Tag: Isaiah Rodgers

Eagles retooled secondary named the biggest reason for optimism in 2024

The Philadelphia Eagles retooled secondary was named the biggest reason for optimism in 2024 by Pro Football Focus

The Eagles collapsed last season, losing six of their final seven games, including a 32-9 loss to the Buccaneers in the NFC wild-card round. Changes were made as both coordinators departed, with Kellen Moore (Chargers) and Vic Fangio (Dolphins) inserted as more seasoned and experienced upgrades to Nick Sirianni’s staff.

Fletcher Cox and Haason Reddick departed on defense, while serious upgrades were made in the secondary. Howie Roseman spent draft capital on Quinyon Mitchell (round 1) and Cooper DeJean (Round 2). C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned to the team in free agency, while Isaiah Rodgers joined the franchise officially after serving a one-year suspension for gambling. Tyler Hall signed a one-year deal, while Avone Maddox was re-signed in free agency.

Pro Football Focus recently examined the reasons for optimism for all 32 NFL teams and found that Philadelphia’s retooled secondary is the biggest reason for happiness.

They threw resources at the secondary

The Eagles have elite talent at quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line and defensive line. The one glaring weakness was a 28th-ranked coverage unit. They reunited with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and two extremely talented cornerbacks in the draft in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. DeJean, in particular, should be an asset in the slot after Philadelphia ranked dead last in the NFL in slot coverage grade last year.

Philadelphia has an extremely strong roster, and their offseason work to fix the secondary should keep them in Super Bowl contention.

The Eagles focused on rebuilding the secondary, and Philadelphia selected multiple defensive backs within the first two rounds for the first time since 2002. That year the Eagles took three DBs, cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown and safety Michael Lewis, despite already having big named stars on the roster players like Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor and Brian Dawkins at key spots in the secondary.

With Slay, 33, and Bradberry, 30, entering the final stages of their careers, Philadelphia will develop a core that includes Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, Isaiah Rodgers, and Eli Ricks, just to name a few.

At the safety position, the Eagles have Reed Blankenship Gardner-Johnson and a talented, injured Sydney Brown.

NFL reinstates Eagles CB/KR Isaiah Rodgers after gambling suspension

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers spent a year out of the NFL, but now he’s back after being reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell. 

The Eagles didn’t add an outside cornerback during the free agent frenzy. Still, Howie Roseman wasn’t bothered because the talented GM had a potential star stashed on the reserve/suspended list.

Philadelphia always looks to add talent, and last August, the Eagles signed cornerback/return specialist Isaiah Rodgers, who had been suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s gambling policy.

The NFL suspended Rodgers in June, and the Colts subsequently waived him.

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Rodgers spent a year out of the NFL, but now he’s back after being reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

A 5-10, 176-pound cornerback, Rodgers was a sixth-round pick of the Colts out of UMass in 2020.

Rodgers appeared in 45 games (10 starts), logging 88 tackles, ten passes defended, and three interceptions.

A special teams standout, Rodgers became just the sixth rookie in Colts history to return a kickoff for a touchdown, earning PFWA All-Rookie honors during the 2022 season.

Rodgers has averaged 27.0 yards per kickoff return in his career and should flourish under the drastically new kickoff rules that will debut this fall.

Eagles CB Isaiah Rodgers not among five suspended players reinstated by the NFL

Eagles CB Isaiah Rodgers not among five players reinstated by the NFL on Thursday

Timing is everything, and for Eagles suspended cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, Thursday, April 18 was not the day.

The NFL reinstated wide receiver Quintez Cephus, safety C.J. Moore, defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor, linebacker Rashod Berry, and defensive end Shaka Toney off the reserve/suspended list.

All five were suspended for the entire 2023 season.

Toney will return to the Commanders roster.

The Lions released Cephus, Moore, and Taylor and are free to sign with new teams.

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Rodgers was the only name missing from the list, and that should be concerning for Philadelphia since the talented cornerback was suspended around the same time last off-season.

In February, he spoke to The Inquirer about his suspension, saying that “the more than 100 bets placed on his gambling account were on behalf of friends and family in his native Florida, a state where sports betting was not legal at the time.”

Rodgers stated that most of the bets were between $25 and $50 and included wagers related to Colts games, Rodgers confirmed, one was Jonathan Taylor’s over/under rushing yards prop.

The NFL’s revised rules on gambling state that there is now a minimum of a two-year suspension if a player bets on an NFL game involving his team, something Rodgers did.

The suspensions were part of a more harsh crackdown on gambling last offseason, with the league banning players from betting on any sport if the players are placing the bets at the team facility.

