Eric Rowe has a new attitude toward preseason games.
And he'll need it.
A second-round pick in last year's draft, Rowe showed promise while starting the final five games last season and appeared to be on track for a starting spot this season, but he caught the hiccups during spring workouts and didn't take the field with the first team when training camp opened.
In fact, when discussing the Eagles’ cornerback situation early in camp, both Doug Pederson and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz neglected to mention Rowe's name.
Now, Rowe enters Thursday's preseason opener against the Buccaneers at the Linc on the third team. The starters are Leodis McKelvin and Ron Brooks — both of whom played under Schwartz in Buffalo. Veteran Nolan Carroll and rookie seventh-round pick Jalen Mills are on the second team.
So hiccups aside, Rowe somehow dropped on the depth chart without having played a game.
Which brings us to that newfound mindset.
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"Last year I didn't understand, kinda what's at stake in these preseason games ... jobs," Rowe said earlier this week after practice. "I was just out there like, it's a game. Now I know, use these preseason games to get ready for the regular season games because preseason games are the closest thing to game reps you can get. Definitely better than college. In college, you just start right off. You lose the first game — 'Oh well." At least these four games get you warmed up for how the NFL is going to be."
Rowe's been relegated to the third team without having played a game. The aforementioned hiccups occurred one of two ways. Pederson claimed Rowe had trouble learning the new defense. Rowe said the root of the problem isn't Jim Schwartz's system — "Playing corner is just playing corner," he said — but with the curl route.
"I really think it was that — issues with that route," said the wiry Rowe, who's 6-foot-1. "I'm so long, so it's a little bit tougher for me to kind of get my feet on the ground as quick as maybe someone who's like 5-10. That route I think for all long corners, quick hits and curl routes are kind of a weakness because you're so long."
It also didn't help that spring workouts are glorified games of touch football.
"When the pads come on," he said, "I can slow them up a little bit when they run those little hitches and curls, other than just having jerseys and shorts out there."
Rowe on Thursday will have the best chance to jump up the depth chart. Games mean much more than practice.
"Definitely," he said. "If you can do it live in game reps, what else do they want? If you can produce in the game, I don't know what else they want. If you ball out in a preseason game, that will overcome anything."
