3 Roster-related Philadelphia Eagles headlines from a busy weekend
This cornerback room looks different than the ones the Philadelphia Eagles had in 2019.
Executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman had a transparent goal in the offseason, rework the team’s cornerback and wide receiver corps. For the latter, the draft trio of Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins—all of whom made the final roster—was the obvious reinforcement for last year’s underwhelming group. The team’s cornerbacks, however, changed in a less-than-conventional manner.
The team signed slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman and traded for former Detroit Lions standout and NFL All-Pro Darius Slay in a dramatic effort to improve the team’s secondary. Both vets were slated to become immediate starters with Avonte Maddox being the favorite in training camp to become the team’s other outside corner that would line up opposite of Slay.
When the Eagles extended special teams ace, Craig James, on a one-year deal, it signaled that even more changes were on the way.
Despite the limited hype that former second-round pick Sidney Jones and former third-round pick Rasul Douglas might compete with Maddox for a starting role or, at minimum, prove that they’re worthy backups, both were left off of the Eagles’ final roster.
Douglas and fellow castoff Shareef Miller were claimed by the Carolina Panthers, and Sidney Jones went unclaimed through the waiver wire but was quickly signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Practice Squad.
Shortly thereafter, in another surprise move, the Eagles released Cre’Von LeBlanc, but he returned less than a day later. LeBlanc’s veteran status meant that he wasn’t free to sign with another team immediately, and it appears his release was only done to allow the ‘Birds’ the roster space necessary to add the newly-acquired Jason Huntley who the Lions had waived a day earlier.
In all, the difference between the team’s cornerbacks on opening week in 2019 and 2020 is drastic:
2019
- Jalen Mills, Ronald Darby, Avonte Maddox, Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, Cre’Von LeBlanc
2020
- Darius Slay, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Avonte Maddox, Craig James
It’s interesting, isn’t it?