Getty Jalen Mills ia an unrestricted free agent in 2020 and the Eagles need to make a decision.
The Philadelphia Eagles officially activated Jalen Mills off the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list.
The 25-year-old cornerback is expected to start Sunday night against the Cowboys. Mills, who hasn’t played in a real game in 357 days, showed off his extreme swagger in a video of the team landing in Dallas. He gets off the plane in an all-pink suit, complete with his trademark “Green Goblin” hair.
Fit game too strong
Mills should inject some much-needed energy into an Eagles’ secondary that has been on life support in recent weeks. It’s still unclear how many snaps the corner will see but anything he can give them will help.
“Just go out there and do my job,” Mills said, via The Inquirer’s Erin McCarthy. “I’m not trying to be a superhero. I’m not trying to make any kind of amazing plays. Whatever [defensive coordinator Jim] Schwartz calls, line up and do my job, compete like my teammates and coaches know I can.”
Jalen Mills Had Great Week of Practice Reps
It’s been nearly a year since Jalen Mills ran around the practice field. On Wednesday, the Eagles cornerback nearly had an interception.
Mills, who expects to start Sunday in Dallas, was finally cleared to practice earlier this week and made his triumphant return from a bad foot sprain. The 25-year-old is being counted on mightily to upgrade an underachieving Eagles secondary. On his first day, Mills told reporters he got his hands on a ball and nearly had an interception.
“It was fun, you know what I’m saying, “I got my hands on a ball and could have had a pick, but I dropped it,” Mills said.
Good news that he’s making an impact already. But maybe a tad concerning he dropped it?
Either way, Mills is excited to be back and hopes to make an impact Sunday.
“That’s always my mindset … but it’s also the training staff, and it’s the head coach and it’s the defensive coordinator and they have to make that call,” said Mills.
What was it like for #Eagles CB Jalen Mills practicing for the first time in a year. @SportsRadioWIP
Eagles Cornerbacks Invented End-Zone Celebrations
The Eagles have long been known for their wildly creative touchdown celebrations, specifically ones that involve multiple players flexing in the end zone.
Cornerback Jalen Mills — the presumed starter who will begin the year on the PUP list — took to Twitter to indicate the franchise invented the art. He’s kind of right. During the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, the team made national headlines with their outside-the-box routines.
FYI: 7 Days from now all the celebrating running to the end zone to get the group camera picture after a big play….Yea the Eagles started that✌️
Some of the better ones included:
Alshon Jefferey pretending to toss a bowling ball as the offensive starters posed as bowling pins.
Nelson Agholor taking to a makeshift pitcher’s mound and firing a fastball at batter Torrey Smith who knocked it out of the ballpark.
Trey Burton spinning the football like a top and then rubbing his hands as if he was warming himself by a campfire.
Brent Celek flapping his arms to mimic a real eagle and then leading the entire offense in a migration pattern from the end zone to the sideline.
Doug Pederson Says Zach Brown Wasn’t Cut for Comments
The exact reasons surrounding Zach Brown’s abrupt departure had been unclear. Was he released because he criticized Kirk Cousins in the media? Or was the move due to his poor play on the field? It seems like a combination of the two, considering the timing of it and the team’s lack of linebacker depth.
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson didn’t completely give updated reasons or answers. However, he made it clear that Brown’s controversial comments had nothing to do with it. Pederson indicated Brown’s poor play, combined with guys he likes better further down the depth chart, played a part in the decision.
“We need a little more production out of that group, and so we made a change,” Pederson said. “He [Brown] was our starting linebacker, and this gives us an opportunity now to get some young guys on the roster, give T.J. [Edwards] an opportunity. [LB] Duke Riley gets an opportunity. We’ll keep working those guys in.”
Follow the Heavy Philadelphia Eagles page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
READ NEXT: Jalen Ramsey, Eric Berry Among NFL Players for Eagles to Target