After months of uncertainty, the Philadelphia Eagles finally received some clarity on the status of CB Isaiah Rodgers for the 2024 NFL season. The former Colts CB has officially been reinstated, according to Ian Rapoport.
NFL reinstates Isaiah Rodgers
Isaiah Rodgers was suspended for the 2023 season following a breaking of the NFL’s policy on gambling on league games. The Colts subsequently released him, and the Eagles were quick to sweep him up.
Rodgers later revealed to ESPN’s John Barr that although the bets were made on his behalf, it was for other people. The league has reinstated the 26-year-old cornerback, giving the Eagles an extra DB to develop in 2024.
Get to know the Eagles CB
The UMass product was originally drafted in the sixth-round by the Colts back in 2020. He flashed plenty of special teams upside that year, including a huge kick-return TD, which led him to becoming Indy’s primary kick returner for the next few years.
Rodgers averaged 27.41 yards per return in that span, and with the new kickoff rules in place for this season, getting a player so proficient in the return aspect could be invaluable for the Eagles.
As a cornerback, Isaiah Rodgers did earn his stripes there too. He played in 48% of snaps in 2021 before a knee injury cut his season short. He bounced back with 43% of snaps in 2022 and a season that saw him record a career-low 58% pass completion rate, 34 tackles, 3 passes defnesed, and a forced fumble. He of course overlapped with Nick Sirianni during his time with the Colts which likely played a part in his eventual journey to the City of Brotherly Love.
The Eagles did bring back Avonte Maddox this past offseason as well as seasoned slot corner Tyler Hall. The competition for a starting role will be stiff, but Maddox has a slightly concerning injury history and opportunities are bound to present themselves under Vic Fangio.
It remains to be seen whether Isaiah Rodgers can get back to his best, but at worst, the Eagles have a proven slot corner with a lot of special teams upside on their books for the upcoming season.
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire
