Vic Fangio

VIC FANGIO: I just want to mention to you guys that I was able, because it coincided with our day off, I went to the Hall of Fame ceremony on Saturday for [former NFL LB] Patrick Willis, and luckily while I was there, I ran into [Eagles play-by-play announcer] Merrill [Reese] and congratulated him on his great honor. I think that officially puts him up there with the all-time greats of Philly. Like [former sports commentators] By Saam, Bill Campbell, Harry Kalas, and in a different form, Dave Zinkoff.

When I mentioned that to a few guys here today they showed their age and didn’t know who he was. Maybe I’m showing my age.

Who is first?

Q. You like to watch games from the booth, right, not the sideline? What is it about that perch that you like rather than sideline? (Ed Kracz)

VIC FANGIO: Number one, it’s the best view. I can see what’s happening. I don’t have to rely on other people telling me what’s happening.

There is a reason they film the game from up there in a booth right or to the left of me. There is a reason the owners are at that same level. They can sit anywhere they want in the stadium, and it’s the best view is number one.

Because my most important job on game day is to call the game and I need to have the best view, and I don’t have to rely on others to give me a bunch of information.

Q. How about communication with players? (Ed Kracz)

VIC FANGIO: It’s fine. All the coaches, all the position coaches will be down on the field, and any communication I have to make to the players will come through them. I have confidence that will be seamless.

Q. How much were you involved in the free agent signing of S C.J. Gardner-Johnson? (Jeff McLane)

VIC FANGIO: I was involved in it to the degree that any of the ones, but obviously that’s [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman]’s final decision. That’s the guy Howie wanted.

Q. I assume you liked him. (Jeff McLane)

VIC FANGIO: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Q. How do you think he’ll be effective? (Jeff McLane)

VIC FANGIO: I think he’ll be good. He’s had a good camp so far. The good thing about what he’s been doing so far, and I told him this, there has been a day or two where he wasn’t even noticeable, and that’s a good thing because he didn’t have action come his way in the limited reps he had; whereas some guys can have some screw-ups in those situations.

I think he’s had a good camp up to this point.

Q. Is that a by-product of your system having a fair amount of two high safety shells? (Jeff McLane)

VIC FANGIO: I wouldn’t go that far because we’re down — we play a lot of single safety, too.

Q. What stands out to you about the corner and inside linebacker competitions? (Dave Uram)

VIC FANGIO: That it’s a good competition going on. We have not come to any conclusions anywhere. We still have three pre-season games and a lot of time, but the competition has been good. I see guys improving. It’s a good, healthy competition.

Q. When DB Cooper DeJean does come back, is that a domino effect with the outside? Is it going to affect that rotation that’s been mainly CB Isaiah Rodgers and CB Kelee Ringo at this point? (John McMullen)

VIC FANGIO: It could. We’ll see where he is at. When he comes back, it’s not going to be, ‘Okay, he’s back, like nothing ever happened to him.’ I’m sure the guys downstairs will have rep limitations on him, practice limitations.

So, it will be dependent upon where he is at and how he’s doing.

Q. What have you seen out of LB Nakobe Dean to this point? (Tim McManus)

VIC FANGIO: Good. I thought Nakobe, the first few days of practice I thought he played really good. You know, took a step back a little bit in the stadium practice, but overall, he’s been doing really good.

Q. How has LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. acclimated himself with the first team? (Jeff Kerr)

VIC FANGIO: He did fine. When we’re in practice, whether it’s first team or not, it’s not kind of a declaration, you know what I’m saying? I mean, he’s doing good. He’s getting better.

Q. What is your assessment of OLB Jalyx Hunt so far? (Andrew DiCecco)

VIC FANGIO: I think he started camp good. He had a carryover from a pretty good off-season. When the pads came on you could tell that playing for Cornell and Houston Baptist wasn’t exactly the same as the NFL.

But he’s grinding and I expect him to continue to improve.

Q. How is the progression going with DE Bryce Huff being an every-down player? (Dave Zangaro)

VIC FANGIO: It’s getting better. He’s working very hard at it. He’s very prideful in it. He’s improving.

1. LB Devin White said something in the spring about his understanding being that, in order to be used as a blitzer in this defense, he has to prove that he can do it to you. What’s your evaluation of the linebackers so far in that capacity? (Bo Wulf)

VIC FANGIO: Of him?

Q. I guess all of them… (Bo Wulf)

VIC FANGIO: Yeah, we haven’t had a lot of reps in it, but overall, it’s been good at times; not so good at other times.

We need to win a high percentage of the battles when we go against a running back. Some guys have been good; some not so up to this point.

