Philadelphia Eagles: Five players to target before the trade deadline

Josh Jackson, Cornerback, Green Bay Packers

If I were to truly chose the top five players that the Philadelphia Eagles should acquire, they would all be those “elite” corners I mentioned at the end of the previous slide. They HAVE to get one of those top options or they really stand no chance in the playoffs, if they even make it.

So to mix it up a bit, we’ll only highlight the one top, shutdown type corner, and then focus on other needs throughout the rest of the article. But the secondary is still a glaring weakness. One player may not be enough to fix it. So the next player I think they should acquire is not nearly as notable, but could help the secondary right now and for years to come.

The Green Bay Packers have reshaped their own secondary over the past few years. In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Pack opted to go corner with each of their first two picks. First-rounder Jaire Alexander is already blossoming and showing his potential as a top corner in the league. However, they also drafted a guy that many had a first-round grade on in the second.

Young corner out of Iowa, Josh Jackson, now finds himself mired deep on the Packers depth chart. He is currently listed behind Alexander and undrafted free agent from 2018, Tony Brown at one corner spot. With 2017 second-round pick Kevin King and on again, off again Packer Tramon Williams at the other spot, Jackson has been on the field for just 15% of the team’s defensive snaps.

Obviously, Jackson was not getting the job done in practice and in his limited playing time to earn significant time on the field. I’m sure the Packers hoped that he would progress right alongside Alexander and they would both be starting at this point. But Alexander has pulled ahead, and with the great play from the rest of the secondary, Jackson has been left behind on the bench.

Without seeing the field, Jackson won’t have the chance to gain the experience that he needs to improve. Experience was the big knock on him coming out of college, as he was just a one-year starter as a Hawkeye. But in his one year, you saw enough potential to earn a first-round grade from many draft analysts.

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If Green Bay is at the point where they are willing to move on from Jackson, if I’m Philly, why not take a flier on him? For one, he really can’t do much worse than what they have been getting from their current corners. Yes, there have been some injury concerns, but the young corners that have filled in have not panned out at all. Avonte Maddox, Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas, none have been able to hold their own against really anyone this season.

Jalen Mills returned last week and Ronald Darby can be serviceable at times, but there is no one in this secondary, especially at corner, that the Eagles can really hang their hat on this season. An elite corner would come in and anchor a side of the field or follow the best opposing receiver, but they still need production from the other corners on the field, and they have not found that production yet.

While Josh Jackson hasn’t quite had the production to this point either, a change of scenery may be what it takes for Jackson and the Philadelphia Eagles to find in for both sides. Jackson has elite ball skills and made a ton of plays in college. He’s a big corner with great length, having an optimal body for his position at the NFL level. The potential to be great is still there, and with some experience and coaching, Jackson could end up becoming a steal for anyone that could acquire him.

Jackson currently struggles with his technique, especially in man coverage. The Eagles defense often plays zone coverage, which would free up Jackson to jump routes and make plays which is what he excels at. Jackson’s ball skills make him a versatile defensive back, being able to play outside corner, inside corner, and safety if needed.

The Packers clearly aren’t using Jackson this season, even when other corners are out with injuries. With the guys that they do have being young as well, I don’t see Jackson cracking the starting lineup anytime soon.

So it shouldn’t take much to get him away from Green Bay and get him a brand new start on a defense that desperately needs playmakers. We just saw a 2018 early second-round pick traded for a fifth-rounder in 2021 in center Austin Corbett heading to the Rams from the Browns.

If the Philadelphia Eagles were one of the teams that had a first-round grade on Jackson or just feel that he could generally make an impact as a member of this defense, they have a great opportunity to snag him before the deadline. As a young player, he may not make the biggest impact this season but he could be an asset for the future if a new opportunity proves to be what he needs to become a star.