Eagles' Brandon Boykin is tired of slot CB role

By foxsports
Published

All Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Brandon Boykin wants to do is become a starting cornerback a the NFL level. Throughout the Eagles' OTA practices so far, Boykin remains on the sideline when the Eagles line up with their first team defense. As he enters the final year of his rookie contract, it's starting to become clear to him that he may be relegated to slot cornerback duties once again. Boykin doesn't fit head coach Chip Kelly's size requirement  for an outside cornerback, but despite this, he has undoubtedly been the Eagles' best cornerback since the 2013 season.

Over the last three seasons, Boykin has been relegated to slot cornerback duties. During the last two seasons, despite playing fewer than 50 percent of the snaps of a starting outside cornerback in the NFL, Boykin has graded out as one of the top cornerbacks in the lague--according to Pro Football Focus. In consecutive seasons, Boykin has allowed just three touchdowns in pass coverage and opposing quarterbacks have never had a higher passer rating than 77.2

Despite his exceptional performance on the field and within the same defensive scheme that the Eagles will roll out in 2015, Boykin does not expect his role to change much this year.

"Probably the same. Just keeping it 100," Boykin said Tuesday after practice, per The Philadelphia Daily Inquirer. "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.

Boykin was informed earlier this offseason that he would have a chance to compete for an outside cornerback spot.

"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.

However, Nolan Carroll has been working at outside cornerback with the Eagles' first team defense during OTAs, and he was the same cornerback who got the nod during a Week 17 matchup with the Giants last season that starter Bradley Fletcher did not play in.

Kelly's alleged requirements for the outside cornerback spot are no secret, even to the players. Boykin is well aware.

"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."

Boykin is determined to prove himself on the fold, and the rest is simply out of his hands.

"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."

In 2013, he finished as Pro Football Focus' 12th-best cornerback overall--even while limited to snaps only in the slot. If he can show that kind of dominance again, Kelly may have to finally fit the system to the player rather than the other way around.

(h/t Philly)

Photo Credit: Howard Smith/USA TODAY Sports