Eagles Lose Ascending CB To Vikings

Isaiah Rodgers is signing a two-year deal with $8 million of guarantees with Minnesota.

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (34) tips a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Eagles are losing cornerback Isaiah Rodgers on the free-agent market.

Rodgers turned a one-year sojourn with Philadelphia into a two-year, $15 million contract with the CB-needy Minnesota Vikings. The deal includes $8 million in guarantees.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the deal and a separate source confirmed it to Philadelphia Eagles On SI.

Ultimately, a “healthy market” unfolded for Rodgers, 27, with at least five teams in the mix.

Rodgers played very well as Philadelphia’s CB3 last season, filling in for both Darius Slay and Quinyon Mitchell when they were banged up.

A lack of size for the outside (Rodgers is listed at 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds) and a prior gambling suspension that wiped out his 2023 season had some of the contract-projection sites coming in at lower numbers for the UMass product.

Multiple NFL teams leaned on what was solid film for Rodgers as a key cog on a Super Bowl winning team.

The UMass product married his impressive speed with solid technique and impressive instincts over the somewhat significant sample size of 421 defensive snaps (including the postseason).

That stretch enabled Rodgers to overcome some of the concerns over playing him outside.

The Vikings’ top corner from the 2024 season, Pro Bowl selection Byron Murphy, is expected to sign elsewhere and the other two CBs who played major snaps were one-year veterans on the downside: Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin.

Minnesota’s ability to allow Rodgers to compete for a full-time starting job at outside corner and the willingness to go for two years of guaranteed money was enough to entice the Tampa native.

It’s likely the Vikings also saw Rodgers’ special teams value as a potential impact kickoff returner with long speed. 

The Eagles’ CB situation is in flux but still strong thanks to the presence of 2024 star rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, and ascending young corner Kelee Ringo.

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