Philadelphia Eagles: Has Jalen Mills done enough to earn a new contract?

Is Jalen Mills a part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ future?

Jalen Mills is one of the more polarizing players on the Philadelphia Eagles, maybe in the NFL in general.

Some love the story of an ex-seventh round pick who overcame some athletic limitations to become a starting cornerback for a Super Bowl-winning club, while others simply can’t stand the green-haired, finger waggin’ DB who always seems to lose a matchup when it matters most.

So, needless to say, when news broke that the Eagles planned to re-sign Mills to a one-year, $4 million deal, it was a fairly polarizing call, especially as fans read on to see exactly why he was being retained.

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You see, after allowing Malcolm Jenkins to walk in free agency, Howie Roseman opted to replace his defense’s former leader with a safety-by-committee approach with an extension for Rodney McLeod, the signing of Will Parks, and, confusingly enough, by moving long-time outside cornerback Jalen Mills to SS. According to Mills, this was a move he’s wanted to do for a long time, but for some reason – really bad cornerback play – this was the first time he was actually able to make the move.

Was Mills ever going to be able to replace Jenkins’ production, play, and instincts one-for-one? No, not immediately at least, but it was generally accepted that if Mills was going to be back, it was better to have him at strong safety than perimeter corner if for no other reason than to avoid getting burnt to a crisp on go routes or committing 58-yard pass interference penalties.

And so far, the results have been encouraging.

Now granted, Mills hasn’t suddenly transformed into his LSU teammate Jamal Adams or even vintage Malcolm Jenkins, but he’s generally been in the right position, has shown the versatility to play either safety position in Jim Schwartz‘s attacking 4-3 defense, and has even been able to moonlight back on the outside when the Eagles needed him most.

Through the first eight games of the season, Mills has recorded 40 tackles, a pick, four passes defensed,1.5 sacks, and four QB hits. Mills is also allowing a career-low nine yards per reception – the lowest mark on the team – and a sub-90 QBR when targeted, even if his two surrendered touchdowns leave a bit to be desired.

But is that enough to earn another new extension? Honestly, yes.

Granted, Mills hasn’t magically turned into an elite playmaker from the safety position, and at 26-years-old, he probably never will be. But it’s clear Schwartz trusts him more than most, and that is incredibly valuable. Mills’ positions versatility is also incredibly valuable, as it’s saved the team’s butt already once this season and may again come in handy depending on how the back half of the season goes for Avonte Maddox.

Assuming he doesn’t try to shake down the Eagles Jason Peters-style for a massive deal, there is very little downside to extending Mills for at least another year, even if K’Von Wallace somehow develops into the second coming of Brian Dawkins down the stretch.

And on a personal note, could you even imagine the logistical issues of Mills switching teams? I’m not sure if his hair can handle a complete dye job to switch to his new team’s color.

Next. The Philadelphia Eagles could really use a guy like Robby Anderson. dark

Even with the team’s salary cap situation in beyond dire straights, the Philadelphia Eagles are not in a position to let talent walk out the door for nothing. In their minds, Jalen Mills is a talent, and considering that very few other talent evaluators seem to share that opinion across the NFL, a third-contract seems like a borderline inevitability barring a total collapse over the final eight games of the season. For better or worse, the Green Goblin is (probably) here to stay.

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