The Philadelphia Eagles have brought back a very familiar name on the eve of the team's season-opening matchup against their hated NFC East rival, the Dallas Cowboys.
After a whirlwind week and a half that saw the veteran cornerback released, signed to the practice squad, only to be released just two days later, Eli Ricks has been signed to the Eagles' practice squad for the second time this season.
The team's official social media account announced the move on Wednesday afternoon as offensive lineman Hollin Pierce was released to make space for the addition of Ricks.
Eli Ricks' Surprise Eagles Return Adds New Twist to Starting Battle
To put it bluntly, Philadelphia's secondary is not the strongest unit on this roster as the Eagles look to begin the defense of their championship on a high note against the Cowboys on Thursday night. Beyond proven veteran Reed Blankenship and, to a lesser extent, Adoree' Jackson, Philadelphia is relying on young talent and players who have yet to reach their potential, in hopes that they will get the job done.
Quinyon Mitchell is very talented but is stepping into a larger role as a second-year player. The same can be said about Cooper DeJean. Adoree' Jackson is a veteran with plenty of experience, but he is coming off an underwhelming season with the New York Giants. Kelee Ringo was so bad during the preseason that he missed out on what should have been a clear opportunity to walk into a starting role.
All of this is said to suggest that Ricks' return to the fold with the Eagles could be a signal that the coaching staff and front office are not fully sold on the group it had in place at the backend of the defense.
While he has no starts to his name since entering the league in 2023, the former LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide standout is familiar with the scheme run in Philadelphia and clearly has enough talent that the franchise feels it is worth continuing to keep him around.
Will Ricks ultimately push any of the projected starters for time at one of the cornerback positions? That remains to be seen. The soon-to-be 24-year-old must make his way onto the active roster before any of those conversations need to occur.
If that does happen sooner rather than later, though, it will be interesting to see what it means for the rest of the players on the depth chart behind the starters referenced above.