Adoree’ Jackson faces a fight to start at cornerback for the Eagles, but ‘I’m always competing’

C.J. Gardner-Johnson may have been traded to the Houston Texans, but No. 8 for the Eagles still dances between reps in team drills.

Adoree’ Jackson is now the energetic man behind that jersey number, showing off his moves on the field Tuesday during organized team activities. Going into his ninth NFL season, his first with the Eagles, the 29-year-old cornerback still finds plenty of joy in his job.

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be in the league,” Jackson said after practice on Tuesday. “And now that I’m here, regardless of what may be going into my life that’s negative that I might feel and I might not feel my best, then I just remember about times when I wished I was here.

“Staying present and taking advantage of every opportunity has been a way for me to stay in this moment and be positive.”

Jackson could have another reason to dance in the future. He is in the mix for one of the starting outside cornerback jobs in the 2025 iteration of Vic Fangio’s defense. That defense is undergoing change at all three levels this offseason, but in the secondary, the release of Darius Slay has left one of the most significant holes.

Fangio has been formulating the succession plan this offseason. On Tuesday during seven-on-seven drills, Cooper DeJean started in base defense on the outside opposite Quinyon Mitchell, then shifted inside to slot cornerback in the nickel package, where he spent the majority of the 2024 season. The coordinator also floated the potential that DeJean could play safety in base.

“I think a lot of it will end up depending upon how the rest of the guys develop and where we most need him,” Fangio said before practice. “So, it will be determined by what’s best for him and what’s best for the team, and probably what’s best for the team will win out in that decision.”

It’s likely that Fangio was alluding to Jackson and Kelee Ringo, the Eagles’ fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Georgia, when he mentioned the development of “the rest of the guys.” At different points throughout Tuesday’s practice, Jackson and Ringo took turns with the first-string defense at outside cornerback when DeJean moved inside.

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Jackson brings experience to the competition. Despite starting just five games for the New York Giants last season, Jackson has 5,297 career defensive snaps to his name, according to Pro Football Focus. On 84% of those snaps, Jackson was aligned on the outside.

Even though Jackson is the most veteran cornerback in the room, he isn’t resting on his experience as the competition for the starting gig begins.

“I feel like I’m always in competition, regardless [of] if I was starting or if I wasn’t starting,” Jackson said. “It’s always a competition. Somebody’s always trying to take your spot regardless, even if it wasn’t considered fighting for a position.

“At the end of the day, I’m always competing and working like it’s a competition, [as] if somebody’s trying to take my spot.”

Ringo may not have anywhere near the same amount of experience, but he has the upside. At 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, he boasts rare traits for the position, ranking in the 90th percentile in height and 93rd in weight, according to Mock Draftable. His 4.36-second 40-yard dash ranks in the 92nd percentile.

Even Jackson referred to Ringo, his stall neighbor in the locker room, as a “freak of nature.”

“Just his tangibles,” said Jackson, who is listed at 5-11 and 185 pounds. “Being that tall, being able to have speed, his movement.”

Still, Ringo expressed an understanding that being big and fast isn’t going to win him the job alone.

“Talent only takes you so far,” Ringo said. “And just coming to the league and just seeing, of course, the talent could definitely help you be able to get places where you want to go. But taking that next step of focusing on your technique, little things of stretching, learning the playbook, all different things that could definitely help you get an edge overall, besides from your talent. So that’s the main thing I’ve been focused on right now.”

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According to Fangio, all Ringo needs is more reps to help him become a full-time starting cornerback in the NFL. His in-game experience is still a work in progress. Ringo, who turns 23 later this month, played 198 defensive snaps in 2024 and has just 311 in his career, according to PFF. Many of his defensive snaps (54) last season came in the season finale against the Giants when the bulk of the starters rested.

Though Ringo hasn’t experienced much game action on defense going into his third season, he touted his improvement since he was drafted.

“I would definitely say the game is slowing down a lot more, for sure,” Ringo said. “Just technique-wise, focusing on the little things. … Just understanding the playbook. Understanding what offenses are trying to do to you, in the scheme, and everything like that. When everything slows down for you, you’re able to play a lot faster. I’m kind of tapping into that, and it feels really good.”

The competition will be in its preview stage during OTAs and the Eagles’ mandatory minicamp next week. Training camp will provide the setting for more competition between Jackson and Ringo — and more fun.

“It’s always hard to tell this time of year without the pads on, even at that position, but I think both those guys are making good strides,” Fangio said. “They’re both into it and they know there’s a job there to be had for somebody.”