Philadelphia Eagles: 4 players fighting to keep their jobs beyond 2020

Jalen Mills

Perhaps one of the most interesting roster decisions that Philadelphia made this year was filling the hole at safety left by Malcolm Jenkins with previous outside cornerback, Jalen Mills.

Luckily, Mills is no stranger to the position, as he played safety in college, although it’s a stark change from where he has played since previously joining the Eagles years ago.

The Eagles signed Mills to a one-year $5 million deal in the middle of March with the stipulation that he will be moving into the newly available safety position.

The exit of Jenkins will clearly leave a void in the locker room, and it remains to be seen how his absence will affect the Eagles’ defense.

By signing Mills to a one-year deal, the Eagles show they are willing to give him a shot, but leave the door open in case the year doesn’t go well.

Fellow safety Rodney McLeod also remains able to play in the box, freeing Mills up to continue being a versatile weapon in other positions as well. It does seem however that Mills’ new primary position will be at safety.

With Mills’ old role being filled by Slay, there is little chance for Mills to return if his tenure as safety doesn’t pan out.

For a player who took 81.5 percent of his snaps last year at outside cornerback, this change is just enough to cause uncertainty about Mills’ future with the team.

If Mills is able to fill the role that Jenkins left, Philadelphia will welcome him back with open arms after 2020.

But if he’s unable to step up, Mills could be left in the dust once the 2021 season arrives.