Will Bryce Huff still be in the Eagles' starting lineup? How does Vic Fangio plan to use his pass rushers in the future?

PHILADELPHIA — Vic Fangio didn't hesitate when asked if Bryce Huff would continue to start on defense for the Eagles. The defensive end hasn't recorded a sack or hit a quarterback in two games in an Eagles uniform, but Fangio isn't ready to try anything else just yet.

“He will still be the starter,” Fangio said Thursday. “But we are bringing in those players, as you know, and we will continue to do so.”

Huff has two pressures in 59 snaps after two games, a 6.7% pressure rate. The Eagles signed Huff to a three-year, $51 million contract this offseason and traded Haason Reddick weeks later, but they have yet to see any return on the investment. Huff has played at full capacity (0) in two games, but Fangio believes that will change.

“He's still learning how to play a total game and not just in tight situations,” Fangio said. “But he's working hard on that and we're going to keep working with him.”

Nolan Smith is the other defender struggling on the Eagles' defense. Smith also hasn't recorded a sack in two games and has three pressures for a 13.6% pressure rate. Like Huff, Smith has a record for sacks and quarterback hits.

“I think Nolan has improved a lot since his rookie year,” Fangio said. “I think he's playing better in the end zone than he did last year, in general.”

While Huff and Smith won't see a reduction in snaps (or in Huff's case, a demotion), would the Eagles consider giving rookie third-round pick Jalyx Hunt a chance? Eagles defenders have struggled to get to the quarterback, and the third-round pick could get that chance to make a push.

“It's the second game of the season for everybody,” Hunt said. “We're just learning to gel. I'm not worried about it at all. You see spurts of it at the moment, so once we get to the point where that's the whole game, I think we'll be fine.”

If the Eagles call up Hunt to help with the pass rush, would the third-round rookie be ready?

“One thing I would hate to do is wish for my time to come before I get to where I need to be,” Hunt said. “But my time will come and when I get the opportunity, I feel like I'll rise to the occasion.”

“I'm working hard every day, getting extra time with the coaches and stuff, BG (Brandon Graham), Bryce (Huff), whoever I have access to.”

Fangio isn't ready to rule out any of his players just yet, but the Eagles' pass rush will be nonexistent unless they fix the run defense. The Eagles are ranked 31st in the league. National Football League (NFL) in yards per carry allowed (6.4) and 29th in rushes of 10-plus yards allowed (11). The run defense has significantly affected the entire unit.

“I think when you talk about production, correct me if I'm wrong, but you talk about sacks and pressures and things like that, and until we do a better job of playing against the run, that's not going to happen. That's for sure,” Fangio said. “We all have to do a better job, starting with me, of playing better against the run.”