A.J. Epenesa’s first training camp with the Eagles has already forced him into unfamiliar territory, and so far the new assignment is coming with a learning curve and a little payoff.
After spending his first six NFL seasons as a defensive end with the Buffalo Bills, Epenesa is now listed as an outside linebacker in Vic Fangio’s defense. That shift means more than just a different label. It also means dropping into coverage, something he never had to do in Buffalo.
“A little awkward. A little awkward at first,” Epenesa said this week.
“But as these reps build up and I’m starting to see. Having my eyes in the right spot is huge.”
The adjustment has not stopped him from making plays. In the second practice of camp, Epenesa intercepted a tipped pass, an early sign that the new role is already producing results.
He sounds fully bought in, too.
“One hundred percent,” Epenesa said. “This is definitely something new.
Going into Year 7, I don’t know how often many guys change systems like this, this late into their career. But it’s just another challenge, another hurdle I’m confident I can overcome.”
That confidence has not gone unnoticed. After just the first practice of camp, Fangio was already impressed.
“I told A.J. this, and I told him to him in front of the whole team too,” Fangio said. “For a guy that's being asked to do a few things that he's never done before, I thought he did a nice job yesterday with it. It was very encouraging.”
The Bills drafted Epenesa in the second round, No. 54 overall, in 2020 out of Iowa, one pick after the Eagles selected Jalen Hurts. Over his first six seasons, he appeared in 91 games with 19 starts, collected 24 sacks and built a reputation as a sturdy run defender.
His route to Philadelphia also included an odd offseason detour. Epenesa was set to join the Cleveland Browns before that deal fell apart after he took a physical. He called it a “weird situation” on Tuesday.
“I don’t necessarily want to go back and talk on that,” Epenesa said. “I’ll just leave that in the past and just be happy that I’m not a Brown and that I’m an Eagle.”
The Eagles’ edge group has its own shape to it. Jonathan Greenard is expected to sit at the top of the rotation, though he has missed the first six days of practice because of a pec strain suffered before camp. Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith are battling for a starting spot and figure to play major roles, and the team also added Arnold Ebiketie in free agency.
Epenesa’s size gives him a different kind of value in that mix. At 6-6 and 260 pounds, he’s the biggest edge rusher on the roster and could help anchor the run defense while still bringing pass-rush ability.
That fits the way he sees the room.
“We said something in the meeting the other day,” Epenesa said. “We’re not all of the same skill but we are all of the same mind.
Everyone’s got different ability. Someone’s taller, someone’s longer, someone’s a little more powerful.
We all may have different things that we do well but we’re all of the same mind. The mission is the same, the execution, the job is still the same.”
Even before this camp, Epenesa had shown some ball skills. In his career, he has 21 batted passes and four interceptions, despite never being asked to drop into coverage with the Bills. He’s already flashed that ability in Philadelphia, and he believes there’s more where that came from.
“I’ve always been pretty confident in my hands,” Epenesa said. “I’ve always been confident.
We work on it every day. I am working on it, but you’ve got to believe in them to catch it.”
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