PHILADELPHIA — The reinstated cornerback surged forward, snagging a pick-six in practice that suggests his return may be significant.
Isaiah Rodgers spent a season away from football serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. The league’s ruling was levied on June 29; the Indianapolis Colts released him on the same day. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Rodgers almost two months later, although coach Nick Sirianni, who’d been Indy’s offensive coordinator during Rodgers’ rookie season, understood the young defensive back’s timeline remained uncertain.
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The organization’s interest was unmatched. No other team reached out, Rodgers said. Apparently, no other team was interested in investing in a former sixth-round corner who couldn’t immediately play. Rodgers, who was reinstated on April 23, expressed gratitude for “knowing that I had a place that I can call home.” He appreciated Philadelphia’s trust that he’d maintain his conditioning apart from the organization during his suspension and “come back and be a better player.”
“I made a mistake and I did my time,” Rodgers said Thursday, the organization’s second availability of OTAs. “Just being back around a great team and a great culture of guys — just finally getting in a locker room environment (and all that) back into my heart feels real good.”
During the suspension, Rodgers said he maintained a schedule as if he were still playing. He dedicated Sundays to cardio, as if they remained game days. He took Tuesdays off. With no contact from the organization, Rodgers kept in touch with his agent, who told him to, “Keep your head up, keep working.”
Rodgers told ESPN last year that the wagers, which included a $1,000 prop bet, had been placed from his online sports gambling account. He said they’d been made for people who lived in Florida, where such gambling at the time was illegal. On Thursday, Rodgers said he understood and accepted the NFL’s ruling and its handling of the cases of five other players who were reinstated five days earlier than he was. Their cases weren’t as severe, Rodgers said.
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“Rules are rules. They’re there for a reason,” Rodgers said. “So, if you break them, you get your consequences. If you don’t, you continue to be great.”
Is there enough player-wide understanding of the NFL’s rules in an ever-shifting era of sports gambling?
“I understand,” Rodgers said. “So, I got to be that guy to let everyone around me know or people around the league to know, you might want to understand those rules if you don’t want to be in my shoes.”
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Rodgers, 26, is a dark horse candidate to contribute significant snaps at cornerback in 2024. The Eagles invested heavily in the position this offseason. They spent first- and second-round selections on rookies who may very well start in the secondary this season, which, paired with their free agency signings, underlined the franchise’s much-needed plan to improve a defense that surrendered the second-most passing yards in 2023.
Although the position group is cluttered, projecting a depth chart isn’t altogether difficult. Darius Slay, a six-time Pro Bowler, remains under contract through 2025 and remains the team’s No. 1 option at cornerback. James Bradberry, who regressed in 2023, has been absent in both media viewings of OTAs. The workouts are voluntary. But by picking Quinyon Mitchell at No. 22, plus selecting Cooper DeJean at No. 40, the Eagles projected their intention to revamp at least one side of the field.
Rodgers represents a potential conflict the Eagles may face when trimming their roster to 53 players at the end of training camp. If he establishes himself as a reliable option, both as an outside corner and a platoon member in nickel and dime packages, can the Eagles justify dedicating a spot for the less-versatile Bradberry, who, according to Pro Football Focus, has only played 4.4% of his career snaps in the slot?
The better Rodgers plays, the more interesting such a conversation becomes. Neither Slay nor Bradberry attended Thursday’s voluntary workout. Rodgers and Kelee Ringo ran with the defense’s first rotation. During the team’s seven-on-eight drill, in which the offense began at its own 5, Jalen Hurts tried to flick a slant just beyond the right side of his offensive line. Rodgers undercut the receiver, snagged the pass, then sprinted across the field into the opposite corner of the end zone. He celebrated with a leap, a mid-air collision with another defender.
“Felt good, just a blessing to be back,” Rodgers said.
