Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson was the biggest winner from the Eagles’ preseason finale against the Jets because he didn’t play one snap.
The Eagles held Jackson out on Friday with their other defensive starters, which is more proof that Jackson will start in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.
For the last week, Jackson has received most of the first-team reps across from Quinyon Mitchell. He hasn’t had a great summer, but he played better than Kelee Ringo in practices and preseason games.
Ringo missed tonight’s game at MetLife Stadium with a quad injury. He competed with Jackson for the starting job, but he struggled throughout training camp and in the Eagles’ first two preseason games.
Before getting injured earlier this week, Ringo was demoted to the second and third-team defenses, taking most of his reps with the 3’s across from Eli Ricks.
Jackson beating out Ringo is a slight upset. The Eagles wanted the latter to become the starter and did not make significant additions at CB to challenge him. Jackson was considered a fallback option.
The Eagles must be disappointed with Ringo. They may no longer consider him a potential starter. He hasn’t improved enough from last summer.
Even though Jackson is on track to start in Week 1, he could eventually be demoted for Jakorian Bennett, who was traded to the Eagles earlier this month. Jackson is a safer option due to his NFL experience (nine years), but Bennett offers more upside.
Last season, Bennett played well for the Las Vegas Raiders (2024), but he missed the last seven games with a shoulder injury.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is big on trust. He won’t start Bennett until the CB understands all his assignments (Fangio waited four weeks to start Cooper DeJean last season.) It’s difficult to pick up Fangio’s scheme in a few weeks.
Bennett and fifth-round rookie Mac McWilliams started against the Jets.
On the second drive, Bennett had a pass break up on Jets’ fourth-round rookie Arian Smith. Then, he gave up two catches on the third drive for 11 yards, but his tackle on the second catch forced a fourth-and-short.
Perhaps Jackson exceeds low expectations to become a steady starter and holds off Bennett. He was solid in the past for the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, but he declined last season and could take another step back this season.
Fangio expressed no confidence in him at the start of camp.
“I don’t know if I think it’s the place,” Fangio said on July 29. “I think it’s time for (Adoree’) to show that. In Tennessee, when it came time to re-sign him after his contract was up, they didn’t. The Giants, his contract was up, they didn’t. It’s time to show who he is or who he isn’t.”
Based off what we’ve seen, it’s hard to say that Fangio has been proven wrong. But Fangio also doesn’t seem confident in the other CBs. Philadelphia’s CB2 could be a huge liability.
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