The Philadelphia Eagles have spent much of training camp searching for answers at the bottom of their defensive depth chart. On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke with the media and offered a pair of blunt assessments that revealed exactly where two young defenders stand entering a critical stretch of the preseason.
One of those players appears to be trending upward while the other remains one of the biggest enigmas on the roster. Rookie defensive tackle Ty Robinson generated some buzz before Philadelphia's preseason opener after putting together a few strong practices. He followed that up by recording a sack against the Baltimore Ravens, prompting a question about his recent progress.
Fangio's response was classic Fangio.
"He came
to life. He's been on life support since he's been here, but he came to life and hopefully that'll continue."
The remark drew laughs, but it also carried a message. Robinson's strong showing wasn't enough to erase a quiet start to camp. It did, however, offer evidence that the fourth-round rookie may finally be gaining traction as he adjusts to NFL football. Kelee Ringo finds himself in a different situation.
The former Georgia Bulldogsstandout remains one of the Eagles' most physically gifted defensive backs, but consistency has continued to elude him. During the preseason opener, Ringo committed a pass interference penalty that helped set up a Baltimore scoring opportunity before redeeming himself with an interception in the end zone to prevent said opportunity from producing points.
That roller-coaster performance has become a familiar theme. Fangio acknowledged that reality while discussing the cornerback's development. The veteran coach quickly added that Ringo has been playing well, but he also emphasized the importance of Philadelphia's upcoming joint practices with the New England Patriots.
"He was everyone's piñata doll. I think these two days for him are big."
That's likely true for both players. Robinson is trying to prove his recent emergence is real. Ringo is attempting to show he can pair his splash plays with greater consistency. Fangio's comments painted a picture of two defenders at very different stages of their development, but neither has reached the finish line.
Robinson is still trying to convince the Eagles he belongs in the conversation, while Ringo is trying to prove he can change his conversation and be trusted snap after snap. If Fangio's assessment is any indication, the next few practices won't simply help determine where they fit on the depth chart. They may help determine how much confidence the Eagles can place in them when the games start to count.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Vic Fangio offers honest critique of two Eagles defenders on the bubble