10 players who could have bigger roles for the Eagles in 2024

We’re looking at ten players on the Philadelphia Eagles roster who could have bigger roles in 2024

The 2024 NFL offseason is officially underway after the Chiefs’ 25-22 win over the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII from Las Vegas.

The league will take the next month to catch its breath, but the slowdown won’t last long, as potential free agents will face the franchise tag, and all 32 teams will head to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February.

With the Bears now on the clock, we’re looking at ten Philadelphia Eagles who see an increased role in 2024.

Instant analysis of the Eagles signing CB Isaiah Rodgers to a deal

Instant analysis of the #Eagles signing CB Isaiah Rodgers to a deal and placing him on the Reserve/Suspended list ahead of 53-man roster deadline

Philadelphia always looks to add talent, and the Eagles have signed former Indianapolis cornerback/return specialist Isaiah Rodgers to a deal.

A 5-10, 176-pound cornerback, Rodgers was a sixth-round pick of the Colts out of UMass in 2020.

With the Eagles working to trim their 2023 roster down to 53-players, here’s an instant analysis and observations of the deal.

Eagles sign suspended CB/KR Isaiah Rodgers to a deal

Philadelphia always looks to add talent and the #Eagles are signing suspended defensive back, kick return specialist Isaiah Rodgers to a deal

Philadelphia always looks to add talent, and the Eagles are signing suspended cornerback/return specialist Isaiah Rodgers to a deal.

The NFL suspended Rodgers for violating the league’s gambling policy in June, and the Colts waived him.

A 5-10, 176-pound cornerback, Rodgers was a sixth-round pick of the Colts out of UMass in 2020.

Rodgers appeared in 45 games (10 starts), logging 88 tackles, ten passes defensed, and three interceptions.

A phenomenal special teams standout, Rodgers became just the sixth rookie in Colts history to return a kickoff for a touchdown, earning PFWA All-Rookie honors last season.

Rodgers has averaged 27.0 yards per kickoff return in his career.

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Colts vs. Bills: 5 things to know entering preseason Week 1

Here are five things to know as the Colts enter their first preseason game against the Bills.

The Indianapolis Colts travel Saturday to Orchard Park, NY, for their first action in the Shane Steichen era. The Buffalo Bills host the Colts at Highmark Stadium for a preseason Week 1 game.

With so many new faces and schemes still being installed, there is a lot to work out, but perhaps the most exciting part: Colts football is back.

Here are the five things to know for Week 1 of the preseason:

5 bold predictions entering Colts training camp

Here are five bold predictions for the Colts as they enter training camp.

Training camp awaits the Indianapolis Colts, and so do many new possibilities. With a revamped coaching staff and several new pieces from the draft and free agency, the Colts are ready to put it together.

Entering new seasons always brings more hope regardless of how a team may have finished the previous season. The Colts are a prime example of this considering their new additions at head coach and quarterback.

Here are five bold predictions entering Colts training camp:

AFC South news roundup: Colts, Jags lose starters to suspensions, C.J. Stroud projected to start

It was a rough week for the AFC South.

Come along, my friends, as we take our latest trip around the AFC South to see what’s going on with the Tennessee Titans’ division rivals, the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars.

It’s supposed to be the quiet time of the NFL offseason when teams are on a break ahead of training camp later this month. However, that has been far from the case for three AFC South teams.

The Titans lost their right tackle, Nicholas Petit-Frere, for the first six games due to his violating the league’s gambling policy. And then, just the next day, Tennessee’s backup running back and 2022 fourth-round pick, Hassan Haskins, was arrested for aggravated assault by strangulation.

But the Titans aren’t the only team going through it, as the Colts and Jaguars also lost starters to suspensions, with Indy losing a starting cornerback for violating the gambling policy, while the Jags lost a starting O-lineman because of a violation of the performance-enhancing drugs policy.

In all, the Colts had two players suspended, but the other player was a practice squad guy, which is obviously far less impactful.

Things weren’t too much better in Houston, though. The Texans didn’t lose any players to suspension, but their former quarterback, Ryan Mallett, tragically lost his life in a drowning accident.

Check out those stories and more below.

Colts’ 90-man offseason roster entering July

Here’s an updated look at the Colts’ 90-man roster entering the month of July.

The Indianapolis Colts are in the middle of summer break and will be returning to the Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield for training camp at the end of the month.

The 90-man offseason roster underwent some significant changes during the final week of June. The team parted ways with projected starting cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr., along with depth defensive end Rashod Berry, after both players were suspended indefinitely due to violations of the league’s gambling policy.

This version also does not include rookie safety Daniel Scott, who tore his ACL during OTAs and was placed on the injured reserve list.

Here’s a look at the updated 90-man (really 89-man) roster for the Colts as the enter the month of July: