Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles possessed the best defense in the NFL. Though much credit was given to their dominant defensive line, their secondary was just as good. Led by veteran cornerback Darius Slay and rookie CBs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia's secondary shut its opposition down in 2024.
That said, the Eagles moved on from Slay this offseason, leaving the spot opposite Mitchell open. Entering training camp, third-year CB Kelee Ringo and veteran Adoree' Jackson are fighting for that spot.
Unfortunately, Ringo seems to be struggling early in training camp. According to ESPN's Tim McManus, "Ringo has given up a few big plays through the first few days of camp. Most have come against Brown, one of the best players in the league, but his performance is worth monitoring as he competes with Adoree' Jackson for the outside corner spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell.
Kelee Ringo Opens Up Eagles Training Camp on the Wrong Foot
Eagles fans shouldn't be too worried yet with Ringo's performance. As McManus mentioned, A.J. Brown is one of the best receivers in the NFL, so the 23-year-old struggling against him is understandable. During the regular season, Mitchell would likely be going up against a team's No.1 receiver, which is what Brown is for the Eagles.
Even so, putting Ringo against Brown in camp is meant to help the young corner improve. Thus, his struggles through his first few days of camp are concerning.
Despite this, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has said that DeJean will get reps at outside cornerback this year. While this won't be frequent, it should concern Ringo. Last year, DeJean was only used as a slot CB since Slay was still at a high level.
Playing DeJean on the outside, even if it is in a limited role, may show that Fangio doesn't fully trust Ringo. Ringo must do a few things if he wants to secure a starting job by the end of training camp.
First, he must prove he can get the better of Brown from time to time during practice. Achieving this will prove he is ready to go against an opponent's No. 2 wide receiver.
Furthermore, Ringo must have solid preseason performances. Although playing well against Brown in practice will be impressive, doing it in the preseason will prove more, since he goes up against Brown every day. Matching up with Brown daily makes it slightly easier to match his tendencies.
Monitoring how Ringo continues to perform will be important for Eagles fans as training camp continues.