Philadelphia Eagles' Corners Stealing their Paychecks

Jim O’Connor-USA TODAY Sports

Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams are stealing their paychecks from the Philadelphia Eagles. Yes, they made some plays on Sunday, but most came on the mistakes of Eli Manning and his receivers. The most concerning parts of the game was watching Fletcher and Williams getting beat consistently on double moves and slants. These issues come from more than one place.

First off, neither Fletcher or Williams were strong enough players for their old teams to re-sign. Howie Roseman had to know what he was going to get when he inked them to deals that can both be eliminated after a year without significant salary cap hits.

Secondly, Billy Davis needs to forget about the zone package in his playbook. Whenever Fletcher or Williams played off a receiver, which they did for a majority of the game, Manning was able to take advantage with screens, slants, or even deep passes.

The way a defense can remedy a lack of skill is to work at putting players in better positions. Williams and Fletcher need to be playing press coverage. They need to be in the face of their opposition, working to break up routes and timing patterns. There were moments where they both looked lost on Sunday.

The only strong point in the cornerback group is Brandon Boykin. Boykin came up with a crucial pick at the end of the game, stealing a ball from Victor Cruz. Chip Kelly and Roseman need to add this position to their list of needs for next year.

Williams and Fletcher are not extended solutions. They have proved this throughout the season and must be part of the continued overhaul of the entire Eagles’ secondary.

Matt Shaner is a Philadelphia Eagles writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @MDShanersports, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google