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One day of the Philadelphia Eagles' mandatory minicamp came and went in a flash. Some don't like hearing that, which is understandable. Old school Birds fans believe teams only get better at playing football by playing football.
Maybe the temptation to complain should be avoided this time around. History has taught us, more often than not, that Nick Sirianni knows his team better than the viewing public.
We've seen OTAs canceled before playoff runs. We've seen Coach determine that his squad needed more work. This time around, minicamp lasted for a single day.
The Birds won't return to work until July 22, so the biggest stories now include discussions by the media and possible acquisitions. The most notable mentions recently released Jaire Alexander.
We know how this works by now. Whenever great players become disgruntled with their current team or they receive the pink slip, lines are always drawn that connect the dots representing them and the Eagles organization.
Often those conversations lead to nothing after tons of energy has been wasted, but Alexander supplies a need. He's also one of the game's best when he is on the field and healthy. The problem is he just hasn't been healthy as of late.
He has missed ten games or more in three of the past four NFL seasons. That leads us to the following theory.
Again, this isn't an attempt to diminish Jaire Alexander's worth as a reliable option for the Eagles at outside corner. He's a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Second-Team All-Pro, but again, he's been injured often as of late.
Those postseason honors? His most recent came at the end of the 2022 season. That begs the question. Is he capable of bouncing back, or is he an expensive risk relying on a reputation he hasn't lived up to in a while?
For the sake of covering every base, let's explore the same conversations being had at the NovaCare Complex. Here are a handful of other veteran options if the Eagles are interested.
This won't ease the Eagles' minds in terms of injury concerns. Asante Samuel Jr.'s most recent season ended with a trip to the injured reserve list. This offseason brought an unfortunate trip to the surgeon's table.
Samuel, like Alexander, is a nice option for reliable snaps when healthy. He's also nearly three years younger. Both represent a roll of the dice. Both stand at five feet ten and are comparable in size.
Who's up for a reunion? Fans know Rasul Douglas well. He was a member of the team that won Super Bowl 52, but there's no long speed here. At this stage, he seems better suited to play safety.
Douglas has seen six locker rooms since exiting after the 2019 NFL season. He's one of the best cornerbacks still available in the free agency pool. Still, the Eagles would be better suited to roll with what they have on the roster already and only explore the Douglas option if there is an injury or an emergency.
We're exploring some of the older options that are available. Kendall Fuller is part of the 30-and-over crowd who has shown the ability to put great years together. The 2024 season was a tough one as he suffered two concussions in two months.
Pro Football Focus ranked him 75th among 222 qualifying cornerbacks. That won't excite many interested teams. Fuller's standing is similar to that of Rasul Douglas. Philadelphia should keep his name on speed dial, but work with what they have and only explore his addition if there is an emergency.
Most of Stephon Gilmore's contemporaries have long retired. Meanwhile, the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year keeps trucking along and continues to provide quality snaps for any team that chooses to give him an opportunity.
Gilmore turns 35 years old on September 19. It's easy to wonder if regression will set in at some point. So far, it hasn't. This might be the best player at the cornerback position on this list, but if Philadelphia is interested and willing to gamble on youth, Alexander and Samuel might be the best route worth taking.
Here's another name worth committing to memory, but only if the Eagles want to sign Mike Hilton as a slot corner and move Cooper DeJean to the outside. He is also on the 'wrong side of 30' but playing at a higher level than Douglas and Fuller. He's a depth option, not a starter, so keep that in mind if you're taking notes or compiling your own lists.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Veteran CBs who may be better fits for the Eagles than Jaire Alexander
Continue reading...
Maybe the temptation to complain should be avoided this time around. History has taught us, more often than not, that Nick Sirianni knows his team better than the viewing public.
We've seen OTAs canceled before playoff runs. We've seen Coach determine that his squad needed more work. This time around, minicamp lasted for a single day.
The Birds won't return to work until July 22, so the biggest stories now include discussions by the media and possible acquisitions. The most notable mentions recently released Jaire Alexander.
We know how this works by now. Whenever great players become disgruntled with their current team or they receive the pink slip, lines are always drawn that connect the dots representing them and the Eagles organization.
Often those conversations lead to nothing after tons of energy has been wasted, but Alexander supplies a need. He's also one of the game's best when he is on the field and healthy. The problem is he just hasn't been healthy as of late.
He has missed ten games or more in three of the past four NFL seasons. That leads us to the following theory.
If the Eagles want to add a veteran presence at the cornerback position, there are other free-agent options besides Jaire Alexander
Again, this isn't an attempt to diminish Jaire Alexander's worth as a reliable option for the Eagles at outside corner. He's a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Second-Team All-Pro, but again, he's been injured often as of late.
Those postseason honors? His most recent came at the end of the 2022 season. That begs the question. Is he capable of bouncing back, or is he an expensive risk relying on a reputation he hasn't lived up to in a while?
For the sake of covering every base, let's explore the same conversations being had at the NovaCare Complex. Here are a handful of other veteran options if the Eagles are interested.
Asante Samuel Jr.
This won't ease the Eagles' minds in terms of injury concerns. Asante Samuel Jr.'s most recent season ended with a trip to the injured reserve list. This offseason brought an unfortunate trip to the surgeon's table.
Samuel, like Alexander, is a nice option for reliable snaps when healthy. He's also nearly three years younger. Both represent a roll of the dice. Both stand at five feet ten and are comparable in size.
Rasul Douglas
Who's up for a reunion? Fans know Rasul Douglas well. He was a member of the team that won Super Bowl 52, but there's no long speed here. At this stage, he seems better suited to play safety.
Douglas has seen six locker rooms since exiting after the 2019 NFL season. He's one of the best cornerbacks still available in the free agency pool. Still, the Eagles would be better suited to roll with what they have on the roster already and only explore the Douglas option if there is an injury or an emergency.
Kendall Fuller
We're exploring some of the older options that are available. Kendall Fuller is part of the 30-and-over crowd who has shown the ability to put great years together. The 2024 season was a tough one as he suffered two concussions in two months.
Pro Football Focus ranked him 75th among 222 qualifying cornerbacks. That won't excite many interested teams. Fuller's standing is similar to that of Rasul Douglas. Philadelphia should keep his name on speed dial, but work with what they have and only explore his addition if there is an emergency.
Stephon Gilmore
Most of Stephon Gilmore's contemporaries have long retired. Meanwhile, the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year keeps trucking along and continues to provide quality snaps for any team that chooses to give him an opportunity.
Gilmore turns 35 years old on September 19. It's easy to wonder if regression will set in at some point. So far, it hasn't. This might be the best player at the cornerback position on this list, but if Philadelphia is interested and willing to gamble on youth, Alexander and Samuel might be the best route worth taking.
Worth mentioning: Mike Hilton
Here's another name worth committing to memory, but only if the Eagles want to sign Mike Hilton as a slot corner and move Cooper DeJean to the outside. He is also on the 'wrong side of 30' but playing at a higher level than Douglas and Fuller. He's a depth option, not a starter, so keep that in mind if you're taking notes or compiling your own lists.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Veteran CBs who may be better fits for the Eagles than Jaire Alexander
Continue reading...
