Could Eagles fans witness a Nate Gerry breakout in 2020?

The 2020 NFL season is quickly approaching and hype is at an all-time high. For Philadelphia, this couldn't be more true; with all the exciting new pieces on the roster, fans cannot wait to get a glimpse of the new-look Eagles in action. However, with all the publicity and pomp surrounding the new guys in town, some exciting storylines have been cast to the shadows -- none more so than the development of now top dog LB Nathan Gerry. With former Eagle Nigel Bradham signing with the New Orleans Saints for an undisclosed amount, the new age of Philadelphia linebacking is finally upon us. Mychal Kendricks, Jordan Hicks, and Nigel Bradham -- the three starters during the Eagles' Super Bowl run -- are out the doors. Thus, Nate Gerry is left to pick up the torch and become the new de facto leader of what is a very young corps of 'backers. While T.J. Edwards was promising in his debut season and the Eagles have some young up-and-comers to add to the mix, the group's performance will largely hinge on the continued development of the 4th year Nebraska man. Gerry's career up-until-now has been a mixed bag of highlight reels and missed tackles. He has done little to establish himself as a fan favorite, and yet, has done enough to curry the favor of the coaching staff. It has long been known that he is Jim Schwartz' kinda guy, but we on the outside looking in are often left scratching our heads. What is it about the young man's first three seasons that should leave us hopeful that he can usher in a new era of Eagles' linebacking? Will he finally be able to take the jump the coaching staff have hinted at in 2020? Support Staff The good news for Gerry is that it isn't solely dependent on his performance. He is but a cog in the machine of a very well oiled defensive group -- a group that has added a ton of fascinating pieces this offseason. In front of him, Nate will have the benefit of a healthy Malik Jackson, the perennial Pro-Bowler Fletcher Cox, and new addition Javon Hargrave to go along with a bevvy of ultra-athletic defensive ends. Behind him, there is a new cast of versatile secondary pieces that will provide all kinds of problems for offensive game planners. Gerry may not be the best athlete on the field, but with an unimpeded path to the football, there aren't many more solid (more on those numbers later). Adding a potent three tackle front to the mix will only exacerbate problems for opposing offenses. The secondary The versatility in the secondary will also bolster Gerry's abilities as a playmaker. Nate himself is a very versatile athlete, not necessarily incredible in any one area, but well versed in all areas of the game. He played safety at Nebraska and has manned all three linebacker spots for the Eagles over the past three seasons. In fact, in 2019 he was one of just seven linebackers in the league to total 75+ tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions. He truly can do it all. With Nigel Bradham being the go-to-guy in 2019, Gerry was asked mostly to fill in the gaps. Now as the veteran in the group, it follows that he will be a bigger part of the game plan in 2020. We will likely see more plays that are designed to capitalize on what Gerry does best and fill in the gaps around him. That is incredibly opportune when there are so many things he does well. This will add yet another wrinkle to the game sheet for opposing offensive coordinators. The linebacker group as a whole has been overlooked. What the unit lacks in experience they more than make up for in athleticism. With an experienced coach at the helm, there is no telling what the ceiling can be for this group given the opportunity. Gerry spoke on the developing chemistry brewing between him and second-year LB T.J. Edwards, who he thinks has had an impressive start to his career. He also alluded to the young guys in the room: I think a lot of people don't really understand how much speed and athleticism that we do. A lot of people talk about how young we really are, but we've all figured out the playbook and a lot of people haven't seen our athleticism. History can speak to what happens when the Eagles are underestimated. Continued on the page below. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire The Numbers One of the major reasons to be exited for a potential breakout season from Gerry is that much of the knocks about his play has been exaggerated. His involvement and production have gone up exponentially each season and his play on the field has come leaps and bounds. Despite criticism, Nate has found his way on to the field at a rapidly growing rate -- a pattern that should only increase in 2020.

