New addition Jakorian Bennett enters a wide-open cornerback competition at Eagles camp
Bennett broke out in a big way last year with the Raiders before a shoulder injury ended his season. Now as an Eagle, he has an opportunity to compete for a starting job at outside corner.
A bleary-eyed Jakorian Bennett arrived in Philadelphia early Tuesday morning after a red-eye flight from Las Vegas with two suitcases and his cleats in tow.
Added via trade to beef up the competition at cornerback, Bennett then spent four days mostly as an observer. He watched Eagles practice Tuesday before the team held a walk-through on Wednesday. He went through warmups but didn’t dress for the preseason game Thursday night. The Eagles then were off on Friday.
So five days after the third-year corner — who broke out in a big way last year before a shoulder injury ended his second NFL season in Week 10 — was sent across the country to a new organization, he finally got to participate in a practice.
Bennett, who turns 25 in two weeks, still is getting acclimated to Vic Fangio’s scheme.
“We’ll find out here soon,” Fangio said before practice when asked what he knew about Bennett. “Just throw him into the action and see what he’s got.”
Saturday was a relatively nondescript debut. Bennett participated with the second and third units in team drills. Fangio said he didn’t know much about the 2023 fourth-round pick from the draft process, but he watched some of his tape with the Raiders last season.
“He’s got some good speed, got some coverability,” Fangio said. “We’ll see.
“He’s going to be in the mix with the rest of them.”
Making the move to send interior defensive lineman Thomas Booker to Vegas for Bennett’s services said as much. Neither Kelee Ringo nor Adoree’ Jackson, the primary contenders to start at outside corner opposite Quinyon Mitchell, has had a strong start to Eagles camp. They had the difficult task Thursday of matching up against Cincinnati’s regulars, who started the preseason opener. Neither performed well, though Fangio said it would be a good learning experience.
On Saturday, the duo continued to split first-team reps. Is the expectation that Bennett eventually will compete for that gig?
“Possibly,” Fangio said. “Everybody’s got the right to compete out here. I think we need to get his feet under him and get our eyes on him and see what happens over the next few weeks.”
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Bennett said he wants to “come in and do my part, whatever that is, and just help the team win some more games.” The torn labrum that required surgery and cut short his 2024 season feels “better than ever,” he said. Bennett played through that shoulder injury for part of last season, when, according to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 18 catches on 37 targets in 10 games. He did not allow a touchdown and broke up seven passes.
His 48.6% targets-caught rate was the third-lowest among cornerbacks with at least 250 coverage snaps. But before the trade, Bennett seemingly had fallen out of favor in Vegas and played mostly with the second- and third-team defenses.
“I know business is business,” he said. “They did what’s best for them, and the Eagles did what’s best for them. I’m happy to be here, happy to be an Eagle, and I’m just ready to win games and do what I do.”
How quickly he gets inserted into the race to the top of the depth chart remains to be seen. The Eagles practice Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field before another off day Monday. They practice again on Tuesday before hosting the Cleveland Browns for two joint practices Wednesday and Thursday, leading up to their Saturday preseason contest. It’s a crucial stretch for Bennett, who said he wasn’t looking at getting up to speed as a big challenge.
“I feel like I’m a person that loves to prepare, that needs preparation,” Bennett said. “I’m going to do everything I have to do to study the right way and catch up to where the guys are now.”
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After practice on Saturday, Bennett spent some extra time on the field talking with Mitchell and Ringo. Bennett said his early impressions of the Eagles are that he’s entered a “great culture” with “great guys.”
As for the opportunity in front of him to come in and compete for a starting job?
“I just see an opportunity to compete and do whatever I can to help the team win,” he said.
“I’m just trying to go out here and be the best version of JB. I know the player I am. I know the player I can be.”