04 January 2024 , 12:52
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The Philadelphia Eagles have been advised to bench their first-round draft pick, who's been labelled as 'overweight' and 'out of shape'.
Jordan Davis, chosen by the 2023 Super Bowl runners-up at No. 13 in the 2022 NFL Draft, has come under fire for his physical condition.
Former NFL offensive lineman and leading analyst Brian Baldinger gave a harsh critique on the PHLY Eagles podcast, saying: "It is clear that [he] is out of shape.
"I gotta believe they fine him every week. He's overweight, and it shows. He's not pursuing the ball, he's nothing in the pass rush. So if he's going to play with the effort and be overweight like that, then you think that they're a man short in rotation.
"He's not effective right now, they need another guy inside in their defensive tackle rotation. I'm not sure why he keeps dressing, he's ineffective. When plays are going on, he's basically walking on the field, it's bad effort."
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The Eagles have been struggling lately, losing four out of their last five games, dropping from 10-1 and the best record in the league just a few weeks ago to 11-5 and having to rely on a wildcard spot in the play-offs. Their defense is a big part of why they're not doing so well, most notably in Week 17's surprise defeat to the Arizona Cardinals.
Despite missing star receiver Marquise Brown, Kyler Murray and the Cardinals managed to score four touchdowns in the second half and win 35-31, with the Eagles falling short on a last gasp 'Hail Mary' play from quarterback Jalen Hurts.
They have one final regular season game to put things right, when they travel to face the New York Giants on Sunday, hoping to gain some positivity before the post season.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis has been criticized by a former player (Getty Images)Eagles coach Nick Sirianni knows his team needs to improve quickly, especially with the playoffs coming up. "We have to get things fixed and we have to get them fixed fast," he said.
He also emphasised the importance of sticking together as a team. "We win as a team, we lose as a team, and together is the most important thing we can be right now. We're in the playoffs -- a lot of teams want to be in the playoffs. We still can do some things here and our goals are still in front of us."
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