Eagles vs. Patriots: How Much Will Philly's Rookies Contribute?

PHILADELPHIA – Nolan Smith had an answer ready earlier in the week when asked how his shoulder was and if he would be healthy to answer the bell in the Philadelphia Eagles’ season opener on Sunday at the New England Patriots.

“Does a bear (poop) in the woods?” he said.

Presumably, it does, so, yes, Smith will play. He will certainly have a role on special teams, and probably on defense, too. How many snaps he gets on defense, though, remains to be seen. 

He is a rookie, after all, and the Eagles, at least last year, didn’t play their rookies a whole bunch, except for undrafted free agent safety Reed Blankenship who had more than any of the others in a class that included defensive tackle Jordan Davis, offensive lineman Cam Jurgens, and linebacker Nakobe Dean.

Davis, Jurgens, and Dean will each have prominent roles in Year 2. The rookies, though, well, we are about to find out.

“We're confident in kind of who we're repping and where we're repping guys,” said first-year defensive coordinator Sean Desai, carefully tiptoeing around anything personnel-related and who will be deployed and where.

“We have a good plan for really all of our guys and trying to leverage our talent a certain way, and then we got to be able to go execute. That's the biggest thing on game day, is to be able to go execute with the players and people and the scheme we have.”

Three rookies with the greatest chance of playing significant roles on defense early in the season are:

DT Jalen Carter - As the ninth overall pick in the last draft, the defensive tackle is widely considered the best defensive player in the draft, he better play a big role. Carter did not talk to reporters who were allowed in the locker room this week, but his coaches and teammates have spoken plenty about his ability to beat offensive linemen with a combination of speed and power.

The ninth overall pick in this past spring’s draft didn’t talk this week. Brandon Graham was the latest teammate to speak about Carter.

“I think he’s gonna stink it up,” said Graham, jokingly. “Nah, I’m messing with you. I think he’s going to be really good this year. It’s all about staying healthy with him. I think he’s working his butt off one day at a time.

“I know he’s ready because even in preseason, he wanted to play a little more than what he did. It’s all about getting that comfort. He’s finally going to have that first real action. It’s going to be a full game. We’re going to need him. He’s doing a great job getting ready for it.”

DE Nolan Smith - The edge rusher/outside linebacker hurt his shoulder in the second preseason game and the Eagles have taken their time ramping him back up.

“They bubble-wrapped me,” he said. “That’s essentially what they did. I didn’t think I missed much. I missed a couple days.”

Smith is excited to get his first taste of real-game action, which, of course, is lightyears above preseason games in terms of intensity.

(The veterans) told us prepare like you normally prepare at Georgia, but it’s a bigger week because you’re in the league,” he said. “Every play is going to be a critical play. Every play is won by inches.”

Asked when he thinks the realization about playing his first NFL game set in, Smith said: “I feel like when you get there, or when we get on that plane and we’re ready to leave, you see all the guys locked in. That’s when it really sets in for me, when you see guys’ headphones on, shades on, locked in, focused. They don’t want to look at anyone in their eyes other than the opponent. That’s when it gets real.”

S Sydney Brown - His role will develop on special teams early on, but the Eagles know that he is a player for the future, especially with Terrell Edmunds and Justin Evans on one-year contracts, so the quicker he gets in on defense the more it will benefit the Eagles in the long run.

“I knew there was going to be a lot of learning, a lot of studying,” he said. “I knew there was going to be a big jump from college to the pros. But I feel comfortable out there. It’s just a lot of fun. I know these (preseason) games don’t mean anything, but they’re a great opportunity to shine and show what you can do. If my name is called, I want to be ready.”

The other members of the rookie class include :

• Cornerback Kelle Ringo should see plenty of work on special teams but is stuck behind veterans Darius Slay and James Bradberry.

• Tyler Steen will bide his time as a backup behind Jurgens and an experienced offensive line.

• Quarterback Tanner McKee was a great summer story, but won’t see any time unless something drastic happens

• Moro Ojomo is one of seven defensive tackles on a deep and talented line.

• Undrafted free agent Eli Ricks is also a candidate early on to play special teams, but if the cornerback has to play on defense then something bad will have happened.