As the Eagles cycle through cornerbacks, they head to Minnesota to face Isaiah Rodgers, one who got away

Eagles cornerbacks Kelee Ringo, Adoree’ Jackson, and Jakorian Bennett have struggled opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Keeping Rodgers might have been the most prudent decision.

by Jeff Neiburg

Published Oct. 18, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET

The cornerback spot on the opposite boundary from Quinyon Mitchell was one of the intriguing roster spots to watch when the Eagles opened training camp in July. Would it be Kelee Ringo, a fourth-round pick in 2023 who was entering his third NFL season? Or would it be Adoree’ Jackson, an eight-year NFL veteran whom the Eagles signed to a one-year deal in part to push Ringo and provide depth to a position that needed it.

Gone were Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers, and it was Ringo who got the first shot at the audition. But Ringo and Jackson quickly began alternating, and the days that Jackson was first up with the first team began to outnumber Ringo’s first-team reps. The Eagles even traded for Jakorian Bennett in August, hoping to add some more competition to a job no one seemed to want to win.

Fast forward nearly three months since training camp began, and the Eagles are heading to Minneapolis for their Week 7 game, having flip-flopped once again.

Training camp and six weeks of football have not yielded a firm starter. It was Jackson’s job at the start of the season, then Ringo’s, first as a fill-in after Jackson suffered a hamstring injury and missed Week 4, then as a starter for the last two games after Jackson returned.

But Ringo struggled in coverage last week vs. the New York Giants, and his tackling has not been up to NFL standards. The Eagles benched him in the first half at MetLife Stadium last week only to watch Mitchell go down with a hamstring injury of his own that forced Ringo back onto the field. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said it was Jackson back above Ringo on the depth chart when asked on Tuesday.

So the Eagles will travel to play the Vikings on Sunday with their defensive backfield still in a precarious situation. And it’s a fitting destination, considering Rodgers landed with the Vikings in free agency and has gotten off to a strong start to the 2025 season.

Rodgers is the fourth-highest graded cornerback by Pro Football Focus. PFF grades not your thing? Next Gen Stats has Rodgers as the top defensive back by expected points added (EPA) against per target. EPA is an indicator of how well a team performs compared to its expectation on each play based on down and yards to go, and Rodgers’ EPA against per target of -20.5 is the NFL’s best mark.

Rodgers, according to Next Gen, has played 151 coverage snaps and has allowed just nine catches on 20 targets for 85 yards. He has one interception — a pick-six — and has not allowed a touchdown as the nearest defender. Rodgers has also forced two fumbles, returning one for another score. His passer rating allowed is 36.5, fifth-best among defensive backs.

Ringo (+5 EPA against per target; 87.2 passer rating) and Jackson (+4.2; 84.8) have been beneficial targets for opposing offenses. And while the Eagles’ two losses have involved many factors besides the continuing revolving door that is the second cornerback spot, the defensive backfield would be deeper and more talented if Rodgers were lining up on the other side of Mitchell instead of Jackson or Ringo.

Rodgers, 27, agreed to a two-year deal with Minnesota worth up to $15 million in free agency. The dollar amount would not have been a problem for the Eagles, but Minnesota’s offer was more than the Eagles’ initial offer, and Rodgers, a player the Eagles signed in 2023, then waited to be reinstated following a suspension, packed his bags and joined his third NFL team.

The Eagles liked Rodgers, and they’re missing him, but they did not extend him while he was in the building or before he hit free agency. Rodgers likely would have been a front-runner for the starting gig, but would have been in a competition — one he probably would have won.

“Obviously, when you have the success that we were able to have last year, it’s hard to say bye to guys,” Nick Sirianni said Friday. “It’s always hard to say bye to guys, but that’s the reality of this business, that guys’ contracts are up.

“When you go through special things with them, you have a connection with all the guys. You hate to see any of them leave.”

Rodgers, though, seems to be the one who got away. The Vikings have the best pass defense in the NFL — albeit one that has not yet faced a top-tier passing unit — and the Eagles are essentially on their third different starting second cornerback. Their pass rush could be better and would help mitigate some of their deficiencies on the back end, but sticky coverage has at times been an issue for Ringo and Jackson.

Ringo said he did not play to his potential or his “standard” last week vs. the Giants. “I feel like that’s not a secret,” he said. But he said the ups and downs he’s already faced this season will help him navigate another role change.

“It’s not my decision, so I’ll just go out there and do my job,” he said. “That’s really it.

“I’ve never been the person to lay down.”

Jackson, meanwhile, said he was thankful for another opportunity. He turned 30 last month and, after the Eagles signed him to a one-year, $1.755 million deal, is sort of at a career crossroads. He said he wants to “go hoop, go have fun, and do what I do” over this next stretch of games.

“I don’t try to worry about the roller coaster as much,” Jackson said. “I just try to be where my feet are in the moment.”

Jackson will likely be tested plenty on Sunday. Mitchell’s hamstring injury has healed enough for him to play, and he’ll likely draw a lot of Justin Jefferson. But the Vikings still have Jordan Addison, and Jackson went so far as calling the passing attack the “three-headed dragons” with Jalen Nailor included and then “Mount Rushmore” after including Adam Thielen in the conversation.

“It’s all about executing and handling your keys,” Jackson said.

Jackson was being a little generous to Nailor and Thielen, but he is likely to have his hands full often with Addison, who Jackson said is a “complete receiver” who does a little bit of everything.

A strong performance from Jackson would go a long way toward helping stabilize a defense that needs to make improvements. Otherwise, more changes could be coming. Bennett (pectoral) will likely soon return from injured reserve and could get his turn at the musical chairs that the second cornerback spot has become. Howie Roseman could also be forced into making his second trade for a cornerback since August.

He won’t be able to count on Rodgers being available on the trade market.

“He’s been snapping for sure,” Ringo said of his former teammate. “He’s a dog. We knew that when he was here, too.”