Through the first nine games of the year, first-year Eagle, and Pro Bowl cornerback, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie manned the nickel cornerback position. The decision to move him inside relegated longtime nickel-man Joselio Hanson to the infrequently used dime position.
Now, with Rodgers-Cromartie sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, Hanson is taking advantage of his opportunity to return to his former role.
"I have a lot of experience making plays in the slot," he said. "I want to show the coaches that I belong in this position and make it hard for them to take it from me.
This Sunday, the Eagles hope to carry the momentum from Sunday night's win over the Giants when they host the Patriots. Hanson will play a huge role going up against New England's Wes Welker, who leads the league with 72 catches for 1,006 yards entering the Patriots' Monday night showdown against Kansas City.
"Our upcoming game against the New England Patriots will be a great chance for me to show what I can do against one of the best slot receivers in the league, Wes Welker."
The seven-year veteran has made a living specializing in the often-overlooked defensive position. As a nickel back, Hanson lines up across from the opposing team's slot receiver in three-wide receiver sets.
The position requires a unique skill set because there is no sideline boundary towards which to lead a receiver. Offensive players in the slot can go just about anywhere on the field, and, therefore, the defender matched up against them must be ready for just about anything.
"As a nickel corner, you have to be tough and you have to tackle well," said Hanson, who had five total tackles against the Giants. "You have to be a great thinker, because you're thinking on the run."
Hanson began his career as an outside corner, but upon his arrival in Philadelphia in 2006, late defensive coordinator Jim Johnson began to mold him into a nickel corner. Early on, it was tough for the 5-9 corner, who admitted that he "had no idea what he was doing" early on. Rodgers-Cromartie is now making the same transition.
Despite the fact that Hanson has been itching to get back to his preferred role all season long, he knows that Rodgers-Cromartie could use his help in transitioning inside and has taken the former first-round pick under his wing this season.
"Joselio is a guy who fits really well in the slot," said Rodgers-Cromartie. "It's his natural position. I ask him for pointers sometimes, but a lot of times he comes over to me and correct a mistake I just made on the field. I respect him a lot, because I know that he feels like he should be out there full-time, so to help me the way he has shows how good his character is."
Hanson is team-first player who "wants everybody to play well." If that means coaching up the guy ahead of him on the depth chart, he'll do it because it could be the difference between wins and losses for an Eagles team that needs all the W's it can get.
"I always give Dominique advice when he needs it," Hanson said. "He's a lot longer than I am, so he's able to jam the receivers at the line a little better than I am. He's a good player and he's improving."
Rodgers-Cromartie, too, feels like he is getting more and more comfortable in his new position. He's confident that with time he'll master the position the same way Hanson did.
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