Examining Isaiah Rodgers' Path To Playing Time For The Eagles

A broken hand has slowed the veteran CB down.

Eagles CB Isaiah Rodgers / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA - Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers was one of the stories of the spring and summer for the Eagles.

However, the fourth-year pro coming off a one-year suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy has yet to see the field this season.

A broken hand suffered in practice before the Eagles’ preseason finale against Minnesota potentially derailed a plan where rookie first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell would toggle from outside cornerback opposite Darius Slay into the slot when a nickel CB was needed.

When Mitchell was in the slot Rodgers would then rotate in at outside CB.

The injury scratched Rodgers from the mix in the season-opener against Green Bay and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio kept Mitchell outside with veteran Avonte Maddox handling slot duties.

That’s remained the status quo over Weeks 2 and 3 despite Rodgers dressing. The Week 2 presence was more in an emergency capacity, according to a team source.

In last Sunday’s 15-12 win over New Orleans, Slay was forced to leave the game with a leg injury and it was second-year CB Kelee Ringo getting the nod as the fill-in over Rodgers.

Fangio was asked about Rodgers’ status as a potential starter pre-injury to a DNP/coaches decision.

The DC noted Ringo was part of the game plan against the Saints as the team’s dime option.

“It was just that Kelee was up and ready to go for the game. Because if we had played any six DBs, he would have been in there,” Fangio said. “We just thought of the guys on the side, he was more into it and ready to go, in a spur of the moment thing.”

Fangio did note is the attrition happen earlier Rodgers would have been considered.

“If this had happened earlier in the game, there's still a lot of football to play, probably would have seen Isaiah out there,” said Fangio.

Moving forward, it’s clear that Mitchell has locked down the outside CB job with solid play and is no longer in the mix to move, meaning it’s unlikely Rodgers is getting much playing time on defense absent an injury to one of the outside CBs.

The only path to the field is in the slot and there is no indication Rodgers has taken any reps inside despite having a frame that seems suited for it.

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