Jordan Davis feeling confidence boost in new body after strong Week 1
After Jalen Carter was ejected from the Eagles’ opener, Jordan Davis ended up playing almost the entire game against the Cowboys.
All that conditioning work in the offseason paid off.
“Very much so,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “I don’t think he could have played that amount of snaps as well as he did previously.”
Davis, the former first-round pick, began to really work on his conditioning during last season but kicked it into high gear this offseason. He shed 26 pounds and became a much slimmer, in-shape version of himself. In the opener, he played 53 snaps for a career-high 87% of the Eagles’ defensive plays.
He agreed with Fangio’s assessment.
“Oh yeah, for sure. Obviously,” Davis said. “I think about my rookie, my second year, that would have been a very tough game for me if I had to go out there and play all those snaps. That’s no surprise, that’s no secret. Just going out there and working. Y’all see the hard works that’s been going in.
“My body is changing. I look good. I hope I look good. But my body is changing, I feel great and it’s more about the feeling. I feel great going out on the field. I feel like I’m capable.”
Not only did Davis play 53 snaps against the Cowboys but he played well, especially with a couple of pressures in Dak Prescott’s face. One of the benefits of all this conditioning work is that Davis will be able to play in all situations, not just early downs.
When asked if that was the best game of his career, Davis said he would “leave that up to other people.”
But there’s no doubt that Davis’s Week 1 performance is encouraging. And being in better shape and being able to play more snaps boosts the confidence of the 25-year-old defensive tackle.
“It does,” Davis said. “Because I know the more I’m on the field, the more I’m able to contribute and that just helps me be a better player. My thing is just contribution. I don’t really care if that’s taking a double-team, getting a tackle, getting a sack, it doesn’t matter. I just want to be out there and play. I just want to have fun with the guys, enjoy it and just pull out the win.”
This is Year 4 for Davis at a position where it can often take some time for players to adjust to the NFL. The Eagles already picked up his fifth-year option for the 2026 season, so it’s not like Davis is in a contract year. But this season is a big opportunity for the former No. 13 overall pick out of Georgia.
Against the Cowboys in the opener, Davis tied a career-high with 6 combined tackles, to go along with a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a couple QB pressures. It’s not like we’re ready to put Davis in the Pro Bowl, but it was a good start.
And Davis only has that start because he was able to play 53 snaps comfortably.
“This is what we’ve been preparing for all offseason,” he said. “I’m sure y’all see the journey. Y’all been a part of it. You obviously know it’s been the utmost concern, just getting ready, getting conditioned and being ready. At the end of the day, I just want to do what I can to help the team. Whether it’s playing 2 snaps or 200. I’m ready to be out there, I’m ready to play.”
Jordan Davis feeling confidence boost in new body after strong Week 1
