Corner Clash

Armed with intriguing size, athleticism and developmental upside, third-year Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo currently has the inside track when sizing up the competition for the role previously held by veteran left cornerback Darius Slay, now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ringo, 22, hasn’t logged many defensive reps since joining the Eagles in 2023 as a fourth-round pick – only a combined 311 over his first two seasons – but his odds at climbing the depth chart have never been more favorable.

Complicating matters is that for Ringo to fully realize his newfound opportunity, he must first fend off well-traveled veteran Adoree’ Jackson, whom the team inked to a one-year deal back in March.

And even though it would appear Ringo has the advantage, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio earlier this spring indicated that the position battle between the two is legitimate, even if it’s tough to handicap or gauge much of anything at this stage without pads.

“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,” he said. “They’re both into it and they know there’s a job there to be had for somebody. I think they’ve had good off seasons, both of them.”

When it comes to Ringo making the leap, consistency will be a determining factor. But the reality is that even though Ringo has spent the past year learning and growing in Fangio’s system, the primary indictor of progress and overall readiness is gleaned through repetition and on-the-job experience – which Ringo figures to get plenty of this summer.

“He just needs reps,” Fangio said. “He needs to learn to play the game, and that comes with reps. To quote what Nick [Sirianni] said in a meeting recently, ‘Repetition is the burden of leadership.’ It’s up to us to get him enough reps in practice, expose him to all the things he needs to be exposed to so he can play a full NFL game. When I say full, not physically conditioning-wise, but be a competent corner throughout a full game in a full season.”

Presumably aiding Ringo in his path to a starting job is familiarity with the defensive staff, which shouldn’t be understated, especially the work he’s put in with defensive backs coach Christian Parker and cornerbacks coach Roy Anderson. Both coaches, who fixate fundamentals and details, presided over an Eagles secondary last season that saw tangible signs of development from every player tasked with pivotal job descriptions.

GETTY IMAGES: Third-year Eagles CB Kelee Ringo hopes to win a starting job but has to fend off veteran Adoree’ Jackson.

Ringo could very well be the most recent example.

As for Jackson, a 2017 first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans, he’ll bring a wealth of experience to the much-anticipated position battle, having started 82 of the 97 games in which he’s appeared during his stints with the Titans and Giants. There isn’t much that’ll be thrown at Jackson that he hasn’t seen.

Based on the 2024 version of Jackson, who appeared in 14 games (five starts) last season with the Giants, he’s going to provide viable competition, which could make for a compelling summer-long storyline.

Still, the 29-year-old must absorb the ins and outs of Fangio’s scheme by the time players report to training camp on July 22 to position himself to maximize every rep. As we’ve observed from Fangio, it’s likely going to come down to who he trusts more to remain assignment-sound and to play within the confines of his defense.

But whether or not the competition was communicated to Jackson, or if it’s a case of “what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained,” the USC product is wired to avoid complacency, approaching each opportunity with a resolve that suggests Ringo will face some stiff competiton.

“I feel like I’m always in competition regardless of if I was starting or I wasn’t starting,” Jackson said this spring. “It’s always a competition. Somebody’s always trying to take your spot, regardless. Even if it wasn’t considered fighting for a position, the guy behind me is always trying to take your spot, regardless.

“So, if they are doing a good job and I’m not performing, it doesn’t do me no justice. So, at the end of the day, I’m always competing and working like it’s a competition and someone’s trying to take my spot.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.