Jernigan likely to make impact - while he's here | Paul Domowitch
New acquisition Tim Jernigan looks forward to playing in the Eagles' system, but contract circumstances might keep him with the team for only a season.
TIM JERNIGAN'S abrupt departure from the Baltimore Ravens earlier this week had nothing to do with any of the things people have been whispering about.
It had nothing to do with the 24-year-old defensive tackle's attitude or his motor or even the fact he went the last seven games of the 2016 season without a sack.
What it had everything to do with was the five-year, $52.5 million contract the Ravens gave their starting nose tackle, Brandon Williams, the day before free agency began.
As former Eagle defensive tackle Bennie Logan can attest, NFL teams might be willing to break the salary-cap bank for one really good interior defensive lineman, but not two. It's just not gonna happen.
Logan knew his days with the Eagles were numbered last year when his buddy Fletcher Cox signed a six-year, $102.6 million extension.
And Jernigan, a 2014 second-round pick, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, knew there would be no second deal for him with the Ravens after they signed Williams, though acknowledged the quickness of his exit left him "mindblown."
"I knew (after Williams signed) I would be gone after next year," said Jernigan, who was acquired by the Eagles for a swap of third-round picks. "I wasn't thinking (I'd be gone) in a couple of months or a couple of weeks. But that's part of the business."
The Ravens could have let Jernigan walk after next season and collected a compensatory pick in the 2019 draft. But when the Eagles gave them the opportunity to move up 25 spots in the third round of what is considered one of the deepest drafts in years in exchange for Jernigan, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome was happy to oblige.
With the trade, the Ravens now have four of the top 78 picks in the draft. The Eagles, meanwhile, added a more than adequate replacement, albeit probably a temporary one, for Logan.
No matter how well he plays for the Eagles next season, it's extremely unlikely that Jernigan be staying in Philadelphia long-term.
The Eagles have a league-high $44.1 million in salary cap money committed to their defensive line for 2017, including $25.9 million for Cox ($9.4 million), Vinny Curry ($9.0 million) and Brandon Graham ($7.5 million).
Next year, the combined cap number for those three will jump to $36.4 million, including $17.9 million for Cox.
"I haven't even thought that far (ahead)," Jernigan said. "I understand the situation (with the Eagles). But right now, my mind is on winning football games. The money part, that stuff will figure itself out. I'm not thinking about that. I just want to prove my point. I want to prove that I'm one of the best."
Why the Eagles would be willing to move back 25 spots in the third round of a critical draft for them to acquire what is likely a short-term defensive-tackle fix is a good question.
My guess? Despite their focus on building a long-term Super Bowl contender around quarterback Carson Wentz, it has dawned on them that, with the additions they've already made on offense, they can be a playoff contender in 2017 if they can put a little more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
The Eagles were very familiar with Jernigan. Vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas and assistant director of player personnel Andy Weidl were scouts with the Ravens when the team took him with the 48th overall pick in the '14 draft.
While Jernigan and Logan both are very good second-tier tackles, Jernigan brings more pass-rush ability to the table than Logan.
He had 13 sacks in three seasons with the Ravens, including five last year. Logan, who signed a one-year, $8 million deal with Kansas City last month, had 51/2 sacks in four seasons with the Eagles. Though, in fairness to him, the first three were spent playing mainly nose tackle in Bill Davis' two-gap 3-4 scheme.
Jernigan is excited about the prospect of playing for pass-rush-happy Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
"I'm ready, man," Jernigan said. "He told me this is going to be a big year for me. He said he has plans for me. So we'll see.
"I've been waiting to play in this type of scheme for a while. When I was at Florida State, we were more read-and-react. Then I went to Baltimore and we read a little bit there. Last year, we started attacking a little more and I had my best year.
"I've never played in a system like this where they want you to attack all the time. Where I've played before, they told you to keep the linebackers free (to make plays). This is kind of my first time being told, 'Go.' "
Jernigan insisted he's never heard anyone question his motor or attitude.
"Everybody I've played with knows I go hard," he said. "I'm going to prove that here. Everybody in this organization is going to know I'm a dawg. I don't stop."
Jernigan's playing time decreased in the second half of the season last season, mainly because of the emergence of undrafted rookie Michael Pierce.
Jernigan played 60-plus percent of the defensive snaps in eight of the Ravens' first nine games, but only once in the last seven. All five of his sacks came in the first nine games.
"I don't know what it was," he said. "I think part of it was I had a little stinger in my shoulder right around the time we played the Cowboys (in Week 11). That nagged me a couple of weeks.
"After that, I don't have a great explanation. I gave it everything I got. My coaches know that. The guys I played with know that.
"At the end of the day, I had the best year of my career. People don't want to mention that."
Playing alongside two-time All-Pro Cox definitely will benefit Jernigan.
"He's a dawg," Jernigan said. "People are going to double him. He's going to get attention. When you get attention with double-teams, it frees up people on the other side.
"I'm pretty confident that I can win one-on-ones. I feel confident I can beat double-teams sometimes. I think we're going to complement each other."
For a year at least.
@Pdomo Blog: philly.com/Eaglesblog