One of the biggest topics that has engulfed Philadelphia Eagles fans over the first four weeks of the regular season has been the performance of veteran cornerback Adoree’ Jackson.
Jackson, who won the competition for the starting CB2 job this summer, got off to a rough start in Week 1, as the Dallas Cowboys went after him. However, Jackson rebounded with two solid performances against the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams.
The Eagles didn’t have Jackson for last week’s game against Tampa Bay due to injury, leading to Kelee Ringo getting the start. Ringo was a liability when it came to tackling, but didn’t look out of sorts in coverage, which was a huge positive.
In fact, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters on Tuesday that it's possible that when Jackson is healthy, Ringo could still start, per John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The Eagles' defensive coordinator added he thought Ringo did well but can still improve, and the true test will be seen in how he accomplishes that, according to Cory Nidoh of Philly Sports Network.
Adoree’ Jackson Not Guaranteed to Be a Starter After Kelee Ringo’s Week 4 Performance
The fact that it only took one start for Ringo to overtake Jackson in the pecking order only shows the current state of play at the CB2 position in Philadelphia this season.
Outside of the regular season opener against the Cowboys, where Jackson allowed 106 yards on six completions (eight targets), he showed improvement in the next two games, only giving up 49 total yards.
However, the veteran cornerback didn’t put enough distance between himself and Ringo, who some Eagles fans wanted to win the job in the summer. Things only got worse for Ringo after the third-year cornerback struggled in the preseason opener and then sustained a quad injury.
But to Ringo’s credit, he stayed ready when his number was called and didn’t let the moment overwhelm him in a raucous environment in Tampa Bay. As of right now, we don’t know what Jackson’s current injury status is for Week 5, as he missed last week with a groin injury.
The Eagles will likely not rush the veteran back, especially if Ringo shows improvement after his first start. But if you’re Jackson, the longer you’re out, the harder it might be to get your starting job back.
Fangio is sending a message to both cornerbacks, and it will be interesting to see how each guy responds going forward.