If the Eagles are going to return to the Super Bowl this year — they’ll need some help in the secondary. Rookie sensation Andrew Mukuba will undergo surgery on the fractured ankle that he suffered against the Cowboys on Sunday and has an uncertain timetable for return. Cornerback Adoree Jackson is in concussion protocol and Safety Reed Blankenship is nursing a thigh injury. But perhaps — the key to filling the void has already been in the Novacare Complex this season.
Last season — in the winter chill of a January Wild-Card Playoff Game at Lincoln Financial Field — Jaire Alexander offered a gesture to Eagles fans that was not — shall we say — exactly made out of love. Now the next chapter of Alexander’s All-Pro Career will be right here in Philly — after acquiring him in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a seventh-round Draft Pick in 2027 and a sixth-round Pick in 2026.
Last week — the Eagles placed Alexander on the Reserve/Retired list while he steps away from the game to focus on himself. It means that while he is stepping away from football right now — he could potentially return amid an Eagles post-season run. The move also means that the previous trade will between the Ravens and the Eagles will stand.
Not long after the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018 — Alexander was selected with the 18th overall selection by the Green Bay Packers. Last June — after being released by Green Bay — Alexander signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
A step back from the game that he loves may be a needed rejuvenation. It may also allow him to rejoin the Eagles at a critical point. A postseason run which would be the second of consecutive back-to-back Super Bowls.
It feels good to finally have Eagles football, or practice, back for now. With an extra day off before a trip to Green Bay on MNF, the Eagles have had 15 days since their last game.
For a team that didn’t play last weekend, the Eagles came out huge winners of both the trade deadline, and the NFC Standings.
Trade Deadline Shopping
While being rumored (again) to pay the price for Myles Garrett. The Eagles managed to escape the trade deadline without blowing any major capital, and still were able to take advantage of the Jets fire sale.
Michael Carter was acquired from the New York Jets alongside a 2027 7th round pick. The Eagles sent back WR John Metchie and a 2027 6th round pick. Acquiring depth in the secondary gives the opportunity to move Cooper DeJean outside and Carter into the slot. We’ll have to wait and see if Carter was acquired to get serious reps, or bolster a position recently tattered with injuries.
Jaire Alexander was traded from the Baltimore Ravens. Also coming to Philadelphia is a 2027 7th round pick. For the grand total of a 2026 6th round pick. This move provides the Eagles a 3rd option at CB2 between Kelee Ringo & Adoree Jackson, and still keeps Cooper DeJean in the slot.
Jaelan Phillips was the Eagles biggest move before the Tuesday deadline. Only costing a 3rd round pick, the Eagles acquired a 26 year old OLB that has totaled 26 sacks in 5 seasons. Missing time due to injury is a concern, but with multiple DL players returning this weekend the Eagles depth provides plenty of rotational options.
The Eagles escaped the deadline acquiring 3 players, and still hold 5 picks heading into the 2026 Draft next April. Including a Jets 3rd round pick and projected to acquire 3 Comp picks in the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds.
Returning From Injury
On top of their trade deadline additions to the team. The Eagles have also managed to get healthy just in time for another gauntlet in the schedule.
Opening the practice window for Jakorian Bennett, Willie Lampkin and Nolan Smith in the previous weeks provided the Eagles time to juggle their active roster and the practice squad, with depth returning at the right time.
With A.J. Brown missing another game this season, add in a concern to Saquon’s health at the end of the Giants game prior to the Bye. There was major concern what the Eagles injury report would look like coming off the Bye week.
The good news is, nearly everyone has returned from injury as the following players were full participants
Moro Ojomo
Saquon Barkley
A.J. Brown
Jakorian Bennett
Nolan Smith
Willie Lampkin
The only players who were DNP at Fridays practice were Adoree Jackson & Cam Jurgens. After giving Dickerson a few weeks of rest, perhaps Jurgens getting some extra time will allow the Eagles Offensive Line to return to being what it once was. The best in the league.
A Successful Bye Week
During the Bye, the Eagles jumped all the way up to the #1 seed in the NFC, as most teams that played managed to the Eagles a favor.
Even following the Giants game Week 8, the Eagles had some help from their NFC East Rivals.
The Commanders lost 7-28 to the Chiefs and fell to 3-5
The Cowboys got blown out by the Broncos 44-24 and fell to 3-4-1
In Week 9, the following teams helped the Eagles climb the standings
The Vikings (4-4) held on to beat their division rival Lions 27-24(5-3)
Carolina (5-4) managed to upset the Packers and send them to 5-2-1
Seattle took care of business and sent Washington to 3-6 following a 38-14 rout
Jacoby Brissett gave us the icing on the cake, with a 27-17 win over the Cowboys. Sending the 2nd placed team in the NFC East to 3-5-1.
With an opportunity to grow their lead on the division, and the rest of the NFC with a trip to Green Bay. Will the Eagles come out on top against a Packers team struggling to play their best football?
The Eagles are off Sunday while most of the rest of the NFL is involved in Week 9 action. After Monday night’s game, the NFL will have officially reached its halfway point.
