox: Can He Become a Pro Bowl Player at Defensive End?

Heading into 2013, Fletcher Cox has a legitimate argument as the best player on the defense. The former first-round pick turned in a stellar rookie season, recording 5.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for a loss and 25 quarterback pressures.

This year, he will be asked to play defensive tackle in a 4-3 formation and defensive end when the Eagles use a 3-4. He is more than capable of excelling at both positions.

His intensity and aggressiveness will certainly help a defensive line that failed to record a sack for four consecutive games last season. He can stop the run and is the only proven pass-rushing threat on the defensive line.

He has an extremely bright future and should be a prime candidate for his first Pro Bowl selection this year.

2. Isaac Sopoaga: Is He Veteran Depth or Will He Start at Nose Tackle?

Once the decision had been made to switch to a 3-4 defense, the Eagles needed to acquire a proven nose tackle. They found one (sort of) in veteran Isaac Sopoaga, who has five years experience playing the zero-technique position for the San Francisco 49ers.

Sopoaga will be 32 years old this season and graded out very poorly in 2012, per Pro Football Focus. He ranked 82nd among 85 defensive tackles in overall production and was the only player to receive a grade of -5.0 as both a pass rusher and a run stopper.

The Eagles won't ask him to carry the defense this year, obviously. Last year, he participated in approximately 20 snaps per game. Expect the same limited playing time this year.

As a massive body in the middle of the defensive line, Sopoaga will be asked to continue doing what he's done with the 49ers: take up space and occupy blockers so the linebackers can get through to the ball-carrier or quarterback and make plays.

With his best years obviously behind him, Sopoaga is not the future for the defensive line. By giving him $5 million in guaranteed money, the Eagles guaranteed his roster spot. But the future at nose tackle is either one of the younger players on the line or a player not currently on the team.

3. Cedric Thornton: Can He Become a Reliable Run-Stuffing End?

Two years ago, undrafted defensive end Cedric Thornton was arguably the biggest surprise player to make the Eagles' official 53-man roster. Now he's a prime candidate to come away with the starting defensive end spot opposite Fletcher Cox.

Thornton ranked seventh among Eagles' defensive linemen in snaps played last year, averaging about 25 per game. He collected a sack and 10 quarterback pressures and showed some potential against the run.

Even if he does win the starting job, he'll be rotated with the other players at defensive end. He's a lock to make the team this year.

4. Vinny Curry: Will Bulking Up Help Him Win a Starting End Spot?

Last year's second-round draft pick couldn't even find his way onto the field, despite a defensive line that went four consecutive games without a sack early in the season. 

When he finally did get to play, late in the year with the Eagles already eliminated and the defense in complete shambles, he didn't do much. Curry played in six games (89 snaps), recording eight tackles and three quarterback hurries.

This offseason, he has bulked up to 275 pounds to play defensive end in the 3-4 defense, as opposed to outside linebacker. His job will now be to play the run, as opposed to being strictly a pass rusher. Tommy Lawlor writes on the Eagles' website that Curry has been affected by the coaching change more than any other player. 

There's always the chance that he finds himself cut this preseason, but odds are higher that Curry finds himself as one of the rotational defensive pieces.

5. Bennie Logan: Is the Rookie the Nose Tackle of the Future?

Rookie Bennie Logan figures to be one of the chess pieces on the team's defensive line this season.

Logan is a 6'3", 310-pound body who figures to mostly contribute at one of the five-technique defensive end positions. He also may be the nose tackle of the future.

He's versatile, with an ability to play against the run and rush the passer, and that's what is appealing to Chip Kelly.

Defensive coordinator Billy Davis can basically use him anywhere on the defensive line. Logan has a chance to win a starting job throughout the preseason but even if he isn't listed as a starter on the depth chart, expect to see him heavily featured in the defensive line rotation.

6. Antonio Dixon: Can He Succeed at Nose Tackle?

Veteran Antonio Dixon is likely about a 50-50 chance to make the Eagles' roster in 2013. He's been released a number of times throughout his professional career and the former undrafted free agent is going to have to learn how to play nose tackle for the first time if he wants to find himself on the team this season.

Dixon is purely a run stopper. He's a big, 330-pound body who's going to clog the middle. On passing downs, he'll free up blockers. 

In 2010, he had a tremendous year in limited play, particularly against the run. But he's played in just 122 snaps over the past two years with the Eagles and the Colts.

7. Trent Cole: Can He Successfully Switch Positions After a Career-Worst Year?

Veteran Trent Cole is in a difficult position this year. Literally.

After suffering through the worst year of his career in 2012 (he collected just three sacks), Cole will have to learn how to play a new position.

