Doug Pederson: Stephen Tulloch 'Competing' For Starting Middle Linebacker
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — Eagles' coach Doug Pederson confirmed the signing of free agent linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who reportedly signed for a one-year deal on Sunday worth $3 million, with $1.75 million guaranteed.
"He'll be in later tonight and obviously he's familiar with coach [defensive coordinator Jim] Schwartz's defense, and at the same time he's coming in and competing for that linebacker spot in the middle and it's just unfortunate with the loss of Joe [Walker, to a torn ACL] with depth to fill that spot. We have to see where [Tulloch's] health is when he gets here."
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Pederson was a little ambiguous when it came to where exactly the veteran linebacker will fit. Tulloch had offseason surgery and though he led Detroit with 107 tackles in 2015, he is coming off his least productive season with the Lions.
Will Tulloch compete with middle linebacker Jordan Hicks for the starting spot?
"He's competing, he's competing for the spot," Pederson said of Tulloch. "Right now, Jordan is the starter, but it goes without saying that every position, with the loss of Joe right now, we needed a linebacker. Could [Jordan play a different spot], he's athletic enough. But that's not the plan."
This is the fourth former player of Schwartz that the Eagles have signed. Tulloch will join the Schwartz trio of Nigel Bradham, Leodis McKelvin and Ron Brooks, who all played for Schwartz in Buffalo.
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"Jim's had great successes with defenses in the National Football League and his players always play at a high level," Pederson said. "Anytime offensively, defensively, even special teams, when you can grab a player that you've worked with in the past, that knows your terminology and knows your system, and it's no different with Chase Daniel on offense with me, it just helps. It helps the overall learning and overall process of the defense."
Pederson said Walker had been playing very well until he went down in the Pittsburgh game on Thursday with the season-ending injury. It's what prompted the Tulloch signing.
Pederson didn't rule out Tulloch playing at least on one special teams unit. But overall, it looks like Tulloch is a backup and safety gap if Hicks goes down.
Tulloch is essentially a run stuffer, whose days as a three-down linebacker seem over. He's listed at 5-11, 230 pounds, but he may not have the athleticism and speed to cover tight ends or running backs down field.
