August 06, 2024
Colleen Claggett/For PhillyVoice
Eagles CB Isaiah Rodgers signs autographs (not a contract extension) after a training camp practice at the NovaCare Complex.
Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles were busy on the contract extension front this offseason, when they got new deals done with five of their star players in A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Jake Elliott, locking up core pieces of their offense for the foreseeable future.
There are still some logical extension candidates on the defensive side of the ball, especially after the start of training camp, where the team has had the opportunity to see how those candidates have performed this summer.
Williams is in the final year of his rookie contract, and was a prime candidate for an extension this offseason.
"I heard about it earlier on [from my representation], but I didn't get too many details," Williams said.
Asked if the fact that he's in a contract year is on his mind, Williams acknowledged that it is.
"Definitely," he said. "You always know what time it is. I'm just going to go out there and show what I can do."
At 25 years of age, Williams is sort of the old head among an extremely young Eagles defensive tackle group that has been built through the draft.
• Milton Williams (25): Round 3, 2021
• Marlon Tuipulotu (25): Round 6, 2021
• Jordan Davis (24): Round 1, 2022
• Jalen Carter (23): Round 1, 2023
• Moro Ojomo (22): Round 7, 2023
After a strong close to the 2022 season, Williams felt like a potential breakout candidate in 2023, but his production was disappointing, particularly his pass rushing stats:
| Milton Williams | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | QB hits |
| 2021 | 30 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 2022 | 36 | 9 | 4 | 6 |
| 2023 | 42 | 3 | 0.5 | 7 |
However, he was an effective run defender and is poised to play more snaps in 2024 than he ever has. Vic Fangio said on Monday that he's a Milton Williams fan.
"I like Milt," he said. "Milt is a good player. He’s solid, both versus the run and in pass rush. He's a guy that from afar I've liked that the Eagles have had. In fact, I tried to get us to trade for him last year in Miami, but Howie wouldn't do it. But I like Milt. Milt is a pro."
So to summarize, Fangio likes him, Roseman likes him, and he's coming off a season where his production probably doesn't match his value as a player. From a team perspective, that's the type of player you'd ideally like to extend at a reasonable cost. Of course, from the agent perspective, you don't want to be negotiating from a position of weakness when your client is a defensive tackle coming off a season with 0.5 sacks.
Rodgers formerly played for the Indianapolis Colts. In June last year, he was suspended for the entirety of the 2023 season for violating the NFL's policy on gambling, and was subsequently released by the Colts. In a pure stash move, the Eagles signed Rodgers last summer, in August, a move that Rodgers said on Monday was in the works during Eagles-Colts joint practices. He was reinstated by the NFL four months ago, in April. Rodgers' contract with the Eagles tolled in 2023 and will go into effect in 2024. That will be the final year of his rookie deal.
Rodgers was a sixth-round pick of the Colts in 2020 out of UMass, after he blazed a 4.28 40 at his pro day. He said on Monday that he is faster now than he was then.
Rodgers was a good player for the Colts. He played in 15 games for Indy in 2022, starting nine. He had 34 tackles, a forced fumble, and three pass breakups. In 2021, he had 49 tackles, 3 INTs, and seven pass breakups. In addition to his role at corner, Rodgers was also the Colts' primary kick returner for three seasons, averaging a pretty good 27.0 yards per return during that span. He also took one to the house in 2020. It's puzzling why the Colts cut him.
"Rules are rules, I did my time, and I'm blessed to be here," Rodgers said of the Colts' decision to release him.
Rodgers is competing with guys like Kelee Ringo and Quinyon Mitchell for the CB2 spot opposite Darius Slay. He had a fantastic spring, and through the first eight practices this summer he has looked like a legitimate possibility to start for the Eagles in 2024.
Even after selecting Mitchell and DB Cooper DeJean with their first two picks in the 2024 draft and just generally having better depth at corner, the Eagles still have to look ahead to to their future at the position, as Slay turns 34 in January. If the Eagles are thinking Rodgers is poised to start for them in 2024, it might make sense to approach him with an extension offer before they announce that he'll start.
White and Baun signed in Philadelphia on one-year deals this offseason.
The Eagles have gotten some terrible play out of free agent linebackers in years past, so they shouldn't be in a rush to extend one before the season begins. However, if after the first month of the season it appears that White and/or Baun are the real deal, then the Eagles should consider locking them one of them up long-term so they're not looking for bargain bin starters once again next offseason.
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