As with the offense, the usual disclaimer applies: it’s preseason! The Eagles played a lot of backups, so I am going to focus more on the players competing for roles or roster spots in this one.
The main takeaway was Ty Robinson. Before the game, Fangio produced an incredible quote about the play of Ty Robinson, which I assume you have seen, but just in case…
Man, I love Vic Fangio.
Robinson certainly showed signs of life against the Patriots. He finished with four tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits. Not bad! More importantly for me, though, was that the style of performance looked familiar. This was the version of Robinson we saw in college, which I will get into later.
Before getting into Robinson’s performance, let’s start with Kelee Ringo. I was critical of Ringo after the opening preseason game because he remains one of the most frustrating players on the roster. The physical talent is obvious, but he has struggled to translate those traits into consistent play within this particular scheme.
This was a better performance. Ringo makes an excellent play on the ball on the Patriots’ opening series, staying connected to the receiver and using his length and athleticism to contest the catch. If anything, I think he will be disappointed that he doesn’t pick this off because he has great hands.
I am still not convinced everything will come together for Ringo in Fangio’s defense. Technical and processing issues keep popping up, and the fit has never looked completely natural to me. However, there is a capable NFL cornerback in there if he can become more consistent. The talent is too evident to dismiss. Which makes him even more frustrating…
Robinson’s first highlighted play demonstrates the upper-body strength that made him such an intriguing prospect. He establishes control at the point of attack, prevents the lineman from moving him and then works toward the football. It is not a perfectly clean or technical rep, but Robinson creates enough disruption to affect the run.
That was the encouraging aspect of his entire performance. Robinson was productive against both the run and pass rather than collecting a couple of fortunate sacks. His three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits reflected how frequently he appeared in the backfield.
This was easily his most promising performance since joining the Eagles. Robinson was never a consistently refined player in college, and I do not expect him to suddenly become one now. His value comes from creating chaos. When he plays with confidence and aggression, his power and effort can compensate for some of the technical imperfections. I described him as a ‘wrecking ball’ and a ‘bull in a china shop’ coming out of college, and this looked way more like that player.
Shock: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. continues to look like one of the smartest young defenders on the Eagles’ roster! He anticipates the snap perfectly and arrives in the backfield before the protection can react. Trotter consistently times his blitzes well because he has a natural feel for the game. He’s the perfect example of how processing speed can let someone play faster than their testing numbers suggest.
This rep doesn’t end with Robinson getting a sack, but it might be the best play to showcase what he is all about (or was before last year). Nothing about the rush is especially polished. Robinson simply plays with enough strength, effort, and intensity to force his way into the play.
That matters to me because he appeared to lose some of that freedom and aggression last season. He looked hesitant at times, almost as though he was thinking too much instead of letting his natural playing style take over. Robinson is never going to win through technical perfection. He needs to attack, create movement, and trust his motor and physicality to get to the football.
This is the “wrecking ball” version of Robinson. He keeps working through contact, refuses to accept that the rep is over, and eventually creates pressure. This is what I wanted to see.
Robinson’s persistence is rewarded shortly afterward. Once again, he does not win with a beautifully constructed pass-rush move. He generates movement early, keeps fighting, and crashes into the pocket until the quarterback has nowhere to escape.
The Eagles do not need Robinson to become a high-volume starter. They just need a rotational player who can enter the game for a limited number of snaps and produce occasional splash plays through power and hustle.
This performance provided a blueprint for that role. Robinson will make mistakes and will not always play with perfect control, but that is acceptable if the chaos also produces splash plays. He needs to play with this level of freedom when the regular season begins. I like to think of him (in terms of usage) similar to that of a deep threat wide receiver who doesn’t need volume. Just go out there and make a couple of plays a week. That’s all I want.
I thought this play was important because it is more controlled than some of his other highlights. He is aligned against first-round tackle Caleb Lomu (who didn’t look very good at all) and dominates the rep from beginning to end. Robinson establishes his hands, controls the blocker, and keeps his eyes in the backfield before disengaging to make the tackle. This is textbook.
I focused heavily on Robinson because preseason analysis should prioritize interesting players with a realistic chance to contribute. Robinson entered this game needing to show something. He delivered his best performance as an Eagle, which is good to see, whatever you think of preseason.
Clearly, Joshua Weru is one of the most fascinating players on the roster. This was only the second football game of his life, yet he already looks capable of producing moments that will make it extremely difficult for the Eagles to expose him to waivers.
Weru sells the inside move against the right tackle before exploding back outside. Crownover badly bites on the initial movement, but Weru still has to finish the play. The bend around the corner and closing speed to reach Behren Morton are remarkable for someone with so little football experience.
Weru remains incredibly raw, and nobody should pretend he is ready for an extensive defensive role. However, players with this combination of athleticism and developmental upside usually don’t clear waivers. I expect him to make the initial 53-man roster. His progress over a single offseason is also an encouraging reflection of the work being done by the Eagles’ coaching staff.
Speaking of progress, Uar Bernard presents the Eagles with a similar problem. Bernard played only 17 defensive snaps but contributed to a couple of run stops and showed impressive movement skills for such an inexperienced player. Here you can see him locate the football, redirect, and use his athleticism to get involved in the tackle.
There is obviously a long way to go. Bernard remains raw with his technique and processing, and I do not think he will be ready for regular-season snaps for a long, long time. But the physical tools are still difficult to ignore.
The Eagles may have shown too much of both international players during the preseason. Weru’s athleticism is obvious, while Bernard has now produced enough encouraging film to attract attention elsewhere. Keeping both would create a roster squeeze, but passing either through waivers carries a lot of risk. They could both make it.
A few other players deserve quick mentions. Gabe Hall was much better than he was in the opening preseason game, making several positive plays after struggling against the Ravens. Smael Mondon Jr. also looked more comfortable, while Zion Wilson flashed against both the run and pass. A.J. Epenesa continued to destroy tight ends at the point of attack, which is always fun.
The defense did not reveal much about what Fangio will call during the regular season, but that was never going to be the point. This game was about Ty Robinson, in my opinion. This was the first time he consistently resembled the disruptive, unpredictable defensive lineman the Eagles drafted. It was not always technically clean, but it was powerful, energetic, and productive. Robinson finally looked like a bull in a china shop again, and that is exactly what the Eagles need from him.
The next step is showing that he can do it when it matters…
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