Eric Wilson‘s stint with the Eagles has already come to an end. After joining the organization this past offseason, the Eagles cut the veteran today (per a team announcement). Wilson will first hit waivers before reaching free agency.
The former undrafted free agent spent the first four seasons of his career with the Vikings, evolving from a special teamer into one of the team’s best defenders. After starting 10 games through the first three seasons of his career, Wilson started 15 of his 16 games in 2020 and put up career numbers. He finished the campaign having compiled 122 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions, earning the nickname “walking turnover” from fellow linebacker Eric Kendricks.
Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon brought in several former players this offseason, but Wilson never clicked during his time in Philly. The 27-year-old ended up starting only two of his seven games, collecting 43 tackles and one interception.
After playing in more than 60 percent of his team’s defensive snaps through the first four weeks, Wilson saw a reduced role recently, including a season-low 22 defensive snaps during his team’s Week 7 loss to the Raiders. The linebacker was inactive for Week 8.
Thank God the idiots in Detroit are still there or Philly would be the worst run team. Roseman hasn’t a clue.
You realize he hasn’t played in 2 weeks and the defense has played better.
Yes they played better; against the Lions…
He was inactive only last week. But his defensive snap count fell from 48-61 the first four weeks of the season to 22-29 in his last three games.
Stupid move
He was a healthy scratch last week. If dudes can’t play special teams, then see you later. He wasn’t staying there.
Did you not read the article? He started his career as a special teams player and only got significant playing time last year… that’s 3 years of being a special teamer
And he played 30 special teams snaps over the first seven games this year.
The problem with Wilson is that his run defense is bad, really bad. He should be only a 3rd down, coverage/rush LB on defense, but the Eagles seemed to think he could be a starter, which last year should have proved was a bad idea (most of his splash plays like INT’s and sacks were in the first nine games of 2016, and his run D was atrocious the entire season).
Wilson was never one of the Vikings’ best defenders. He was a good role player in 2018 and 2019, but his shortcomings were exposed last year, and in the first game I saw him play for the Eagles in 2021. Hopefully the Texans, who claimed him off of waivers, will use him correctly.
Howie needs to go before next years draft and free agency. The Eagles have a great opportunity in the draft this year but can’t afford any more of Howie’s missteps.
I can See Eric heading back to Minnesota, but I don’t know if he’d want to.
He is a great player but just wasn’t given a chance with the Eagles. Many say The GM is the problem and, this may be true. But, I can’t help thinking the Eagles could do better than Siriani as HC. If you’re going to get rid of the GM then you have to pull the plug on the HC and Dir.
Of Player Personnel. This would mean fitting the organization of the 3 top roles. Estimates turn around time if this would happen is at a
Minimum 3 yrs before playoff contention is viable.
you heard the same garbage from this fanbase during 2017, just quieter. this team would have been fine off if the QB situation didnt become complicated, yet Carson got broke and threw a fit and here we are.
Carson threw a fit because this idiot GM wasted a pick on a backup QB when he had so many holes to fill. Howie could’ve gotten him a weapon, a lineman to help or even a defender.
the Packers used a 1st rounder on a QB and their QB responded by going out and winning the MVP. meanwhile Carson threw a fit and continued his downward spiral. Carson can go become a GM or something if he wants to make personnel moves.
If a QB needs a draft pick behind him for motivation then he’s not giving close to 100% anyway. The Eagles imploded with injuries, not because of Wentz. Wentz didn’t cry about personnel moves but find me a QB in need of weapons or protection sitting by quietly when they they waste a 2nd round pick on a backup right after they sign him to a humongous franchise crippling contract.
Got to go with Hammer here. Wentz throwing a fit doesn’t account for defensive miscues, bad playcalling, injured starters, or Roseman getting into practice time shouting matches with star players. Wentz throwing a fit also doesn’t translate to that second round pick throwing into the dirt.
Roseman’s and Pederson’s combined incompetence and stubbornness led the Eagles to where they are. Wentz, Ertz, and whomever else were frustrated because of the incompetence at several levels, and their attitudes just compounded the situation. But ultimately, the players don’t control the team. It’s the coach and GM who have that responsibility, and there was dysfunction on every level.
No, Wilson is not a “great player,” and he got 61 defensive snaps in his first game and 48-49 in his next three games as an Eagle, playing between 63% and 83% of the team’s D snaps in those four games. His PFF season grade fell from 44.4 to 30.1 in that stretch, and was 35.2 at the time of his being waived.
Wilson is a good coverage/pass rush rotational linebacker. He is terrible in run defense, and not just because of his size, as he neither fills holes not sets edges well.
The Texans got him off of waivers, and I certainly hope the Vikings were not stupid enough to put a claim in on him. Nick Vigil has been an adequate replacement in coverage for Wilson, and the team has four linebackers on the bench whose strengths are in special teams, coverage and/or rushing the passer, not in run defense, so Wilson would have been an expensive redundancy.
I looked at the photo and thought “Not getting a jersey is a pretty good indicator that you won’t be part of the teams long term plans”.
really harsh of em to make him practice without a shirt, even