The Philadelphia Eagles added some more depth to their linebacker corps earlier this week by signing veteran free agent Paul Worrilow to a one-year contract.

In order to better get to know the Eagles’ new defender, I thought it’d benefit BGN readers to get some inside perspective on Worrilow. In order to do that, I reached out to Jeremy Reisman (@DetroitOnLion) of Pride Of Detroit and Cory Woodroof (@CoryWoodroof47) of The Falcoholic. Here’s what they had to say about the former Lions and Falcons linebacker.

LIONS PERSPECTIVE

1 - Can you recap his year in Detroit?

Worrilow was signed as a free agent to help deal with the release of DeAndre Levy. He was mostly assumed to be a depth and special teams player, especially after the Lions drafted Jarrad Davis in the first round. However, he took on a pretty significant role in 2017. He was essentially the team’s starting strongside linebacker--a position the Lions only use about 30-40 percent of the time. He also filled in as the middle linebacker when Davis suffered a concussion. His play was mostly forgettable, but he did offer some valuable contributions on special teams.

2 - Did Lions fans want the team to re-sign Worrilow? Did they care either way?

Lions fans decidedly did NOT want Worrilow to return in 2018. We ran a poll in January, and a whopping 89 percent of fans didn’t want the Lions to re-sign him. With a complete change in the Lions’ defensive coaching staff, a Worrilow return was extremely unlikely anyways.

3 - What are his strengths?

Worrilow’s strengths are his versatility and his smarts. Those both worked together nicely in Detroit, as he was able to step into any position the Lions needed help at. As a five-year veteran now, Worrilow knows the game well enough to jump into any position and not look completely out of place.

4 - What are his weaknesses?

His weaknesses are widespread, unfortunately. He doesn’t look all that athletic next to his peers, he’s consistently beat in coverage and despite his football intelligence, he never seems to be able to put himself in positions to make any impact plays.

5 - Anything to know about him off the field?

In his short time in Detroit, we didn’t really get a feeling of Worrilow’s personality off the field, but our friends at The Falcoholic described him as “a leader and a locker room guy,” “an all around great dude” and “has the best attitude you could hope for.”

I can’t confirm or deny those things, but I can confirm that his daughter is adorable and his Instagram account is filled with cute videos of them together.

FALCONS PERSPECTIVE

1 - Can you recap his career with the Falcons?

Paul Worrilow came into the league as a great story. He was an undrafted LB out of Delaware, and rose from the ranks of nowhere to eventually earn a starting linebacker spot with the Falcons. But, sure enough, as time went on, his limitations as a football began to catch up with his motor and heart. He got a lot of playing time in his first three seasons in Atlanta, but, if we’re being up front, that time came on some lackluster defenses. Once Atlanta landed Deion Jones in 2016, Worrilow transitioned into a rotational role. Once his contract ran out, the Falcons went elsewhere for depth, and the former UDFA headed up to Detroit, where he had a similar run to what he did with the Falcons in ‘16. >

2 - How did Falcons fans feel when he left last year? Was there any interest in bringing him back as a free agent this offseason?

If we’re being rather blunt, no one was waving handkerchiefs at his departure. Most fans saw him as easily replaceable, and well, uh, he kind of was at the end of the day. He’s a great special teamer, so the team did miss that contribution, as they did his leadership (more on that in a second). While most Atlanta fans would’ve started throwing things if the Falcons had brought him back, I’ll confess -- I wouldn’t have been against it. Atlanta could’ve gained from bringing him back in a reserve role, and as a core special teamer. But, again, that wasn’t exactly a popular idea.

3 - What are his strengths?

Worrilow’s got all the “football intangibles” coaches love to laud on players, and he backs it up with how he conducts himself. He’s going to be one of the best guys in Philadelphia’s locker room, and do whatever he’s asked to help you win. I admire Worrilow a lot for the way he carried himself once Deion Jones got to town. He didn’t balk at losing his starting role to a rookie, nor did he stand aloof to the side as the new guy developed. He helped Jones along to be the starter he is now, and that shows a lot of character. That’s a definite strength in my book. He’s got a lot of drive and a good motor, and will always give you what he’s got to give. He is a solid tackler, is smart, has got starting experience, and is a sound special teamer. He also wasn’t half-bad as a blitzer when given the opportunity.

4 - What are his weaknesses?

Ah, well, he’s just not built to start as a middle linebacker in today’s NFL. He’s just not very athletic, or fast, or good in coverage. That, well, doesn’t translate to success when trying to play the run, or in covering a tight end. He’s not really cut out to man the position full-time, but it’s really not anything he can control. If he could, he would. His physical limitations just catch up to him, like they do with a lot of guys. If he’s starting for the Eagles, it means someone is hurt. He might not play all that bad for a game or two, but a full season is a different scenario. It’s not that he won’t try really hard; he’ll just take his lumps.

5 - Anything to know about him off the field?

He’ll be an instant face in the community, and will likely do a lot of great charity work with the organization. Again, he’s all positives in terms of the kind of person he is, and what he’ll bring to the Eagles off the field and in the locker room. It’s just not going to provide a whole lot in-game outside of depth and good special teams play.