As usual, Eagles players were given the week off, but the coaches use the free time to self-scout and figure out how to build from the things the team did well for the first eight weeks and how to rectify or reverse things that didn’t.
Like most teams, the Eagles have flaws, but any flawed team would be happy with a 6-2 record, especially with wins over five playoff teams from 2024.
Here are five self-scouting keys for the Eagles before they return to the practice field next week and start preparing for next Monday night’s game against the Packers at Lambeau Field:
Keep incorporating an outside run game
The Eagles finally unlocked their run game against the Giants in Week 8, with Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby each going over 100 yards. The under-center formations and extra offensive lineman were beneficial additions to help finally spring the ground game but the better adjustment was a refocus on running the ball outside the tackles. Outside zones, pin-pulls sweeps, and off-tackle runs helped take the burden off the Eagles’ banged-up interior line to generate push up the middle on every snap and allowed Barkley and Bigsby to find space with lead blockers on the outside. Relying more on off-tackle runs is more sustainable and impactful than even using six-man o-lines. Also, keeping Bigsby involved would be a logical move. He’s got more explosion than last year’s top backup, Kenneth Gainwell, and more carries for Bigsby as the season progresses can keep Barkley fresh without the offense losing too much punch.
Speed up the offense
The offense is typically at its best when using no-huddle. Jalen Hurts has always been excellent at deciding when to speed up tempo, and when to dial it back. No-huddle has always helped keep the offense on schedule and, at the right times, has prevented the defense from being able to substitute. It wears down opponents and keeps situational pass rushers from getting on the field at any time. The Eagles need to get their plays in quicker in the second half and take advantage of no-huddle to move the chains more efficiently, which should positively impact their third-down offense, which so far this season has been underwhelming.
Get A.J. Brown more involved, the right way
The Eagles don’t need to pander to him, per se. This isn’t about the squeaky wheel getting greased. It’s about finding better ways to get the ball in the hands of their most dynamic playmaker on designed pass plays, not just freelance routes or comebacks. For whatever reason, the Eagles haven’t capitalized on Brown’s biggest strength – YAC yards. He’s on pace for just 192 YAC yards, per NFL Pro, which would be the fewest of his career and more than 150 YAC yards fewer than last season. They don’t get him involved enough in the intermediary game, with routes designed to have him catch the ball and turn upfield. Sure, he’s an amazing deep threat on the Go route, but there’s more variety to his game than he’s been able to show in the first half.
Figure out CB2
There’s no question the top priority for the Eagles’ defense is figuring out its best option at CB2. Spoiler alert: It isn’t Adoree’ Jackson or Kelee Ringo. The Eagles also traded Sunday with the Ravens for cornerback Jaire Alexander, but buyer beware. The low price tag on the former Packers corner who made three Pro Bowls but only played two games this year is telltale. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio needs to get Jakorian Bennett on the field – and Bennett needs to stay healthy – so the Eagles can find out if they guy traded for in training camp can shore up a very important spot on the defense. If Bennett can be that guy, the Eagles can keep Cooper DeJean in the slot and be comfortable with their nickel package, which is their predominant defense. They’d be better off this way. If Bennett can’t hold down the spot, Fangio needs to bite the bullet and move DeJean outside, with new addition Michael Carter II working the slot.
Find best four-man pas rush
The Eagles were at the best defensively last year when Fangio could rely on his four-man rush to disrupt and harass quarterbacks, and then have seven in coverage with a mix of zone and man and post-snap movement. This year, because of injuries and the lack of an elite edge rusher, Fangio has had to blitz more and play more man coverage. That’s a tough way to live when the opponent becomes the Packers, Lions, Cowboys or other teams that have good quarterbacks and an array of playmakers. But Fangio’s edge rush will be getting a boost with the returns of Nolan Smith and Brandon Graham. Jalyx Hunt has played better going into the bye after a so-so start and Josh Uche has played consistently well throughout the season. We’ll see if the Eagles added to this group before the trade deadline. The Athletic reported they’ve checked in on Jaelen Phillips from the Dolphins and Jermaine Johnson from the Jets, along with inquiring on Trey Hendrickson of the Bengals. Either way, Fangio has options and just needs to find the best four-man rush so he can get back to blitzing less and playing more zone.
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The Philadelphia Eagles have made a big commitment. It’s just not a commitment to longevity. It’s a commitment to youth. Another move toward that roadmap specifically in the secondary was made this week when the Eagles traded wide receiver John Metchie III and a six-round draft selection (2027) for New York Jets Cornerback Michael Carter II as well as a seventh-round pick (2027.) The addition of Carter makes the Eagles secondary one of the youngest in the NFL with Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Reed Blankenship, and rookie safety Andrew Mukuba.
Selected in the fifthround of the NFL Draft (2021) by New York — the 5 foot 10 one hundred eighty-four pound Carter. In September of 2024 —New York signed Carter to a three–year ($30.75) million contract extension that includes ($13.61) million in guaranteed money. The result was that he became the highest paid slot cornerback in the entire National Football League.