Multiple interceptions for Jalen Hurts
Through two OTA viewings, Hurts has yet to complete an explosive pass of significance. Such completions are generally overhyped in practices. So are their opposites. But this short-term lack is at the very least worth noting from Hurts, a $255 million franchise quarterback who threw a career-high 15 interceptions in 2023.
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In addition to the pick-six Hurts threw to Rodgers, Hurts was intercepted one other time during Thursday’s drills. He tried to force a crosser to A.J. Brown into a crowded middle. The ball was expectedly batted by several defenders until linebacker Zach Baun corralled it for an interception.
Hurts did attempt a deep ball: Ringo, covering Parris Campbell tightly, jumped and deflected the challenge.
A rookie rotation at nickel safety
Last week, DeJean notably spent the majority of the practice playing opposite Mitchell at cornerback. First-year defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said his approach with versatile defenders is to “start them out at a primary position, and then you start giving them the secondary position, and you go from there.” On Thursday, DeJean once again began at cornerback opposite Mitchell in the second rotation, but he later devoted a significant number of snaps at nickel safety. Mitchell, too, spent time at nickel to a lesser extent.
DeJean appears to be picking up the nuances of his new defensive system. He adequately shadowed his one-on-one matchups, and he astutely passed off receivers on assignments that might otherwise draw less disciplined defensive backs incorrectly inward. He still projects significant skill as an outside corner. He jumped an outward pass to the sideline against Britain Covey, batting the pass incomplete with his left hand.
But it was notably Tyler Hall, who signed a one-year, $1.175 million deal in free agency, who rotated in first with the defense at nickel safety. It is the 5-10, 190-pound defensive back’s primary position. In 31 games with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders, the fifth-year veteran played 78% of his career snaps in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus.
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Eagles players defend Vic Fangio as new systems take form at OTAs
Roll call, with Sydney Brown still in sight
Beyond Slay and Bradberry, among those not spotted at Thursday’s voluntary OTA practice were right tackle Lane Johnson, edge rusher Josh Sweat, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Smith, Bradberry, Johnson and Sweat were also not spotted last week. Ringo and kicker Jake Elliott participated; they were not spotted last week. Wide receiver Jacob Harris, who signed a reserve/future contract with the Eagles in January, spent the day on the sideline, not in pads.
Safety Sydney Brown, who underwent surgery after a Week 18 ACL tear last season, attended the workout once again. He again spent the majority of the team’s drills crouched in position, whether in the end zone or deep into the field, following the action as if he were playing.
Other quick notes
- After not participating during last week’s team drills, recovering linebacker Nakobe Dean leveled up to a sparse number of snaps during Thursday’s workouts. Dean, who underwent Lisfranc surgery after twice hitting injured reserve in 2023, began with just one snap with the defense’s second rotation during initial seven-on-seven drills. He returned later with the second rotation for a small number of plays. The Eagles are clearly working their 2022 third-round pick back in at a gradual pace.
- Edge rusher Julian Okwara, who signed a one-year, $1.375 million deal, dropped in coverage during drills on Thursday, backpedaled into the seam, lurched toward the middle, then attempted to chase a receiver who caught a pass toward the sideline. How much ground will Fangio expect his edge rushers to cover? And will that plan be amended for edge rushers who are more limited in coverage?
- Rookie wide receiver Ainias Smith practiced returning punts with Rodgers and DeJean. Smith, who underwent surgery after sustaining a season-ending stress fracture to his shin, returned 82 punts for 836 yards and two touchdowns in five seasons at Texas A&M. On Thursday, Smith backpedaled and muffed a punt.
- Tight end E.J. Jenkins, who signed a two-year, $1.785 million deal, hauled in a notable grab along the sideline while in coverage against Okwara. The size of the 6-6, 245-pound Jenkins is a substantial advantage on such plays.
- Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett, who threw the practice’s only touchdown pass last week, was less sharp on Thursday. He overthrew tight end Albert Okwuegbunam on a short out to the right sideline.
(Top photo of Isaiah Rodgers: Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK)