The soon-to-be 31-year-old is expected to compete for a starting job at outside linebacker in the team's new 3-4 defensive scheme. Cole is still pretty good against the run and as a pass-rusher (he had lots of hurries last year, despite the low sack totals). But the big question mark for Cole is whether he can learn how to defend the pass.

The 2013 season will also show whether last year was just a down year or the beginning of the end for a player who ranks third in franchise history in career sacks.

8. Brandon Graham: Can He Assume the Predator Role?

The 2012 season may or may not have been the start of a great career for Eagles' former first-round pick Brandon Graham.

Graham struggled through his first two seasons, which included a torn ACL, but he exploded in his third year. He rated as the second-best 4-3 defensive end in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, despite playing in only about 40 percent of snaps.

This year, Graham will make the transition to outside linebacker, where he played in college. He is expected to compete for a starting job with veterans Trent Cole and Connor Barwin.

At just 25 years old, Graham has an opportunity to establish himself worthy of the first-roud pick the Eagles used on him instead of selecting Jason Pierre-Paul or Earl Thomas.

9. Connor Barwin: Can He Duplicate His 2011 Success?

Of all the Eagles' free-agent signings, linebacker Connor Barwin may be the biggest question mark. Nobody really knows what to expect from him in 2013.

An outside linebacker in the Texans' 3-4 defense, Barwin collected 11.5 sacks in 2011, the ninth-highest total in the National Football League. But he recorded just three sacks in 2012 and rated as the third-worst outside linebacker in the league, per Pro Football Focus. 

So who is he? Is he the emerging star who helped the Texans allow the fourth-fewest points in the league in 2011? Or is he the player who really struggled as a pass rusher in 2012 and was only average in everything else?

One explanation for Barwin's lack of sacks in 2012 is the monster season by J.J. Watt, who recorded 20.5. Pro Football Focus says that Barwin was the "sacrificial lamb" to free up more blockers for Watt. He also covered more last year than he did in 2011.  

He's likely one of the starters at outside linebacker for the 2013 Eagles, along with either Trent Cole or Brandon Graham.

At 26 years old, the former second-round pick is one of just two linebackers (the other being DeMeco Ryans, Barwin's old teammate in Houston) with experience playing in a 3-4 defense. That should definitely help the Eagles in 2013. 

10. DeMeco Ryans: Can He Be the Veteran Leader of the 3-4?

Acquired in a trade last offseason, the veteran middle linebacker immediately became the top 'backer since Jeremiah Trotter anchored the center of the defense in the Jim Johnson days. 

There were several theories for why the Texans got rid of him. He was a salary dump, he wasn't the same player he was before his Achilles injury and he didn't fit into a 3-4 defense, per PhillyMag. 

But in reality, Ryans was still a good player. The Texans just preferred Brian Cushing to Ryans on passing plays. As Cushing is one of the top young linebackers in the game, that's not an insult to Ryans.

Ryans proved that his best years weren't behind him with a great year in 2012. His 116 solo tackles easily led the Eagles, as did his 1074 total snaps. In fact, that's the most solo tackles by any Eagles player in the Andy Reid era, according to coaches' stats, per Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag. He also had 16 tackles for a loss, also the most by a defensive player in the Reid era, per Kapadia.

This offseason, the Eagles got rid of a number of high-priced veterans, such as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha (and Jason Babin during the 2012 season). The fact that they chose to keep Ryans despite switching defensive formations and his $6.7 million salary in 2013 is a very good sign. 

He'll go back to playing for a 3-4 defense this year. Whether or not he was a bad fit in Houston's scheme, at least he has several years of experience playing there. For what it's worth, Ryans says he can play in any scheme. 

The Eagles don't need him to be a Pro Bowler in 2013. He's 29 years old and his days of earning Pro Bowl selections are probably behind him. He just needs to play like he did last year, while also serving as a defensive mentor to the young linebackers who are learning a new defensive scheme under a new defensive coordinator. 

11. Mychal Kendricks: Is He Better Suited for a 3-4?

Following an up-and-down rookie season, inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks is expected to take significant strides in his second year in the NFL. In fact, Bleacher Report's own Ryan Riddle picked Kendricks as his breakout inside linebacker. 

Kendricks is expected to secure a starting job alongside veteran DeMeco Ryans. In 2012, he missed 14 tackles, including six in one game against Pittsburgh. That can't happen this season.

He needs to improve his cover skills from last year, when he allowed a triple-digit passer rating and four touchdowns.

But he's earned praise already as the team's best cover linebacker. Big things could be in store for Kendricks this season. Let's hope he can successfully transition to the new 3-4 defense.

12. Cary Williams: Is His Tough-Guy Attitude What the Defense Needs?

Signed o the first day of free agency, Cary Williams is expected to be the team's number one cornerback.

That could be a problem, as Williams allowed the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL in 2012.

