Eagles sign Steven Nelson to one-year deal to start opposite Darius Slay at cornerback

The Philadelphia Eagles solved their CB2 drawback in an enormous approach, signing Steven Nelson to a one-year contract Sunday. Nelson indicators with the crew simply days earlier than coaching camp is ready to start on the NovaCare Complicated, turning into the beginning cornerback reverse Darius Slay the crew desperately wanted. 

Previous to the Nelson signing, the Eagles had been going into camp with Avonte Maddox and rookie fourth-round choose Zech McPhearson competing for the beginning exterior cornerback job. With Nelson within the fold, Maddox is the favourite to emerge because the slot cornerback (a greater match for him) whereas McPhearson gives priceless depth within the slot behind Maddox or as a 3rd exterior cornerback. Maddox might additionally present depth on the surface if the Eagles select to go McPhearson as their slot cornerback. 

The Eagles head into coaching camp with a projected beginning secondary of Slay and Nelson at cornerback with Anthony Harris and Rodney McLeod at security. McLeod tore his ACL final December, however expects to be prepared for the beginning of the 2021 season. That is a part of a revamped secondary beneath new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, tasked with revamping a protection that completed with simply eight interceptions in 2020, the fourth-fewest whole within the NFL. 

Nelson is simply what the physician ordered at cornerback. He completed his 2020 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers with 48 tackles, 9 passes defensed and two interceptions in 15 video games began at proper cornerback. Opposing quarterbacks had only a 63.8 passer score concentrating on Nelson in 564 protection snaps. 

Nelson has performed over 500 protection snaps in every of the previous three seasons with the Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, permitting only a 56.3 passer score and 9 touchdowns. Opposing quarterbacks have accomplished simply 49.6% of their passes concentrating on Nelson. 

The Eagles have their beginning cornerback reverse Slay in place, an enormous query answered as camp opens Wednesday.