There’s not much mystery to why the Eagles are doing so much homework on offensive and defensive linemen in advance of the 2025 NFL Draft later this month.
The reigning Super Bowl champions lost impact starters Milton Williams and Josh Sweat on the defensive front as well as veteran leader and contributor Brandon Graham to retirement. On the O-Line, road-grading right guard Mekhi Becton was one and done with Philadelphia, and the organization is cognizant on ultimately needing an heir to star right tackle Lane Johnson.
What’s strange on the surface is that Philadelphia also seems to be focused on due diligence at the cornerback position after securing two blue-chippers at the top of the draft last year in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
However, the numbers at the position have taken a significant hit with aging six-time All-Pro Darius Slay serving as a salary-cap casualty before signing with Pittsburgh, top outside backup Isaiah Rodgers leaving for an opportunity to start with Minnesota, and do-it-all versatile veteran Avonte Maddox, who played nickel, dime and safety last season, returning to his hometown of Detroit.
The immediate thought was that in-house prospect Kelee Ringo was the leader in the clubhouse to replace Slay on the outside opposite Mitchell, with DeJean staying in the slot. Veteran Adoree’ Jackson was also signed to a one-year deal as an insurance policy with the versatility to play inside and outside.
To date, the Eagles have set up visits with Kentucky off-coverage expert Maxwell Hairston and lengthy, scheme-versatile Ole Miss prospect Trey Amos, two potential bridge picks for the late-first or early-second rounds, as well as a projected inside option in Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish, a bridge Day 2-3 projection.
The thought is you can never have enough corners in the NFL, and the Eagles want to make sure they have enough options.
The depth assembled after Jackson of Eli Ricks, Parry Nickerson, Tariq Castro-Fields, and A.J. Woods is unproven and just not strong enough to dismiss the thought of yet another CB even after the 2024 bounty that produced two of the top four players in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
