Philadelphia Eagles: 3 free agent cornerbacks this team needs to target
By Smit Bajaj
. Gareon Conley. 1. player. 10. .
25-year-old Gareon Conley should interest the Philadelphia Eagles.
For being only 25 years old, free-agent cornerback Gareon Conley has had quite the history in the NFL. For one, he was touted as one of the best cornerback prospects in the 2017 draft, but due to a sexual assault allegation, he fell to the Raiders at pick 24.
He struggled early as a member of the Raiders and was then sent to Houston in exchange for a third-round pick. In 2019, Conley flashed his first-round potential and truly emerged as a quality cornerback.
In Houston, he had the opportunity to play in press coverages and use his length and physicality to his advantage. Eagles defensive coordinator Johnathan Gannon has a history of favoring lengthy cornerbacks that are able to press at the line of scrimmage.
After a solid 2019 season, Conley had high expectations going into a contract year in 2020. However, the Ohio State product suffered an ankle injury and was unable to appear in a single game this past year.
His rehab didn’t go to plan and Conley now stands as a 25-year-old free agent with a dry market. The upside is certainly there, but so are the injury concerns. The Eagles have had a history of injuries at the cornerback position, but Conley’s potential is tempting.