Release of Will Parks Should Mean More Playing Time for K'Von Wallace, Marcus Epps

Eagles DC Jim Schwartz said he is confident in the group, which also inlcudes Grayland Arnold and Jalen Mills, who is getting more comfortable at safety

PHILADELPHIA – Will Parks could have gone elsewhere in the offseason and made more money. Probably earned more playing time, too.

He wanted to play for his hometown team, though.

It didn’t work out the way he and the Eagles had hoped. Parks, who signed him to a one-year contract as a free agent in the offseason, got hurt in training camp and missed the first five games of the season. He never could quite catch up and was released on Tuesday.

“We appreciate what Will did for us,” said Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz on Tuesday morning. “It was a bad start for him getting that bad hamstring at the beginning of camp, and then once he got healthy, he played a limited role for us, but did a good job in that, played tough, but we have moved on.”

Such is the business side – the sometimes ugly business side – of sport.

Parks last talked to reporters on Nov. 13, at which time he revealed that he had an Eagle tattoo on one of his arms. It was ink he had done prior to coming to Philadelphia after four years with Denver.

The safety also would kiss the Eagles logo prior to home games while he was warming up.

“I’m blessed to be in my hometown,” said Parks last month. “This isn’t anything of normality, so I have to take advantage of it as best as I can. I need some blessings from the football gods, stuff like that.

“I just always wanted to kiss that (Eagles log). That’s my favorite sky animal and I feel like he’ll give me some blessings.”

Parks, just 26, will return to Denver after the Broncos claimed him.

Parks’ release will give opportunity to others, including rookie K’Von Wallace, Marcus Epps, and Grayland Arnold, who was signed to the roster off the practice squad to take Parks’ place.

“We're excited about that,” said Schwartz. “We're excited about all the young players, even guys like Grayland Arnold, Elijah Riley stepped up and played good snaps for us when he was active. I think we're in a good spot with a lot of our young safeties and seeing some good vet play also. “

Arnold was active for three games earlier in the season, but played only on special teams and hasn’t seen any action since Oct. 11 against the Steelers.

Parks’ release could have hinged on the comfort level the team is reaching with Jalen Mills at safety and vice versa.

Schwartz praised Mills' game against the Seahawks, in which he seven tackles with two of those going for a loss.

“I thought Jalen Mills had an outstanding game in this game, not just coverage-wise, but run game,” said Schwartz. “And I think we're seeing good signs from that group and I think those guys will pick up that slack really well and put us in a good position.”

Wallace hasn’t had much of a role on defense this season, relegated mostly to special teams. The fourth-round draft pick logged 27 plays in Week 4 that was followed by 13 snaps in Week 5. Since then, he missed a game due to injury but has managed just six defensive snaps in the last four games.

Even Epps has been an afterthought. Since returning from the COVID-19 list, he has played just five defensive snaps in two games. His role had been growing in prior games, with 54 snaps against the Steelers on Oct. 11.

Roles for both players are likely to expand over the final five weeks of the season.

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