Imagining Philadelphia Eagles' Best Defensive Secondary Combination

The Philadelphia Eagles added a ton of talent to the secondary this offseason. Now it's merely a matter of figuring out the best possible configuration.

Gone are Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen, three of four starters from the past two seasons. Signed to free-agent contracts were Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond. Eric Rowe, JaCorey Shepherd and Randall Evans were chosen in the draft. Malcolm Jenkins, Brandon Boykin, Nolan Carroll, Earl Wolff and Jaylen Watkins are some of the more recognizable names that were retained.

Retained	Additions	Subtractions
CB B. Boykin	DB E. Biggers (FA)	S N. Allen (FA)
CB N. Carroll	CB R. Evans (D-R6)	CB B. Fletcher (FA)
DB J. Couplin	CB B. Maxwell (FA)	CB C. Williams (Cut)
S C. Maragos	DB E. Rowe (D-R2)
DB J. Watkins	CB J. Shepherd (D-R6)
S E. Wolff	DB W. Thurmond (FA)

But who plays, and where? Quite a few of those athletes can play multiple positions in the defensive backfield. And despite there being no shortage of bodies, it's unclear what the best possible option is at safety, in particular.

As of now, only two starting jobs in the secondary are solidified. Speaking to the media in May, head coach Chip Kelly confirmed that Maxwell will fill one of the cornerback slots and Jenkins will remain one of the safeties, via PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

"It's still very early, but we're excited," Kelly said. "I think our depth is better than it's ever been in the three years. Now we just have to figure out who exactly those guys are that will complement the two guys that are our starters [in] Malcolm and Byron right now. The other guys are really competing."

Obviously, there isn't much confusion there. Jenkins was signed to a three-year contract last offseason and has been a perfect fit at safety so far for the Birds. Of course, one of the first orders of business this offseason was to offer Maxwell a megadeal, and six years, $63 million, per Spotrac, generally indicates a huge role.

Opposite Maxwell is the first question. For now, Reuben Frank for CSNPhilly.com reports Carroll is running with the first-team defense, and Kelly went out of his way to speak highly of the veteran cornerback's improvement this offseason. The team also selected Rowe in the second round of the draft, and he's expected to compete for the job. Boykin's name is also in the mix.

	AGE	GMS	STARTS	INT
B. Boykin	24	48	6	7
N. Carroll	28	74	27	5
E. Rowe	22	0	0	0

It's sort of hard to believe either Carroll or Boykin is a viable candidate. After all, neither could beat out Fletcher last year when he was in the midst of a total meltdown.

Carroll started 22 games for the Miami Dolphins between 2012-13, yet he could only find a job as a reserve with Philly in free agency. When he finally took over for Fletcher in the final game of 2014, Carroll didn't appear to be much of an upgrade at all.

Boykin himself admitted to Frank that at 5'10", he doesn't fit the Eagles' "size requirements" for an outside corner. Not only that, but if Boykin were to win a starting job, the coaching staff would need to choose somebody else to play the slot, his traditional role.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Rowe winning the battle would likely be the best possible outcome, but there's never any guarantee a rookie is going to be ready to start from day one. Add in the fact that the Utah product only played the position for one season in college, making the switch from safety, and the transition could be that much more difficult.

Still, Rowe across from Maxwell seems like the ideal situation, with Boykin reprising his role in the slot and Carroll filling in on Philadelphia's dime package. If Rowe isn't polished enough come September, there's a good chance we'll see Carroll on the outside.

At least the Eagles have plenty of options at cornerback. The picture is a tad bleaker at safety.

Wolff was thought to be the top solution to start at safety, but he still isn't practicing after undergoing knee surgery last year. He was expected to compete with Watkins, a 2014 fourth-round pick whose only action on defense came in Week 17 at cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. Neither player is proven or particularly accomplished.

	AGE	GMS	STARTS	INT
W. Thurmond	27	36	9	1
J. Watkins	23	4	0	0
E. Wolff	25	17	7	1

That being said, the Eagles may have found the unlikeliest of alternatives in Thurmond, who has been running with the first-team defense in Wolff's absence, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane. Thurmond has only ever played cornerback in the NFL and college, but with the influx of talent at the position and the need at safety, he's making a change.

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

It may not be as much of a stretch as you think. Thurmond has largely been a slot corner during his pro career, and the Eagles often deploy their safeties in man-to-man coverage. The biggest difference will be learning to play single-high zone, but other aspects of the job should feel familiar.

Then again, Thurmond hasn't exactly been reliable. He's only managed to suit up for 27 of 71 possible regular-season and playoff games the past four years, mostly due to injuries. That being said, when a player who's still sidelined was the front-runner to start, this is certainly worth a shot.

At this point, Thurmond seems like the best option to line up alongside Jenkins at safety. Rowe starting across from Maxwell might be ideal, but if the rookie isn't ready, it could be Carroll, with Boykin in the slot. Already, this seems like a major improvement over Williams, Fletcher and Allen, although with so much uncertainty overall, that probably remains to be seen.