Brandon Boykin has been a slot corner during Chip Kelly’s two seasons as the head coach in Philadelphia and he’s done the job well even though he’s frequently expressed a desire to see more playing time by getting a chance on the outside of the defense.
Boykin never got that chance last year even as Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams underperformed, but Kelly said in March that Boykin will have a chance to win playing time outside in 2015. That could help Boykin land a bigger contract for 2016 with his rookie deal expiring and Boykin said he plans to hold Kelly “accountable” to the promise of competition, although he doesn’t sound too optimistic that much will change.
“Probably the same. Just keeping it 100,” Boykin said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s two years running with this story and it’s getting real old for me, and I’m just going to continue to be the best slot in the NFL. I feel like I am. I feel like my statistics show that and that’s what I’m focused on. Outside - if they want me to play out there I will. But whatever they want it’s going to be, so there’s no need for me to worry about it.”
At 5-10, Boykin is the shortest corner on the Eagles roster and Kelly has shown a preference for bigger players at the position. They acquired several of them this offseason, which would seem to support Boykin’s feeling that he’ll be plying his trade in the slot once again this season. If he continues to thrive, 2016 may bring opportunities for a different role in a different uniform.