His physicality will be appreciated in Philadelphia, however, if fans can get over him missing so many OTA practices.

Williams seems to be in a fight every five minutes. He and DeSean Jackson went at it when the two teams played last year. He should have been ejected from the Super Bowl for shoving a referee. And he was kicked out of practice on Tuesday for starting a fight with Patriots' receiver Aaron Dobson.

His toughness will be appreciated on a defense that has been one of the league's softest over the past few years. Let's just hope he can cover too.

13. Bradley Fletcher: Can He Build on His Coverage Success from 2012?

Following the 2010 season, Rams cornerback Bradley Fletcher appeared to be an emerging star. The second-year player had intercepted four passes and allowed just a 68.6 passer rating. 

But he tore his ACL in the middle of the 2011 season and was demoted to the nickel role in the middle of the 2012 season. He became expendable in St. Louis and signed with the Eagles on the first day of free agency, where he will attempt to revive his career at age 27.

Despite the benching, Fletcher still played very well last year, allowing just a 55.6 passer rating. He gave up just 0.52 yards per cover snap, the best mark in the league. He's also a very good run defender who has missed just six tackles in his four-year career. 

Fletcher will likely be a starter this season, as CSN Philly has reported that the Eagles don't plan to use Fletcher in the nickel role. 

14. Brandon Boykin: Can He Steal Away a Starting Position?

Last year's nickel cornerback could be one of the surprise players on the 2013 team. He's already earning raves on his performance in training camp and he's been pegged as a potential breakout player. 

He could walk away with a starting job in camp if he outperforms Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher (and the team's other corners, although no one poses a serious challenge). Or he could find himself delegated to the dime corner position if seventh-round pick Jordan Poyer turns into the steal many predicted when he was drafted.

Either way, expect Boykin to see the field for at least half the snaps this season. Gone are the days where just two cornerbacks take the field at a time.

15. Jordan Poyer: Can He Establish Himself as a Draft-Day Steal?

Expectations are high for rookie cornerback Jordan Poyer, even though he was only a seventh-round draft pick. That's because he was rated much higher on most draft boards and is widely regarded as one of the steals in the draft.

Poyer is currently competing for a spot as the team's dime cornerback, a role that will likely go to either him or third-year corner Curtis Marsh. He's not a lock to make the final roster but he should be able to secure a spot. 

16. Kenny Phillips: Can He Stay Healthy and Become a Leader?

The Eagles' starting safety positions are completely up for grabs this season. Both of them. They should be too, after the disastrous efforts from Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman.

Phillips, a former first-round draft pick by the New York Giants, was signed in the offseason to be the leader of the secondary. But he's been having knee issues this summer and he's still not 100 percent.

Personally, I do not see him making the final roster, which would be devastating considering the low price the Eagles signed him for at the beginning of free agency.

The Eagles say that safety is an open competition this summer, as they should, but if Phillips is actually healthy for the start of the season, he'll unquestionably become a starter.

17. Patrick Chung: Will a Different Team Revive His Career?

One of two former Oregon Ducks players brought in by Chip Kelly this summer, Patrick Chung is right in the middle of the Eagles' safety competition.

Chung, a second-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2009, wasn't re-signed by the team following the conclusion of his rookie contract. He started at the beginning of the 2012 season before he was demoted to a backup role in the season's final weeks. In the postseason, he played in just three plays in the two games. 

Added to the Eagles on the first day of free agency, Chung is in the safety competition for a starting job. Consider him a lock to make the team and a favorite to win a Week 1 starting job.

18. Nate Allen: Can the Former High Draft Pick Become a Breakout Player?

It's hard to know what to expect of Nate Allen at this point in his career. The former second-round pick was solid as a rookie, injury-plagued in 2011 and disastrous in 2012.

Then again, he wasn't helped by his supporting cast last season, namely Kurt Coleman as the other safety and Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as the other two cornerbacks. 

He'll almost certainly end up on the team this season. The big question is whether he can showcase his skills in the preseason to come away with a starting job. Kenny Phillips' knee injuries obviously help Allen's chances.

One prominent NFL writer thinks Allen will be good enough in 2013 to emerge as the league's top breakout safety. 

19. Kurt Coleman: Can Last Year's Starter Make the Final Roster?

Kurt Coleman is a classic case of a football player who gives it his all on every play but simply is overmatched in the National Football League. He's been a starter for two full seasons and parts of a third but he's been one of the bottom safeties in the game. 

He's had his moments. He collected 24 tackles without a miss in 2010. He intercepted three passes against the Washington Redskins in one game in 2011. And he saved the Eagles' first game with a last-minute game-winning interception against the Cleveland Browns in the season opener in 2012.

But he's missed 26 tackles and allowed a combined 103.4 passer rating in the last two years and he's frequently appeared overmatched.