Q. In the defensive line rotation, DT Jordan Davis said jokingly you would have him out there all the time if you wanted to. Obviously, that’s a conversation you have with Head Coach Nick Sirianni and Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman, too. In the past were you preferring that in some way to make room on other spots on the roster, and do you think it affects how many defensive linemen you end up carrying? Is that part of your thinking? (Brooks Kubena)

VIC FANGIO: No. No, I mean, we have a minimal amount of D-linemen that we need to have. Hopefully we’ll have that. But, no, in the past here they’ve counted guys like [OLB Josh] Sweat and [DE Bryce] Huff as D-linemen because they’re more edge players, outside linebackers.

The pure D-linemen, D tackles, you know, I don’t want to speak — there’ll need to be a minimum of five to seven on the roster.

Q. You mentioned former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis. I know Willis and former San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman is a tough curve to be graded upon, but to what degree does your defense rely upon high level production from the linebackers? (Zach Berman)

VIC FANGIO: I think every defense in the NFL relies on high level production from the ILBs, especially with the way the game is being played now. ILB used to be a position where you somewhat could overachieve and be a tough guy, but when the fullback disappeared and he’s been replaced by a third wideout or second tight end that’s a good receiver, the game is played in space more.

But yet they still run the ball a good deal. So, the ILB position has become a more demanding position in this last decade or so. It’s hard to play good defense without good ILB play.

These guys are working hard to get to that level.

Q. Saw you use a couple four down looks. I understand you’re probably just going to throw a lot of stuff out there during camp, but is that playing to a strength? (Jeff McLane)

VIC FANGIO: Not necessarily. It’s more of a schematic thing.

Q. When you look at DT Milton Williams, what does he add to the D-tackle group with DT Jordan Davis and DT Jalen Carter? (Martin Frank)

VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I like Milt. Milt is a good player. He’s solid, both versus the run and in pass rush. He’s a guy that from afar I’ve liked that the Eagles have had. In fact, I tried to get us to trade for him last year in Miami, but [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] wouldn’t do it.

But I like Milt. Milt is a pro.

Q. How about DT Moro Ojomo, just to follow up on that? (Ed Kracz)

VIC FANGIO: Yeah, he’s getting better. He’s showing up. He’s on the lighter side as D-linemen go, D-tackles, but he’s athletic. Plays extremely hard and very coachable. He’s had a good camp.

Q. You mentioned your analytics that you kept to yourself. Can you explain the proprietary nature of those kinds of things when coaches are learning from you?  (Brooks Kubena)

VIC FANGIO: No.

Q. LB Zack Baun a little bit you mentioned inside; he’s played outside in the past. Are you focused on him as just an inside linebacker now or does he still have that versatility? (John McMullen)

VIC FANGIO: He still has this versatility, and that was kind of what I was saying before. Learning our team as we go through the rest of camp, we’ll be able to use him in different ways because of his versatility.

Q. What have you seen from OLB Nolan Smith in terms of his polish as a pass rusher? (Cayden Steele)

VIC FANGIO: Yeah, he’s been getting better. Obviously, speed is his calling card. You know, he’s light in comparison to the NFL standards on the edge, so speed and athleticism has to be where he makes up for that.

He’s been doing a good job.

Q. How do you hone your play calling skills knowing you’ll have a bunch of new players? (Dave Zangaro)

VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I don’t think it’s — yeah, play calling is part of it, but it’s more so in my mind, if I’m hearing you right, schematically what’s the best thing to do with the group of guys we have.

And from that point, the play calling plays a major part in it.

Q. When you were evaluating CB Quinyon Mitchell as a prospect, did you have inside versatility in your head or is that something that surprised you? (Bo Wulf)

VIC FANGIO: No, that wasn’t part of the equation. I do think when you drafted a corner per se in the first round, he needs to be a corner, and then if he can play inside, that’s a bonus.

This is a bonus right now that he’s been able to play inside. We still really like him as a corner though too.

Q. DE Brandon Graham said he wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to see the starters play on defense Friday night. What goes into that decision? Would you like to see that? (Ed Kracz)

VIC FANGIO: Yeah, I think [head coach] Nick [Sirianni] is going to at some point tell you guys what the rotation may be generally speaking. I do think he’s talked about playing those guys. I don’t think he’s made a final decision.

But I do think it’s good that guys get to play some in the pre-season. Even the best players I’ve been around, they want to play, and they don’t want their first play of the year to be a regular season game.

They want to get out there and feel it.

Q. As far as forcing turnovers, is there any indication in a practice setting that will show a team’s, I guess, volume for that or does it have to come in a game situation? (Zach Berman)

VIC FANGIO: Both. You know, our quarterbacks, [QB] Jalen [Hurts] in particular, has been doing a good job of not putting the ball in harm’s way to where we can get it.

It’s something we definitely do need to improve on.