Jaelan Phillips lets Eagles fans behind curtain on relationship with Vic Fangio
The catalyst behind the Philadelphia Eagles' acquisition of edge rusher Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins was his former defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, given their successful collaboration in 2023.
Phillips was a star under Fangio that year before an Achilles injury during the season derailed what appeared to be a Pro Bowl-caliber season. After being traded from the Dolphins to the Eagles this week to reunite with his defensive coordinator, Phillips went into his relationship with Fangio and how they have worked together before.
“Vic isn’t a man of many words. There haven't been a ton of extensive conversations, but I think it's just like we understand each other.”
Eagles fans are about to watch dream team of Fangio and Phillips working together
Everyone knows by now the massive struggles the Eagles' edge rushers have had with getting to the quarterback this year. 4.5 sacks in eight games is about as bad as it gets for the team.
A new leaf is being turned over with Phillips joining the group, as he had a ton of success under Fangio in their only season together. In eight games back in 2023, Phillips racked up 43 tackles, 11 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two pass deflections, and one interception. He was on pace for a monster season, derailed by the injury.
Since then, Phillips has had to fight off the narrative that he is injury-prone. A narrative that his general manager, Howie Roseman, would not agree with at all.
Philly's new edge-rushing group will now have Phillips and Nolan Smith Jr. taking over as the starters, with Jalyx Hunt, Brandon Graham, and Josh Uche rotating in. If injuries occur, they have Patrick Johnson on the practice squad, who has recorded a sack this season, so the experience is there.
Fangio has his guy, and Phillips has a home that wants him there. This has the makings of a great relationship that can last a long time in Philadelphia.
D.J. Chark’s Potential Minnesota Signing Could Provide Vital Depth for Vikings’ Wide Receiver Room
The Minnesota Vikings‘ usually deep wide receiver spot could use some added able bodies, and a recently released wideout could be the answer, at least the short term.
Minnesota is being urged to sign D.J. Chark, a veteran who was dropped by the Atlanta Falcons over the weekend.
Chark, who was also urged to sign in Minnesota all the way back in 2023, has 216 catches for exactly 3,100 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars, with whom he played his first four seasons and qualified for the Pro Bowl in 2019.
But Chark has bounced around the past four seasons, suiting up for the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers.
Why Should The Vikings Sign D.J. Chark?
The Vikings have arguably the game’s best receiver, Justin Jefferson, but after Jettas, the position is looking a bit thin.
No. 2 wideout Jordan Addison has already been suspended three games for wet reckless driving, and veteran Rondale Moore will miss the season with a knee injury sustained in Minnesota’s first preseason game.
So the Vikings could certainly use a wideout. But Chark specifically could be a good fit due to his 6-3, 198-pound frame plus his familiarity with the Minnesota wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell — who was Chark’s position coach when he had his career-best 1,008 yard season in 2019.
“His wide receivers coach in Jacksonville [in 2019]? That would be current Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell,” Adam Patrick of The Viking Age wrote Monday. “If McCardell was able to help Chark reach his potential in 2019, perhaps he could do the same for the veteran wide receiver if he were to sign with Minnesota this year.”
But Patrick also noted that, aside from having a tie to a coach, Chark also has already meshed with Jefferson when they played together at LSU.
“In addition to the connection Chark has with the current Vikings receivers coach, he is also a former college teammate of Minnesota star pass-catcher Justin Jefferson,” Patrick wrote. “Both attended LSU in 2017 when Chark was a senior and Jefferson was a freshman.”
What Is The Downside To Signing D.J. Chark?
Signing another team’s pre-cutdown-day drops can provide diamonds in the rough, but typically players are cut for a reason. There will be more talented receivers released in the next few weeks, which means more selection for the Vikings.
Plus, Chark is coming off a season where he had just four catches and 71 yards for the playoff-qualifying Chargers. Since leaving the Jaguars in 2022, Chark has just 1,058 receiving yards and nine TDs.
Still, as Patrick noted, there is very little risk to signing a player like Chark with a tie to the organization. Chark can take some of the heat off Jefferson, who is likely to draw double teams, especially in Addison absence.
Plus, he can slot rightly as a No. 3 receiver when Addison comes back and give Minnesota some low-cost upside. Or if he’s not good, the Vikings won’t need to be tied to him long.
“Going out and making a move like adding Chark is something that is the type of low-risk, high-reward signing the Minnesota has made in the past under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah,” Patrick wrote.
