Eagles 'more than likely' to rotate linebackers
Jordan Hicks said it's "more than likely" the Eagles will use a four-man rotation at linebacker when the season opens Sunday against the Browns.
Stephen Tulloch, signed two weeks ago after rookie Joe Walker suffered a season-ending knee injury, had been backing up Hicks at middle linebacker. But the veteran has vast experience playing in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's scheme and could be used in base personnel.
"We didn't bring him here to watch," Hicks said of Tulloch. "They've been rotating me around a little bit, a couple snaps at each position. We'll see. We all got the ability to interchange."
If Tulloch were to play in the middle and Hicks were to move outside to weak-side, Mychal Kendricks could be the odd man out on run downs. Nigel Bradham, conceivably, would remain at strong-side linebacker since he isn't expected to play in the nickel.
Kendricks, who was unavailable on Wednesday, has said that one of the reasons his performance declined last season was that he played in a rotation. He was the only Eagles starter to play in the preseason finale last week. Coach Doug Pederson said it was to get him snaps because he had missed two games with a hamstring injury.
But Kendricks has declined to be interviewed since after the third preseason game when he was the lone starter to play deep into the fourth quarter, so it's unclear if he, at least, believes that the Eagles intended to send him a message.
Soft-tissue injuries have been an issue for Kendricks, who missed three games because of a hamstring strain last season and four because of a calf strain the year before. He struggled last season -- particularly in pass coverage. Hicks and Kendricks, who has excelled as a pass rusher, are still likely to be the two linebackers when offenses use "11" (three-receiver) personnel.
ROWE CONDITIONAL
The 2018 fourth round pick the Eagles received from the Patriots in return for cornerback Eric Rowe can become a third round selection if Rowe plays more than 50 percent of plays in either 2016 or 2017, a NFL source said.
