Ron Darby Has Strong Day At Practice
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Ron Darby admits he still has a lot more to learn, but he looked awfully good on an overcast Monday during Eagles' training camp. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound broke up some passes and seems to be picking up the Eagles' defensive system.
"I still have a lot more to learn, but each day I'm learning more and more," said Darby, 23, who in two years with Buffalo has two interceptions and 121 tackles. He has two years left on a four-year, $4.56 million contract. "I'm getting help from the safeties and corners, Jalen Mills, they're all helping me."
A few pass break-ups stirred the crowd watching at the NovaCare Complex into applause. Darby said he blocked that out, concentrating more on what he has to do to fit in here with the Eagles.
"Confidence really (is the key to being an above-average) cornerback," Darby said. "You're going to make mistakes. I'm blessed with speed, so I can get myself out of a lot of situations. I'm more patient because I trust my speed. At the end of the day, it's confidence and technique. You have to be locked in. Splits tell you a lot. There is a lot you have to learn.
"You learn more each day. I'm in the meeting rooms a lot. I'm not out of the locker room until like around nine or 10 at night."
Darby admits his sophomore season was a down year.
"I'm going to push past that, I'm going to look ahead toward the future," Darby said. "I was playing left (in Buffalo), but I can play both sides, really. We had a lot of different safeties behind me last year."
Darby was a second-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2015, after the Eagles selected Eric Rowe. He had a very good rookie season, which was inconsistent last year. If the Eagles have a glaring weakness right now, it's at corner. Darby now joins Mills, veteran Patrick Robinson, who seems worn down and his legs shot this training camp, rookie Rasul Douglas and CJ Smith. No one has really stood out this preseason. But Darby's fine day could mean some hope to a vital area on the field.