In the safety competition, free-agent signings Kenny Phillips and Patrick Chung are a lock to make the team if they both remain healthy. Former second-round pick Nate Allen is seeing some first-team reps, rookie Earl Wolff won't be cut because he was a fifth-round pick and veteran Colt Anderson is a special teams standout.

There just doesn't appear to be room for Coleman on the team. He'll need to be dominant during the preseason. 

20. Earl Wolff: Can the Rookie Surprise and Win a Starting Spot?

The Eagles have tried, and failed, with quite a few rookie safeties in recent memory. Macho Harris started the entire 2009 season and was released after the year. Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman became starters in 2010 but neither has performed well. Jaiquawn Jarrett has already been released since he was drafted in the second round in 2011.

Rookie Earl Wolff, a fifth-round pick, will be given a fair shot to win a starting job through training camp and the preseason. If veteran Kenny Phillips can stay healthy, he'll be virtually guaranteed one of the starting spots, but regardless, the play of Allen and Coleman was so abysmal that Wolff should be able to easily secure a roster spot even if he is a backup.

Wolff has good speed and is very physical, modeling his play after Brian Dawkins, so expect to see him shine on special teams this year if he doesn't see the field much. The Eagles would love to see him become a future starter.

21. Dave Fipp: Can the New Special Teams Coach Improve Return Units?

The Eagles have put a major emphasis on special teams throughout training camp, which is an area of the team that has been weak ever since the departure of John Harbaugh to the Baltimore Ravens.

The team has gone through Rory Segrest, Ted Daisher and Bobby April since 2008, and none of the three has been able to improve the special teams.

New coach Dave Fipp comes from the Miami Dolphins, where he successfully turned around their weak special teams corps in one season. The Dolphins ranked 24th in overall special teams performance in 2010, according to The Dallas Morning News. They ranked second in 2011 and fourth in 2012.

The Eagles' unit ranked 24th in 2012, according to Football Outsiders. Time will tell if Fipp is able to recreate the magic from the previous two seasons.

22. Jerry Azzinaro: What Impact Will the New Defensive Line Coach Have?

Chip Kelly thinks highly enough of defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro that he brought him over from Oregon and also made him the assistant coach.

Azzinaro likes to rotate his defensive players to keep them fresh, something Eagles fans will be familiar with from the Andy Reid era. He helped Dion Jordan turn in a stellar college career that saw him drafted third overall by the Miami Dolphins. Oregon also led the sacks in 2009 and 2010, Azzinaro's first two years with the team.

The Eagles collected just 30 sacks throughout the 2012 season, including an abysmal four-game stretch from weeks three to seven in which they did not record a single quarterback sack.

23. Will Somebody Step Up and Become a Leader on Defense?

One of the big problems for the Eagles' defense in recent years has been the lack of a true leader on the defensive side of the ball. That's been a problem for the team ever since veteran safety Brian Dawkins was allowed to leave in free agency following the 2008 season.

DeMeco Ryans is a player who could step up into that role this season. He's shown class in the way he handled the whole Riley Cooper situation. He's also a veteran who can back up his leadership skills with strong play on the field.

24. Can the New Defensive Formation Work?

After spending the entire Andy Reid era in a 4-3 defense, the Eagles are changing things up. The team will be utilizing a variation of the 3-4 defense in 2013, also known as the 4-3 under.

Like most teams who run a 3-4 defense, the Eagles' formation will change depending on the game situation. Sometimes they'll have three defensive linemen and sometimes they'll have four.

The only players on the defense with any experience playing in a 3-4 defense are DeMeco Ryans and Connor Barwin, who did it while with the Houston Texans.

Mychal Kendricks, Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox played in the 3-4 while in college, so they have some experience, but others, like veteran Trent Cole, will have to learn an entirely new defensive scheme.

The Eagles surrendered 444 points in 2012, the third-highest total in the National Football League. Odds are high that defensive coordinator Billy Davis will be able to at least improve on that total this year, even if the defense is still below league average.

25. What Will Be the Biggest Need Following the Season?

It's impossible to predict the biggest question marks for the defense after the season. But I'll make my predictions based on the current roster.

The entire defense could use some help, but there's a pretty big hole at defensive end opposite of Fletcher Cox. Cedric Thornton or Vinny Curry may emerge as a solid starter but they're both unproven as of now.

Linebacker appears to be a position that has some potential stars, as Mychal Kendricks and Brandon Graham are both young and experienced in a 3-4 defense. There may not be a star pass rusher there however.

The secondary will likely also need some work, although it may not be as bad as people think, especially if Brandon Boykin turns his amazing training camp into a breakout season.

At this point, another pass-rusher, whether it's a defensive end or an outside linebacker, seems to be what the Eagles will really need in the 2014 offseason.