The Philadelphia Eagles will begin their quest for another Super Bowl appearance on Sunday afternoon against the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round.
For the defending Super Bowl champions, it hasn’t been the easiest road back to the playoffs, as the offense has had moments of inconsistent play throughout the 2025 campaign, while the defense was working to fix its pass rush and CB2 woes.
The CB2 position was a widely discussed topic among the fanbase throughout the summer and the start of the regular season. Veteran Adoree’ Jackson won the starting job and didn’t get off to the best of starts due to injury, which led to Kelee Ringo getting his shot.
Ringo had his moments, but it was clear that he wasn’t the answer, leading the Eagles back to Jackson. To his credit, Jackson has settled in at the CB2 job over the last several weeks, which has played a part in the Eagles’ defense rounding into form.
The veteran cornerback, who signed a one-year deal last March, has at least one more game to show he’s worth keeping around. If he doesn’t play well and the Eagles get eliminated, it could be the end of the Jackson era in Philadelphia.
Adoree' Jackson Could Be Playing Final Game with Eagles in Playoffs
As we mentioned earlier, Jackson was not looked at fondly by Eagles fans after he was tormented by Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. The veteran cornerback allowed six completions (eight targets) for 106 yards while giving up a 116.7 passer rating when targeted.
That was the only time Jackson allowed 100 or more receiving yards. The next most receiving yards he gave up in a particular game were in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders (83 yards on five completions/five targets).
For the season, the 30-year-old Jackson has only given up 11.3 receiving yards per reception allowed (second-fewest in his career), two receiving touchdowns, and has recorded an 87 passer rating.
One of the reasons for Jackson’s success is that the Eagles have done a good job mixing up various zone looks, which makes it hard for defenses to go after the veteran. It also helps that the Eagles’ defensive line is getting pressure on the opposing QB, which means your CBs do not have to cover for longer periods of time.
The Eagles hope that their defensive line can get after Brock Purdy on Sunday, as you have to believe that they will try to attack Jackson and not Quinyon Mitchell. If Jackson does his job in pass coverage and makes tackles, that will help the Eagles secure the win.
Now, if Jackson reverts to his early-season form, that will be terrible for the Eagles. Regardless of what happens in Sunday’s game, Jackson will likely be playing elsewhere in 2026.
Philly needs to find the long-term answer at CB2 opposite of Quinyon Mitchell, whether that’s Cooper DeJean and moving Michael Carter II in the slot, or going the draft route.