The Philadelphia Eagles hope to get back in the playoff picture and bounce back from a 7-9 season. Can a new-look defense rise to the occasion?
Hardly a surprise but now finally official. Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch is now a free agent.
Told by the Detroit Lions that he did not fit into the team’s plans for 2016, the veteran defender remained on the team for the last few months until finally being cut loose on July 5.
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“As I have said numerous times since I became head coach of the Lions, Stephen Tulloch has been a consummate professional on and off the field,” stated Jim Caldwell on Tuesday via DetroitLions.com. “We thank him for his contributions to the Lions and the Detroit community and wish him the very best in all his future endeavors.”
Why now? As reported by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Tulloch underwent offseason ankle surgery and finally passed a physical. He’s now ready to hit the open market and latch on with a team. Again, the productive linebacker has been prepared for the moment.
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“To be honest with you, I’ve been training and getting ready for the season whether it be here or anywhere,” said Tulloch to Birkett last month. “I just been training, getting ready. I know that a couple people reached out when they found out earlier in the offseason (I was going to be released), but obviously it’s been three and a half months. But like I said, I’m a professional, I’ve been staying fit, doing what I have to do, and hopefully things can get resolved here in the next two or three (days), soon. But looking forward to getting it over with.”
In this NFL free-agent world of the six degrees of Kevin Bacon, logic says that Tulloch is reunited with Jim Schwartz, now the defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles. The relationship between the two dates back to their days with the Tennessee Titans and continued in Detroit. In 10 seasons with two clubs, Tulloch played in all 16 games nine times. He missed 13 games in 2014 due to injury but rebounded this past year to lead the team in tackles.
Meanwhile, Schwartz is looking to revive a Philadelphia defensive unit that has ranked 29th, 28th and 30th, respectively, in the league each of the last three seasons. In 2015, the Birds were dead last in the NFL against the run. And during this three-year stretch, the Eagles have ranked in the bottom five each season against the pass.
With defensive linemen such as Fletcher Cox and Vinny Curry and a secondary that includes strong safety Malcolm Jenkins and newcomer Rodney McLeod, Philly expects to rebound on this side of the football in 2016.
Could Tulloch be a part of that revival? He knows what Schwartz likes to do and is an asset against both the run and the pass. It won’t be a shock if general manager Howie Roseman lands the 10-year pro and he could be an excellent mentor to promising second-year linebacker Jordan Hicks.
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We’re not sure how high the Eagles will fly in 2016. But to think they wouldn’t be a better team with Tulloch means you’re just “lion” to yourself.