Hanson Not Giving Up Nickel Job Without A Fight
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Hanson Not Giving Up Nickel Job Without A Fight
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
A lot of people already seem to have penciled in fourth-round pick Brandon Boykin as the team’s nickel cornerback this season. But Joselio Hanson doesn’t intend to give up that job without a fight.
Hanson, 30, is entering his seventh year with the Eagles. He was signed out of NFL Europe in 2006. Under the tutelage of the late Jim Johnson, he developed into one of the league’s better nickel corners.
"Jim really made me who I am," Hanson said. "A lot of teams at the time weren’t big on putting small guys in the slot. I feel like I changed the game. After Jim put me in there and I played well, teams started drafting smaller guys to play inside."
Last year was difficult for Hanson. With the arrivals of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, he became expendable. Or so the Eagles thought. Released before the season, he was re-signed a few days later, but spent the first nine games as the team’s fourth corner as new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo tried to do a square peg-round-hole thing at nickel with, first, Asomugha, and then, Rodgers-Cromartie.
Hanson returned to his nickel role in mid-November after Rodgers-Cromartie went down with an ankle injury. Not coincidentally, the Eagles’ defense started playing much better after that. They won five of their final seven games. Held four of those seven opponents to 10 points or less.
"It was a tough year, but I felt like I proved a point to them," Hanson said. "You can’t just put anybody inside. It’s a totally different position. When I got in there for good in the second half of the season, we ran off some wins. That was a good feeling."
If Hanson wants to experience that good feeling again, he’s going to have to beat out Boykin, a talented rookie out of Georgia who is a younger, faster version of Joselio.
Hanson said Tuesday that he was told by one of the team’s defensive coaches that he will be competing with Boykin for the nickel job. Whichever one wins that competition will open the season as the team’s nickel corner.
"I’m just trying to come out here and do my job," Hanson said. "I feel I’m still the best nickel on the team. I continue to grow. I’m not at the max of my mental ability to play this game, play this defense. I’m in the mental prime of my life. Not a lot of things confuse me out there."
Thanks for your service Joselio - now beat it. This guy wins the Rod Brind'Amour award for going from "all underrated" to "all overrated" without a stop in between for "rated." He was a nice kid to have, but never special. Certainly not the best nickel corner in the league at any point.— dragoon6- I believe there was a lot of undue pressure placed on all of defensive backs last season because teams were able to run on us for most of the season.
Especially in today's passing league, run support is not at the top of the list when choosing d-backs. If you can cover, you can play.
With this season's d-line, it should be a little easier to evaluate these guys. - competition is a good thing— ICDogg
- It's nice to have multiple corners playing in their natural spots. I'm hoping Hansen wins the nickel spot to start the season and they let Boykin learn. Hopefully Boykin eventually wins the spot later in the year though. I think that makes for a better season against the pass.— MrMiles1
- Nice angle with the "mental prime not a lot confuses me out there"vs a rookie learning a new scheme in a new league.that was smart.— Sean s.
- Didn't we cut him last year?— NC Eagle Fan
- So he is saying that teams started drafting smaller corners due to his success that 1 season? Ok, sure Joselio. And McNabb is a Hall of Famer too.— friedmozzarela
Hanson is our best nickle corner. Boykin would have be special to beat him out. Two established corners couldn't do it and I don't think a rookie will. Boykin will be on the team but as a special teams guy.
boykin's already won the "competition." he's cheaper— barry m goldwater- Nothing's changed with Hanson. The best nickel corner after the first down is completed in the league. Not a playmaker, not a hitter. Need to improve here big time. He had his run and it was unimpressive. Get someone in there who can cover and break up plays, not satisfied to make tackles after the first down mark. Way overrated, folks.
- Has been a step slow since coming back from the 4 game prohibited substance suspension in 2009.— MidGreen
- Hanson is solid at the nickel spot. If Boykin beats him out ...that says a lot about the rookie's ability. Either way we are set at that position. The ? is at the safety positions. Im glad we have a well respected secondary coach to help improve the safety play....but Dawkins is proof of how much a good safety can transform a defense. I believe with good coaching and health Nate Allen might be decent...but i am jealous of the teams out there who have a dominant safety— murdock101
- Hanson can play. I trust him in there more then most anybody else we've got. Typical Eagles mistake in not being great at know what they have and what they don't have. We shipped Al Harris out as he was hardly getting time with Lito Sheppard and Brown at corners then and Harris turned out to be a really good corner for Packers and others— connorjr
- Dragoon dog is clueless for sure.— pdog154
- Hanson should win the nickel job this year, but he'll be gone next year and Boykin will take over.— ej610
