Eagles think they’re set at safety

Nate Allen has emerged as the favorite to start for the Eagles at safety alongside Malcom Jenkins. Credit: Getty Images

Remember when Brian Dawkins anchored the Eagles defense?

It seems like decades ago.

In the years since the Birds parted ways with one of their best players of all time, they have gone through a lot of duds at the safety position.

With the offseason acquisition of Malcom Jenkins and the improvement of Nate Allen and Earl Wolff, the Eagles finally have some solid pieces at safety. So is Allen a shoe-in to start after his solid training camp?

“I think Nate has the lead. But it’s not over,” Brian Davis, Eagles defensive coordinator said. “We’ll continue to watch this preseason game and see how it goes. I hate, like I said, cutting the team right now or even saying who is in the lineup. The one thing about this roster is you make the 53 and you’re active, you’re going to play and we rotate, we rotate all of them. They’re all playing. They all count.”

Jenkins has helped Allen improve and has been a pivotal piece for the Eagles.

“I love the growth of the defense,” Davis continued. “I love the understanding of the players and Malcolm [Jenkins is] a great addition in that area.”