Eagles are excited about Marlon Tuipulotu’s progress after the defensive tackle improved this offseason
Last year's sixth-round pick is this year's impressive defensive lineman, as Tuipulotu worked hard in the offseason to improve.
When Jonathan Gannon met with Marlon Tuipulotu after the defensive tackle’s rookie season, he provided some marching orders for the summer.
If Tuipulotu wanted to see more playing time, there were a few points of emphasis the defensive coordinator needed him to focus on.
“They told me to continue to work on my technique,” Tuipulotu said after Sunday’s 21-20 preseason win against the Cleveland Browns. “Not only in the run, but the pass as well. So, I just tried to work on my technique overall and came in at a better weight. Those two things were a few of them to just try to come back more prepared.”
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Tuipulotu, a sixth-round pick in 2021, said he played last season around 320 pounds. The former USC standout was stout against the run in college and flashed potential as a pass rusher late in his career, but mostly was viewed as a two-down lineman by some going into the draft.
This year, he’s around 305 pounds and has made noticeable improvements. Even with the addition of Jordan Davis making the defensive tackle spot the deepest position on the team, Tuipulotu’s earned snaps with the first team throughout camp and has garnered praise from Gannon.
“What we asked him to improve his game on; he came back and improved his game on,” Gannon said last week. “I really like where Marlon is at in the run and pass game. He’s another one that’s very smart. With front mechanics, he understands why he’s aligned in certain places, why his reads are certain ways.
“He’s doing a good job from a production standpoint. And playing the run and the pass game. I’m excited about Marlon.”
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Whether or not Tuipulotu has made significant strides as a pass rusher, it is hard to imagine he’ll see many snaps in obvious pass situations. Those downs likely will be left to Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Davis mostly, but Tuipulotu figures to get meaningful playing time on early downs.
“He’s moving a lot better than he was last year,” Cox said earlier this month. “You can tell he took the progression from last year at the end of the season, and he went home and he worked on it. It shows. Just the way he’s using his hands, his technique is so much better.”
When the Eagles use odd-man fronts with three interior linemen, Tuipulotu can play all three spots between the tackles. He has spent most of his time as a nose tackle during camp and figures to settle in behind Davis at that spot.
Tuipulotu noted that he has played from several alignments in Gannon’s scheme and said some of the Eagles’ veteran defensive linemen have helped him get up to speed on the different spots.
“They’ve got me moving around a little bit,” Tuipulotu said. “But just having the vets in our group like Fletch and [Hargrave] and [Brandon Graham] and all those guys, they definitely help me. Having those guys as veterans that teach the younger guys, it’s definitely made it easier.
“Wherever the coaches have me, I’m just trying to go in there and work.”