For the Eagles — last season was the first time in modern NFL playoff history — that a team with two rookie starting defensive backs has reached the playoffs and, perhaps — a Super Bowl appearance. This year is also the first time in the thirty-two years of the Eagles franchise’s existence that two rookie defensive backs have been nominated for the AP Rookie of the Year in the same season.
This season — Mukuba — who was the last rookie to sign a four-year contract worth $7,160,538, including $4,196,063 guaranteed money.The prospect of starting Mukuba is that his combination with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell would make the Eagles’ defensive backfield one of the youngest starting in the NFL. He joins that Eagles secondary that was the only team in NFL history to start two rookie defensive backs in the Conference Championship Game and subsequently — the Super Bowl.
The Eagles aren’t disillusioned with the possibility of some growing pains in the defensive backfield. Last season — Mitchell and fellow rookie Cooper DeJean were the perfect compliment to Darius Slay and CJ Gardner-Johnson. So much so that Slay and Gardner-Johnson are now gone — and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio trusts Mitchell as isolation on the opponent’s best receiver.
A commitment to a cohesive unit for years to come doesn’t come without the need for some patience. But if last season is any indication — this winter could be full of pleasant playoff surprises.
The Eagles are 4-2 coming off back to back unfortunate losses. With two opponents that could have been written off as “Easy Wins” at the start of the year are looking to be formidable opponents for a team that’s struggled in all 3 phases since the start of October.
With the trade deadline coming on November 4th this year. The Eagles will be returning from their bye week with a few additions to the roster. Both from activating players on IR, and hopefully a trade (or two) prior to the Tuesday deadline.
Returning From Injury
After the Week 3 match against the Rams, the Eagles placed three players on Injured Reserve. Nolan Smith, Darius Cooper and Jakorian Bennett. Two players considered to be defensive starters, and the preseason wonder who made the WR4 roster spot.
The expectation was to see Smith and Bennett return after the Week 9 Bye Week. However, all 3 are able to be activated off of injured reserve as soon as Week 8 against the Giants.
Both defensive positions have struggled in recent weeks, perhaps the return of the some depth would help give the Eagles a breath of fresh air on the defense. And if it doesn’t, there’s plenty of teams about to start a fire sale just around the corner.
Realistic Targets
It’s unfortunate the Eagles might end up using more assets to find a solution to the CB2 issue. But if Bennett/Ringo/Jackson still aren’t able to successfully play across from Quinyon Mitchell. There’s a few targets in the AFC that might be worth the phone call.
Michael Carter II
The Jets are already 0-6. There’s no silver lining for their season. Carter is on the first year of a 3 year/$30.750M extension. While primarily playing Nickel for the Jets does open up the opportunity to shift Cooper DeJean to the outside corner opposite Quinyon, if the Eagles wish to solve the problem with a shuffle of personnel.
Jermaine Johnson II
While we’re shopping in MetLife, Johnson would be another good pickup for the Eagles to consider. 2 years removed from a 7.5 Sack season that came with 17 QB Hits. On the 4th year of his rookie deal, the Eagles would be given the option of extending a young player to keep along the defensive line, or continue taking advantage of acquiring Comp Picks for future use.
Perhaps the Jets own 3rd round pick from the Reddick trade would be sufficient to move the needle on either of these trades. As the pick currently sits at 65th overall in the 2026 draft.
Bradley Chubb
On the topic of imploding AFC East franchises. The Dolphins should be the next team on speed dial to make potential moves. Under contract until 2028, Chubb signed a 3 year $54.49M contract with a Dolphins team that just can’t string successful months together. With their season likely already over, it might be team to reevaluate the roster and start stockpiling picks.
Acquiring Chubb also provides Fangio with a player similar to his systems, with multiple years in Denver and a one off year in Miami, the Eagles get added depth to the struggling pass rush.
The Unrealistic Moves
Everybody gets outrageously unrealistic trade predictions for their favorite team. So why can’t we? There’s multiple star players available that might disgruntled on struggling teams, and I know just the GM to take advantage of that.
Trey Hendrickson
The Eagles were previously linked to Trey Hendrickson in the offseason. If they weren’t committed earlier in the year, fate has presented them another opportunity.
With 17.5 Sacks his previous 2 seasons, and 4 to start the 2025 campaign. There’s a possibility the Bengals are looking to make a move similar to the Micah Parsons trade. If teams like the 49ers and Colts are linked to one of the biggest names on the market. Then the Eagles should circle back.
Denzel Ward
Another pipe dream of a potential trade. The Eagles might’ve been able to skip the Jakorian Bennett trade if they could keep the Browns on the phone.
With Gavin Newsome being traded to the Jaguars last week, the Eagles might’ve already missed their chance to move a Browns Cornerback.
If there’s a potential to acquire a 4x Pro Bowl corner with 2 more years on a $100M contract the Eagles will have successfully found a Big Play Slay successor and giving Quinyon a reliable partner on the far side of the field.
With the Vikings just a few days away. What are your main concerns for the Eagles deadline needs? And how many of their seven tradable picks are you will to move from the 2026 draft?
