Kamu Grugier-Hill knows the drill all too well, as a linebacker who’s on the cusp of gaining a starting role, only to have another name get the nod. The Eagles don’t have a star at linebacker, but in Nigel Bradham and Zach Brown, they have two blue-collar ballplayers, who bring consistency each and every Sunday. Behind them are undrafted free agents T.J. Edwards and Joey Alfieri, rookies who could be starting by the beginning of next season. Somewhere in that log jam of talents stands Grugier-Hill.
Versatility is key on this team, and Grugier-Hill just might be the most versatile of the lot. Can that versatility translate into a role as a starter at linebacker is a whole different question?
Eagles linebacker coach Ken Flajole said that the 25-year-old is just getting hitting his stride, and according to Les Bowen of The Inquirer.com, that could translate into more than just a special teams role.
“He’s shown a lot of good growth. He’s made incremental progress, I think, every year that we’ve had him here. I fully expect him to be able to take the next step and be more than just a special teams guy and a spot player on defense. I’d like to think that he could be a real factor for us.”
The dilemma for Grugier-Hill is that the Eagles play nickel or dime packages most of the time, so even if he is extremely talented, the Birds only play two linebackers at a time and at 6-foot-2, 230, that may only mean third downs for the speedy linebacker.