	Defensive Snaps	%	Special Teams Snaps	%
2017	20	2%	180	40%
2018	134	13%	257	59%
2019	620	61%	335	74%

From his second to third season, Gerry improved in almost every aspect as a defensive contributor. As a converted safety, he was expected to be solid in coverage from the early goings. Being that he was featured on defense much more often, the total numbers have gone up, but when looking at the percentages, he was pretty impressive last season.

	Play	Stop	Dft	Stop%	YAC	Yds/Att	Succ%
2018	9	5	1	56%	1.7	6.0	60%
2019	40	19	7	48%	2.9 (12th)	4.2 (6th)	56% (19th)

*Football Outsiders define defeat (Dft) as: 1) a tackle that results in a loss of yardage, including sacks. 2) any play that results in a turnover, including tipped passes which are then intercepted. 3) any tackle or tipped pass that leads to a stop on third or fourth down. In coverage, Gerry ranked in the top 20 at his position in three major categories. He also improved in nearly every category above, as well as the ones below:

	Comp	%	Yds/Comp	TD	INT	Total Air Yds	Avg Tgt Depth	Rating
2018	10	83.3%	9.7	1	1	50	5.2	93.4
2019	29	67.4%	8.4	1	2	56	2.4	70.2

As a regular starter, teams began to take Gerry into account. They got the ball into the receiver's hands earlier, understanding that the LB has the speed to carry his coverage down the field. He was pesky at the catch point, causing five PBUs and limiting opposing QBs to a very pedestrian completion percentage -- especially considering the average target depth. Against the pass, overall, Gerry was an above-average starter with room for improvement. In just his third year at the position, there are plenty of reasons for hope. This is even more true for his performance against the run. Surprisingly, entering the league as an undersized converted safety, Gerry has made run defending one of his strongest assets.

	Plays	Dft	Stop	Stop %	Yds/Play
2018	11	1	7	64%	4.3
2019	37	8	31	84% (3rd)	2.4

Whether you believe it or not, Gerry is quietly becoming a premier run defender on the outside. He's a form tackler with good recognition and the athleticism to fill gaps in a hurry. When he is able to diagnose the play and avoid traffic, he's as solid as they come. He was tied for second on the team with Fletcher Cox for most stops in 2019 (behind Brandon Graham). He was also second on the team with 78 combined tackles. Regarding the numbers above, Football Outsiders has considered plays in which Gerry is the primary defender. There is something to be said for his recognition as a help defender and his gap-filling. When considering those plays, his numbers are as follows:

	Stop	Stop %	Yds/Play	Missed Tkl	%
2018	12	60%	5.6	2	8.0%
2019	50	65%	3.7	14	15.2%

Herein lies the greatest hurdle for Gerry in 2020: reducing the missed tackles. Missed Tackles As the young man continues to develop and learn his relatively new position, it is only natural that his angles of pursuit will improve. Nate admitted himself that is was only just last season that he fully got a grasp of the playbook and everyone's assignment. It's obvious from the numbers above that if Gerry can improve his angles and make more consistent paths to the football, he is a talented "stopper". The additions up front will undoubtedly clear some lanes for him to operate. In addition to his personal development, there should be a boost in chemistry between Gerry and his teammates heading into this season. This will be his second year alongside Edwards, whom he has lauded on multiple occasions for his football IQ. This will be his third season playing behind the Eagles defensive line and in front of Rodney McLeod. Another season under his belt should also allow him some recognition from Jim Schwartz as a play-caller. As mentioned earlier, the Eagles' roster is packed with movable pieces on the defensive side of the football. Schwartz loves to play the match-ups game and with Gerry now a key part of the defense, it is likely he will often be put in favorable match-ups. The team will be able to play to his strengths, in a sense, taking the reigns off and allowing Gerry to just react. If he can clean up the missed tackles and continue growing as a run stopper and in coverage, there are big things on the horizon for Nathan Gerry. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire