Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields had been making serious strides towards securing an active roster spot with the Philadelphia Eagles, but a heel injury has halted that mission - for now.
The 27-year-old former Penn State standout, who earned All-Big Ten honors his senior season in Happy Valley, was officially placed on injured reserve by the team. Castro-Fields, who was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the San Francisco 49ers before landing with Washington and Carolina, has spent most of the past two seasons on the Eagles' practice squad.
And this summer, the Maryland native had been making his presence felt in camp, with an interception of Cole Payton in 11-v-11 action and blanket coverage in numerous drills. His push for a roster spot was reaching a new level, and with long-term depth at cornerback still in question, Castro-Fields is not someone to write off.
With surging DB sidelined, Eagles' battle for backup corner spots continues
Never one to mince words or hand out compliments for free, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had high praise for the cornerback recently.
“He’s done a good job of competing,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said last week. “He’s been around for a while, so he knows the deal. He’s out here with a purpose.”
The heel injury suffered by Castro-Fields now leaves the cornerback depth a bit thinner. It's going to be interesting to see who steps up and sticks, as the top three spots are sealed up between Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Riq Woolen.
Mac McWilliams has been working his way through his second camp in Philadelphia with renewed drive and focus, as the sixth-round pick from 2025 shows better awareness and is making more plays on the ball. With 10 tackles in last week's preseason game against Baltimore, the race is on for McWilliams to prove he's worthy of an active roster spot.
Veteran free agent addition Jonathan Jones is firmly in the mix, while Jakorian Bennett is working hard to move past his underwhelming first season in midnight green after arriving via the trade with Las Vegas.
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And last, but certainly not least, Kelee Ringo is fighting to remain in Philadelphia. The embattled defensive back snagged an interception in Week 1 of preseason action, but leading up to that pick, Ravens rookie Ja'Kobi Lane grilled him with a 16-yard touchdown grab. Ringo is a strong special teamer, but time could be running out for him amid his continued struggles in coverage.
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