It's Brains That Makes Walter Thurmond A Key To Eagles' Season
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — Eagles coach Chip Kelly likes smart players. The kind that pick things up quickly, see plays unfold in their head before they develop on the field. It's why Kelly snatched up his former Oregon player Walter Thurmond and why Kelly is taking the chance in putting Thurmond back at safety, a position he's never played before in a live game at any level.
Kelly believes in Thurmond. So does Eagles' defensive coordinator Billy Davis. But most of all, Thurmond believes in himself and is ready for this challenging step. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound six-year NFL veteran knows he can do it.
"It's been a good transition, because there are a lot of similarities from playing nickel so I'm not a stranger to the safety role," Thurmond said. "We can play sides [at safety]. Sometimes I'm the strong safety, sometimes I'm the free safety. We base things more on sides than defined roles. I'm in the middle of the field, and I've had practice with other teams during camp, with the [New York] Giants and Seattle Seahawks being able to play the middle of the field. It's not like it's something new for me. I've been able to go against some great quarterbacks in both of those situations. Here, I've been able to move forward.
"I've never played safety in a live game, not even in high school. I have to say that. But I know I can do it. I played the middle of the field many times in practice. I realize the game speed is a little different than practice speed. I have played in some of the biggest games and my experience is there. I'm not worried about transitioning to a new position."
Thurmond is in a different vision position on the field, as opposed to cornerback, placing his concerns in one small area of the field. Now he has the whole field to survey and watch.
"If we're playing certain coverages, my eyes are trained on whatever coverage we're in," Thurmond said. "There is a lot of similarities when I was in nickel coverage. The new aspect will be playing the middle of the field and reading more of the quarterback and play peripheral vision. I think I've done a good job of that in practice and not have anything thrown over my head. But we haven't really been tested at practice that some guys might take those shots. But usually when a quarterback sees a mid-field safety, the quarterback isn't going to throw the ball down the middle of the field. It's going to be a 2-on-1 matchup. It will be interesting once we start playing the games."
Thurmond is playing at the highest level. He's still learning.
"You're always learning in football and the NFL, and it doesn't matter how long you've been in the league, until your name is in Canton, Ohio, you have to be able and willing to still learn," Thurmond said. "The game is constantly changing and evolving. You have guys in this league 15 years that have to adapt. They have to learn the spread offense. You have to humble yourself. You always have to think that you can get better. Malcolm Jenkins has been a big help to me. The days of the 230-pound safety guys in the box are starting to diminish, because they have to keep up with little quick guys that are my weight. The game is evolving from big corners and smaller safeties.
"In this defense, you have to be vocal and understanding what a quarterback is going to do. You have to progress at the next level and that's huge in this defense."
