The biggest task the Eagles face this offseason is improving their secondary. Hence, they drafted two cornerbacks back-to-back in the first two rounds of the draft. However, there’s been a different defensive back that’s been grabbing headlines in OTAs. Isaiah Rodgers has been someone who has garnered tons of attention from media and fans alike. Rodgers missed the entire 2023 season due to a gambling suspension. Due to the suspension, Rodgers was waived by the Indianapolis Colts after three seasons and signed with the Eagles a couple of months after. He was reinstated by the league in late April. With the problems the Eagles secondary faced in 2023, he’s a welcomed addition. Despite missing an entire season, the reports from Eagles OTAs have said that Rodgers has been impressive.
What to Expect from Isaiah Rodgers in 2024
Rodgers’ Career Thus Far
Rodgers was drafted by the Colts in the sixth round of the 2020 Draft out of UMass-Amherst. He would get on the field right away with the Colts as a return man and depth piece in the secondary. However, he broke out in his third year and was named the Colts’ most underrated player by PFF. While his good PFF grades are not the end-all-be-all, it was clear that the Colts were valuing Rodgers as a key piece to their secondary that season. He performed well and has only exceeded expectations during his NFL career. So, it can only be encouraging to hear reports that he’s one of the biggest winners of Eagles OTAs. The biggest takeaway from Rodgers’ performance has been his consistency, something the Eagles heavily lacked in 2023. He’s been the second cornerback behind Darius Slay on the first team throughout OTAs.
How He Fits into the Picture
The Eagles desperately needed to make their secondary stronger, and they’ve addressed that in the offseason. There is a ton of competition, including young and old players. Not just the first two Eagles’ draft picks, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, but also Kelee Ringo and others like James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox. Yet, Rodgers has thoroughly outplayed the competition and while it’s not always smart to get too hyped up about offseason workouts, the Rodgers reports feel real. With Bradberry aging and Maddox’s injury history, Rodgers may have already completely leapfrogged them even at this early stage. The interesting thing to watch as the offseason progresses will be the young players, Ringo, DeJean, and Mitchell. Especially DeJean and Mitchell, the investment the Eagles made in them will make them want to get those guys on the field as early as possible.
However, Isaiah Rodgers fits well into Fangio’s zone-heavy defense, either on the outside or the slot. He gives them flexibility, depth, and experience compared to the younger corners on the roster. If he can continue to pick up where he left off in the NFL, he’ll be a great asset to the Eagles secondary. If one were to guess, he’s on pace to win the nickel cornerback role at the very least. However, the growth of DeJean in that role will also be key. Mitchell and Ringo are more built to play as outside corners so it may make the most sense to leave Rodgers on the inside. The more talent they can retain the better and at the end of the day nobody wants another Bradberry situation. While everyone shouldn’t get too carried away with the Rodgers hype train, the signs are encouraging.
