Should Boykin start? He makes his case again

Brandon Boykin majored in journalism at Georgia. He knows a good story. But the Eagles cornerback has grown tired of the running narrative that surrounds his quest to become a starter in the NFL.

He's talented and athletic, arguably the best slot corner in the NFL. But he's on the shorter side, or at least according to parameters set by the Eagles, and it probably has made cracking the starting lineup a difficult task as Boykin enters his fourth season.

So when he was asked if he thought he would get the opportunity to start outside - as Chip Kelly said he would in March - or that his role would remain the same, Boykin said he expected another chapter in the slot.

"Probably the same. Just keeping it 100," he said Tuesday after practice. "It's two years running with this story and it's getting real old for me, and I'm just going to continue to be the best slot in the NFL. I feel like I am. I feel like my statistics show that and that's what I'm focused on.

"Outside - if they want me to play out there I will. But whatever they want it's going to be, so there's no need for me to worry about it."

There's nothing wrong with being the best slot cornerback, but Boykin has higher aspirations. He wants to play every down. His contract is up after this season and he obviously would like to be well compensated. But playing time will impact his value as a free agent.

Boykin said he met with Kelly during the offseason and asked the Eagles coach what expectations he had for him.

"Everybody knows it's the last year of my contract," Boykin said. "And he said, 'I'm looking for you to compete for that outside spot.' So that's what he said. He's the coach, he's a man of his word and I'm going to hold him accountable to that just like he does us.

"I'm going to go out there and ball and do what I'm supposed to do and then once camp hits we'll see who outperforms whoever."

If Boykin sounds cynical it may be because he played alongside starters Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher for two seasons, and despite their struggles - especially Fletcher's - he was never inserted for either.

When Fletcher missed last year's season finale against the New York Giants (or was benched), Nolan Carroll got the nod. Even when Carroll left with an injury, Boykin stayed in the slot and rookie Jaylen Watkins took over outside.

"I asked about that," Boykin said. "Honestly, as a player, I wanted to be on the outside."

Boykin said he was told that it was best to keep him inside because the Giants employed so many three- and four-receiver sets.

Nevertheless, when the offseason rolled around and Williams was released and Fletcher left via free agency, the Eagles spent considerably on replacing the two and continued the process of overhauling the group into one that consists mostly of tall, long-armed corners.

Byron Maxwell (6-foot-1) signed a $63 million contract and is penciled in at one starting spot. Eric Rowe (6-1) was drafted in the second round. JaCorey Shepherd (5-11) and Randall Evans (6-0) were drafted in the sixth round. Veteran E.J. Biggers (6-0) signed a one-year deal.

Carroll (6-0) returns and has been starting alongside Maxwell this spring. Boykin, listed at 5-10, is the shortest cornerback remaining on the roster.

"I think here they have certain requirements. I think we should be honest and call it what it is," Boykin said. "Maybe they want a taller guy to be outside and that's what their preference is just to start the standard. And I'm sure there are some exceptions. There's a reason why I'm still here."

But the reason could just be that the Eagles like him only inside where he sees mostly smaller receivers. Boykin said that he disagreed with the notion that the NFL is trending toward rangier cornerbacks, but not one of the four cornerbacks drafted in the first round last month, for instance, was listed at shorter than 6 feet.

"Measurements and all that - it helps, I'm sure, in certain situations - fade balls and jump balls," Boykin said. "But if you have the athleticism and quickness to play outside it doesn't matter."

And Boykin, who has a 40-inch-plus vertical leap, has both. It became apparent during 2013 training camp. That's when "Boykin should start" first became a "story." But the coaches never moved him ahead of Williams or Fletcher even after he recorded a team-high six interceptions in half the time.

He finished with only one interception last season, but Boykin said he had become a more complete corner.

"This year, I guarantee will be even better," he said. "I feel way better than I did last year. I was battling a hamstring from like the second game all the way throughout the season. . . . This offseason, did yoga, did a lot of stuff just to get my body right and I feel like I did in 2013."

If it isn't enough to win a starting spot, it should help the Eagles win. It may not aid his free agency plans, but Boykin turns just 25 in July. His story is far from over.