Why ‘Juice’ Has Different Meanings For Eagles’ Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith Breakout Potential

PHILADELPHIA − It’s spring, so naturally you’ll hear players say they’re in the best shapes of their lives, and that they’re ready to have a breakout season.

It was no different when Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis said just that last week, and that he has cut out the juice to lose weight. So did edge rusher Nolan Smith, who said he’s bringing the juice.

Of course, we’re talking about two different meanings for juice as the Eagles get ready for a mandatory three-day minicamp beginning Tuesday, the first such camp as Nick Sirianni enters his fourth season as head coach.

After this week, the Eagles will be off until training camp starts in late July.

But it’s a promising sign that Davis said he feels svelte at 350 pounds on his 6-foot-6 frame, admitting that he weighed more than that last season.

The biggest difference?

“Really just diet, cutting out the juice and stuff,” Davis said. “Just making minor changes to lifestyle. You know, being more active in my lifestyle. If I have a day off, making sure I’ll do something active, walking outside, going outside, getting into backpacking, just going on little hikes and stuff like that, trying to be more as one with nature and stuff.”

Smith said he feels energized, saying in today’s parlance that he plans to “bring the juice” to get his teammates going. But Smith also said that he is in fact drinking more juice to bulk up to 245 pounds from his playing weight of 238 last year while not compromising his speed to rush the quarterback.

“I feel like I’ve got to be an energy guy,” Smith said. “One, because I’m young, and two, I do got a lot of juice. I got some to give and for people to feed off me, like, ‘You may be coming in with a bad day, but you’re gonna see Nolan smiling up, giddy and excited to be here.’”

It’s easy to be skeptical.

After all, Davis knew last offseason that he had to be in better shape compared to his rookie year in 2022. For the most part, Davis accomplished that as he had the first sacks of his career, finishing with 2.5.

But Davis didn’t have any sacks in the final 11 games of the season despite playing 45% of the snaps, and he admittedly wore down towards the end of the season.

This season, the Eagles are expecting much more from Davis with Fletcher Cox announcing his retirement. Even last season, at 33 years old, Cox was the steadiest defensive tackle over the course of the season. He had 5 sacks and led the defensive tackles by playing 59% of the snaps.

Rookie Jalen Carter led the unit with 6 sacks, but he too admitted that he wore down late in the season. And like Davis, Carter said he devoted himself to getting into better shape.

“(Cox) is not here anymore,” Davis said. “It’s us. So we can’t sit there and think about if Fletch was here and blah, blah, blah. God knows we love him. But you know, at the end of day, we have to go out and we have to make sure that we put our best foot forward and we continue that.

“Like I said, nobody’s coming to save us. So what you gonna do? What we gonna do?”

It’s similar with Smith.

He played sparingly as a rookie first-round pick (No. 30 overall) last year, finishing with 1 sack while stuck behind a veteran rotation consisting of Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett until he was released late in the season.

But Reddick was traded to the Jets and replaced by free agent Bryce Huff. Graham recently turned 36 years old, and Sweat’s production dropped from 2022. So there are opportunities for Smith to assume a bigger role this season.

“You know, it’s a learning curve,” Smith said. “A lot of people think you’re supposed to come into the league and dominate, and do all of this and that. I have the same hopes and dreams that everyone has for me. I want to get 10-plus sacks and do all of that.

“But realistically, it’s a learning curve. These guys have been in here for 15 years, these guys been in here for a long time.”

And maybe, if Smith brings more juice while Davis stays off it, both players can have breakout seasons.

4 more young players with breakout potential after OTAs

Isaiah Rodgers, cornerback: The Eagles signed Rodgers last summer after he was suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. Despite missing all of last season, Rodgers has looked sharp as the first-team cornerback while James Bradberry has been away. He had a pick-6 on QB Jalen Hurts last Thursday, jumping a short over the middle pass for Saquon Barkley.

Kelee Ringo, cornerback: Don’t sleep on the second-year player. While much of the talk is about 2024 draftees Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, Ringo did get plenty of experience last season and mostly acquitted himself well. In his first practice in front of the media last week, Ringo broke up a deep pass intended for Parris Campbell.

Cam Jurgens, center: It’s way too early to get a gauge on how Jurgens will fare replacing Jason Kelce at center since the Eagles have only been in shorts during the OTAs. But all reports so far are promising.

Jalen Carter, defensive tackle: It would be remiss not to consider Carter a breakout candidate after a strong start to his rookie year. Carter said he fell victim to the rookie wall. And like Davis, Carter said he, too, has devoted most of the offseason to conditioning.

Martin Frank

Why ‘juice’ has different meanings for Eagles’ Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith breakout potential