What are the Eagles Doing at Cornerback?

The offseason of the NFL offseason is here. For the first time since February, there remains nothing to look forward to— not within reach anyway.

Each crawling day between minicamp and training camp will be spent aimlessly for many. For others, those days will be spent nitpicking.

The Eagles completed a one-day mandatory minicamp on June 10, and their team programs are complete until players report for training camp on July 22. In the six weeks that fall between, speculation will run its course.

Uniquely, there are no real issues to be ironed out this summer. Nobody is holding out, no bombshell reports have landed, and their first-round pick is not considering re-entering next year’s draft.

Despite ample rain in recent weeks, it is sunny in Philadelphia.

And so, nitpicking it is. Fair enough. The roster is nearly complete, but there are areas where the projection feels optimistic, rather than realistic.

Cornerback, specifically, leaves more to be desired. Following a plethora of post-June 1 moves, Philadelphia has about $30 million worth of cushion and a bandolier full of draft capital. If the Eagles want to avoid developmental gambles in 2025, an outside hire or two could go a long way.

The Eagles’ CB2 Dilemma

Perhaps the haziest outlook for the Birds is on the boundary.

The team has become decisively younger at cornerback in the months following their Super Bowl victory. Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers walked. Veteran free agent Adoree Jackson signed, but he finds himself in a competition with Kelee Ringo to start opposite Quinyon Mitchell. 

Leaving minicamp, the odds appear to favor Ringo. Now technically the longest-tenured corner on the roster (Eli Ricks joined the team as an undrafted free agent shortly after), the Eagles’ actions display their belief in the 2023 draft pick. After seeing meaningful snaps in his rookie season, Ringo was relegated to special-teams duties when the NFL reinstated Rodgers following sports betting violations. At last, the seas are parting.

But should the Eagles feel complacent in a first-place schedule with more questions than answers at CB2? For reference, Ringo or Jackson would begin the year lined up across from George Pickens, then Xavier Worthy, then Davante Adams, then Emeka Egbuka. There will be no time to gather bearings.

Another addition feels necessary. It would not be unlike Philadelphia to pursue a mid-to-late summer acquisition, especially in the DB room (Steven Nelson, James Bradberry, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and the aforementioned Rodgers each came aboard following the start of training camp in recent years). At this stage of the offseason, any move would be far from a guaranteed splash, but there are options. 

Free Agency: Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

Jaire Alexander is headed to Baltimore. One year, capped out at $6 million. Despite spending more time on the IR than the field in recent years, it feels like the Eagles should have taken a gander. Either way, a domino has fallen, and more will go in the weeks to follow. The time to open the checkbook is now.

If Alexander’s injury concerns caused Philadelphia to turn their backs (the price tag should not have), they may also be just lukewarm on Asante Samuel Jr., a top remaining fit on the open market. After having neck surgery in April, Samuel will likely sign a deal in early July, when he is scheduled for a checkup.

But at just 25 years old, and having been linked to the Eagles dating back to the 2021 draft — in part due to his father’s career — it makes sense.

Samuel will likely have several suitors, but a chance to start on a contender could push Philly to the front of the line. The neck injury brings heightened apprehension, but a low-risk move at a modest cost would come with no consequence. And if Jeremiah Trotter Jr.’s fan reception was an indication, Eagles fans would be getting another fan favorite built on pedigree.

There are no surefire answers still waiting to be signed, but there is another veteran still without a home holding more than enough experience to keep going. Former Commander Kendall Fuller’s innate zone ability could translate well to Vic Fangio’s heavy drop, although he is now 30. Fuller was capable in coverage last season as a Dolphin (75th of 222 CBs per PFF), but he did suffer multiple concussions, another red flag. All negatives aside, he is likely the best scheme fit of the bunch, and if Philadelphia wanted to merely get a look, he would be a camp body at worst.

Again, the Eagles do not appear motivated to bury Ringo. With Alexander on the move, there has ceased to remain a bona fide outside starter in free agency.

On the trade block, however, one player in particular has become impossible to keep in the periphery.

Jalen Ramsey

Much of the last few months have seen Jalen Ramsey rumors, mock trades, and potential suitors flying across the Internet. It was thought to be a foregone conclusion that the Rams would reunite with their former star corner, but it has not happened. Sean McVay recently admitted that many obstacles stand in the way. Coincidentally, another place with familiarity for Ramsey is in Philadelphia, where his former Defensive Coordinator, Fangio, resides.

It will not happen. Though Ramsey still has gas in the tank, he signed a mammoth extension within the last calendar year, one that would not align with the upcoming extensions due for Eagles defenders like Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. The current cap situation is a luxury, but anything on the books beyond 2025 (and a $36 million cap hit in 2027, no less!) is unattractive. 

And he keeps jumping ship.

Philly could outbid any team looking to land Ramsey, though it would not take much. But mounds of financial and cultural drawbacks hover in the shadows. Unless a massive restructuring or refinancing is on the table, the Eagles will watch from the sidelines in the sweepstakes.

In-House Promotion

Howie Roseman and the Eagles may still have interest elsewhere. Players will become available as Week 1 draws closer. Gardner-Johnson came out of thin air in August of 2022 and became an anchor in the secondary for the Birds. A surprise move could very well formulate. For now, Kelee Ringo gets his chance.

One of the youngest players in his draft class, Ringo will be just 23 at the end of June. His combination of size and speed qualifies him against any type of receiver. Physical tools paired with the valuable mentorship of Darius Slay and James Bradberry should yield a success story for another Georgia Bulldog with experience in big games at the collegiate level. Eagles fans have reason to be optimistic.

For now, the hologram of expectation overlays the absence of proven production. Philadelphia could have had Jaire Alexander, and they can still nab any available corner. Yet, they have not. 

The Eagles’ actions, or lack thereof, speak volumes.