Back To The Drawing Board

PHILADELPHIA – Days after learning that Eagles cornerback Jaire Alexander wouldn’t be traveling to Green Bay, as there was a plan in place for the 28-year-old to adjust to a new defense and ensure optimal health with his knee ahead of the stretch run, there would be an unforeseen twist.

According to a report Tuesday evening from Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, Alexander decided to step away from football to prioritize his physical and mental health for the time being before ultimately deciding his future. On Wednesday morning, the Eagles placed the veteran on the Reserve/retired list.

The news was notable, as Alexander, in his introductory media scrum last week, expressed optimism about his new environment, intent on reestablishing himself after a forgettable stint with the Baltimore Ravens. Alexander was also adamant that he was feeling as good as he’s had since knee surgery.

What will Eagles HC Nick Sirianni do about his CB2 situation in the aftermath of Jaire Alexander’s step-away?

“I think getting away for his health, [I] respect that,” head coach Nick Sirianni said Wednesday. “I really enjoyed my short time with him and wish him the best.

The organization, obviously, had conveyed an air of anticipation on the heels of the acquisition.

“Ja, I remember when he signed in June with Baltimore thinking what a great signing by them,” executive vice president/general manager Howie Roseman said during his post-trade deadline press conference. “It didn’t work out the way that he wanted or that they wanted or he wouldn’t have been available to us. But the relationship we have with Baltimore, being able to have honest conversations and understanding what he went through a little bit in training camp and getting back to health, [he] obviously missed a lot of time last year.

“Then just really doing a deep dive on him and how successful he’s been, what we thought of him last year when we were in Brazil playing them, and then for the first part of the year. Then, having [Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach Christian Parker] CP who was with him and getting to know the mindset of the player.

“Sometimes in this league, you acquire information, you watch everything and you feel like, ‘Hey, the risk is worth the reward here.’ I think when you talk about [him] still [being] a young guy, knowing where his health is at now, feeling healthy, feeling good, we felt like the risk was worth the reward with him.”

The Eagles, sending over a 2026 sixth-round pick, acquired Alexander on Nov. 1 in a trade with the Ravens in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round pick.

Bennett returns

In a corresponding move, fellow cornerback Jakorian Bennett (pectoral) was activated from injured reserve, taking Alexander’s spot on the 53-man roster. The 21-day practice window for Bennett, 25, opened Oct. 22, making today the final opportunity to activate him or be without his services for the remainder of the season.

“You don’t realize how much you love something until you can’t do it no more,” Bennett had said on Oct. 24. “I know it’s kind of short-term or whatnot, but it sucked not being able to go out there and just help the team. Just watching it, I definitely learned a lot. But I’m glad I’m feeling good … mental’s good, physical’s good. So, I’m just kind of ready to roll.”

Acquired in an early August trade with the Raiders in exchange for defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV, Bennett appeared in the team’s first three games, accounting for 24 defensive snaps. He sustained his injury in Week 1 and played through it before aggravating it further late in the game against the Rams, which ultimately landed him on the shelf.

Bennett gives coordinator Vic Fangio another option on the outside opposite Quinyon Mitchell, though it’s worth noting that Fangio has defaulted to veteran Adoree’ Jackson, whom Sirianni said played “really well” against the Packers.

There’s also 23-year-old Kelee Ringo, who has at times shown signs of promise amid inconsistency. Still, it feels like unless Jackson gives Fangio a reason to pivot, the team feels inclined to stick with him, if for no other reason than continuity.

Perhaps Bennett becomes a situational or matchup-based contributor, but the Maryland product will likely fill out a prominent role on special teams. His usage will be something to monitor.

“I feel like they traded for me for a reason,” he said. “So, if I can just go out there and be who I am and stay healthy, the sky is the limit.”

Sirianni doubles down

Up three points at the Green Bay 35-yard line with 33 seconds remaining in regulation, the Eagles, in a curious decision, elected to keep the offense on the field.

The immediate thought was that there would be an attempt to draw them offsides before bringing on punter Braden Mann to attempt a pooch punt. Nick Sirianni after the game cited the wind in ruling out a field goal attempt, as it would require a lower trajectory kick, but he never expressed any intent to punt. Instead, he entrusted his offense to put the final nail in the proverbial coffin.

The play resulted in a relatively low-percentage throw down the left sideline to wide receiver A.J. Brown, closely guarded by Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine. The pass was incomplete, returning possession to the Packers at their own 36 with 27 seconds remaining. The sequence didn’t prove to be a backbreaker, though the fact the offense was even on the field in that scenario – which went against conventional wisdom – has prompted plenty of discourse in the days that followed.

After a couple days to reflect, did Sirianni still agree with his decision ? Was it even his decision to throw a pass in that situation?

“Yeah,” he said. “Every time you go into a game, you know the plays that we’re running on fourth down. Obviously, you know the plays that are being run the whole time, but specifically fourth down, because when you go into that and a fourth-down decision works, that’s great. It continues drives, and in that case, it would’ve ended the game.

“If it doesn’t work, you understand as the head coach, it’s all going to be on you. Obviously, you’re very in tune with everything that goes on and is in that play, so knew exactly what play we were calling, everything that went into it. On that particular one, it didn’t work.”

There have been suggestions that the pass play was the result of a spur-of-the-moment collaboration between quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown, though Sirianni poured cold water on that sentiment.

“I knew exactly what the play was that we were calling and that was run at that moment,” he said.

What about A.J.?

Returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the Week 8 win over the New York Giants, All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown was expected to give a jolt to an enigmatic offensive unit.

On paper, especially with the Packers without starting cornerback Nate Hobbs, Monday night in Lambeau projected to be an opportune spot to pepper the team’s star receiver in the passing game with volume. At first, things seemed to go according to plan, with Brown reeling in a pair of receptions for 13 yards on the opening drive. But that would remain Brown’s stat line at the conclusion of the Eagles’ 10-7 win.

Sirianni has talked before about his new mantra – “contribution over credit” – which is self-explanatory. Most recently, after the Packers game, he went back to the “sometimes you, sometimes me, always us” message he shared last season on an episode of “Unscripted.” The message, by the way, was inspired by a shirt worn by wide receiver Johnny Wilson.

While embodying a team-first mindset is critical in any work force, no one would dispute that Brown needs to be more heavily involved on a weekly basis. He’s among the best players at his position across the entire league and can alter momentum on a given play. He wants the ball in high-leverage moments and thrives when making an impact. Puzzlingly, apart from wins against the Rams and Vikings, Brown remains underutilized on an offensive starved for a dynamic passing game.

For perspective, Brown, who has 408 receiving yards on 31 receptions along with three touchdowns, is down in a handful of categories, including receptions per game (3.9), yards per game (51.0) and average yards per target (7.6).

So, what gives? Well, on Wednesday, Sirianni offered his thoughts.

“If you look at the game and how the game went, there are a lot of plays in that game that are going to him, that for different reasons, don’t. For instance, [WR DeVonta Smith]’s touchdown, that play is going to A.J. They took it away, and he threw it over the top.

“You can’t [just] look at stats. You can’t paint the picture that way. I know that sometimes is all the information that you guys may have, but you can’t look at it that way and just say, ‘Here’s how the game is playing out.’ There are reasons and different things.

“A.J. Brown is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, so of course we’re trying to get him involved in the game every single time. Sometimes, it goes like it did in the Rams game or the Vikings game and sometimes it goes like it did in this last game.”

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