Jim Washburn Instills New "Wide-9 Technique" on Defensive Line

The Philadelphia Eagles new defensive line coach Jim Washburn has provided some very valuable insight to what Eagles fans can expect the defensive line to look like in 2011.

Pending a new collective bargaining agreement (can you hand me that bucket please?), and Washburn's plan has to have defensive end Trent Cole salivating at Washburn’s vision.

The new technique isn’t something that Jim Washburn just rummaged up but it is entirely new to the Eagles defensive line and it’s called the “Wide-9 technique”.

In this technique the defensive ends line up outside of the tackles and relies on speed and skill, with an emphasis on speed, rather than using a combination of pass rush techniques

With Trent Cole able to get a good head of steam behind him before he makes initial contact with the offensive line he is going to dazzle spectators both near and far. But just in case a tackle does get in his way Cole has more than enough experience using hand technique’s to get around his opponent.

One source pointed out that Titans DE Jason Babin had a great season in 2010 recording 12.5 QB sacks utilizing this technique under Washburn. That total more than doubled his career year total back in 2006 when he recorded just five sacks.

Speaking of Jason Babin who was already reported to be interested in making a return to Philly, I wonder how much more interested he would be now that the same scheme he exceled in with the Titans has been implemented into the Eagles way of life.

But Trent Cole isn’t the only one to benefit from Washburn’s presence, it will appear that way but everyone on the D-line will be greatly impacted as well learning things they can carry through their entire careers.

The young players have the most to gain in my opinion, we all know Brandon Graham is going to learn a wealth of knowledge from his new sensei but I’m curious if Ricky Sapp will also be utilized more with his speed under this new technique.

The list goes on and on but the simple fact is that every single player on the Eagles roster when training camp rolls around, if it rolls around, can be the next surprise player for the Birds.

I for one can’t wait to see what this change in the defensive line has in store for the Eagles defense as a whole.

How many more turnovers will be created by a more frequently pressured QB? How many quarterback sacks could the defense register?

Finally, were does this unit potentially rank among the other 31 teams in the NFL?

I don’t know but I can’t wait to find out!

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