Eagles' Tapp making presence felt on D-line

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - When the Eagles acquired Darryl Tapp in a March trade, the former Seahawk was seen as a quick and versatile defensive end who could harass quarterbacks.

But the rapid rise of Brandon Graham and strong training camp showing by Trevor Laws has made Tapp something of an afterthought so far in Lehigh.

As Tapp has adjusted to a different defensive system, Graham has wowed coaches and fans with his turbo-charged pass rush, and Laws has won raves for his off-season work and ability to penetrate the middle of the offensive line.

Laws has recently been working with the first team in the nickel formation, taking over a role that Tapp held earlier in camp.

Laws' presence in the nickel, along with speedsters Graham, Trent Cole and Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, adds a big-bodied tackle to the formations's quick front line. Laws is listed at 304 pounds, 34 pounds heavier than Tapp.

Coach Andy Reid recently said Laws was among the team's best pass-rushing defensive tackles.

Added defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, "Trevor is having a really good camp, so if you keep playing well, you're going to move up."

In passing situations, McDermott is looking for a push up the gut to collapse the pocket while Cole and Graham fly in from their end positions.

"The push up the middle, with our speed on the edge, is important," McDermott said. "When the quarterback does feel like he wants to step up, he's got somebody in his face all the while."

Laws played mainly on first and second downs in his first two years with the Eagles, concentrating on holding the line and stuffing the run. Now, in nickel situations, his focus is on pressing forward and penetrating the offensive line.

"I've had to kind of fine tune my techniques a little bit and work my pass rush a lot more," said Laws, who has yet to notch an NFL sack after being drafted 47th overall in 2008.

Tapp, meanwhile, arrived with 18 sacks over his first four seasons when he came to the Eagles in exchange for Chris Clemons and a 2010 fourth-round draft pick.

Small but quick off the ball, Tapp has had to adapt to different terminology and techniques with the Eagles. Both he and coaches described his adjustment as a work in progress.

"He's under the umbrella of continuing to learn how to do things here and adapting to our schemes," McDermott said.

In Seattle, for example, Tapp played with his outside hand on the ground. If he rushed to the inside, it took three steps before he reached the lineman and had to make a move. Here, Tapp said, he puts his inside hand down and can get on top of a lineman in one step.

It changes the footwork he must employ while trying to reach the quarterback. Even where things might be similar, the teams use different terminology.

"Myself and [defensive line coach Rory Segrest] will be saying the same thing, but we'll be saying it differently," Tapp said. "But because he's the coach, he's saying it right."

Tapp said he is improving, and he has shown some positive signs in recent days. Overshadowed by the more high-profile stories in camp, he has quietly recorded at least two would-be "sacks" in the last three days.

"Getting better everyday," Tapp said Sunday.

Coaches still say good things about him. McDermott praised Tapp's intelligence and versatility and his quick movement from the snap.

"We like what he brings to the table from a pass-rush stand point," McDermott said.

Even if he is not a starter in either the base defense or nickel package, Tapp could see playing time since Reid often touts the importance of rotating his defensive line and having eight or nine players ready to go.

As with other new Eagles, one of the best measures of Tapp's adjustment to Philadelphia, and Laws' surge, will come Friday, when the team plays its first preseason game, against the Jaguars.

Until now, both have been going against an Eagles line beset by injuries.

"We'll know a lot more after the Jacksonville game," McDermott said.