Eagles DT Jordan Davis has transformed his body. With improved conditioning, he aims to do more.
Davis is looking svelte after an offseason spent working on himself, as he'd like to make more of impact for the Eagles.
Before sitting down for his post-practice news conference on Thursday, a svelte Jordan Davis lifted his arms overhead and grabbed the back of his sweat-soaked No. 90 jersey.
“Should I take my shirt off so y’all can see it?” he said jokingly, slipping off the jersey to reveal a quarter-zip hoodie underneath.
Davis didn’t need to shed his shirts to show off his body transformation. Even while wearing both of his layers, the 25-year-old defensive tackle possesses a physique leaner than that of years past.
To make more of an impact on the Eagles’ defensive line in Milton Williams’ absence, Davis had to make a change. The team encouraged their 2022 No. 13 overall pick out of Georgia to come to camp at a weight between 330-339 pounds. Davis said he shed 26 pounds to reach 330 by “putting in the work” and cutting down on liquid calories.
Still, he said he hasn’t been hyperfixated on the number on the scale. Instead, he’s prioritizing how he feels on the football field now that the team is back in action.
“I just want to be conditioned,” Davis said. “I want to be out there.”
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And not just on first down and second-and-medium, although Davis still wants to be the anchor in the run game he has been since he entered the league. He said his weight loss hasn’t impacted his power — if anything, he noted, he feels like he got stronger in the offseason.
He also wants to bring the pass-rush juice on second-and-long and third down. Davis flashed some of that potential late last season, especially in the playoffs, when he picked up sacks in the NFC championship game and the Super Bowl.
No, this isn’t a new aspiration, as the Eagles have long sought to develop Davis as a pass rusher. But he expressed a sense of confidence that his newfound playing weight, one he hasn’t reached since sophomore year of college, can help him unlock his potential.
“It’s just allowing my body to be more fluid,” Davis said. “Allowing myself to move a little faster. My get-off’s a little faster. Staying low. Being in the position where you’re back doesn’t hurt too much because of that extra weight. I just feel a lot more in tune with my body. I can’t give all my secrets away. But it’s just little stuff like that. I definitely feel more comfortable at this weight than I did in the past with pass rushing.”
The opportunity is his to seize. Williams ascended as a pass rusher in 2024, taking advantage of the double-teams that Jalen Carter saw and getting after the quarterback. He translated his five-sack season into a payday with the New England Patriots, leaving a vacancy on the Eagles’ defensive line.
Davis won’t replace Williams one-for-one. Vic Fangio said Thursday that he envisions Williams’ snaps being replaced by committee, with Davis “playing more” than he did last season.
That role shouldn’t come as a surprise to Davis. Toward the end of last season, Davis said the team told him that they wanted him to play more snaps. While Fangio said Davis improved his conditioning throughout the season, his snaps decreased from 38.6% through the first 13 games to 26.2% in the last eight.
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Davis said he doesn’t have an estimate on how many snaps he’ll play in 2025, he just wants to be on the field as much as possible.
“Whatever’s required and whatever’s needed of me, I want to be on the field,” Davis said. “I don’t want to be a player that comes off every second-and-long. Every third down. I want to be able to make those plays and show the people what I’m capable of. Because being a one-trick pony, being a run-stopper, an anchor, that’s cool and all. But I want to be able to do more.”
Davis is still getting used to playing at his new weight and the outside scrutiny surrounding his body. While he called the attention “a little crazy,” he said he appreciates that the public can see his progress, too.
These days, Davis said he’s “living better.” He has more energy. His focus has improved. The sweltering sun of training camp doesn’t drain his battery as quickly as it did in the past.
The Eagles hope his transformation will translate on the football field. So does Davis, but he expressed an understanding that his improved health can have a positive impact off the field, too.
“Rome isn’t built in a day,” Davis said. “This has been a long time coming. Not even just for football, but just for life. I wanted to make these changes because it’s absolutely necessary.”