The Green Goblin continues. Jalen Mills, a former Philadelphia Eagles defender, signs with the New England Patriots, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
More for the Patriots: Former Eagles DB Jalen Mills to the Patriots on a $ 24 million 4-year deal including $ 9M guaranteed, @BuienRadarNL tells ESPN.
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2021
In five years with the Eagles, Mills played in 63 games, starting at 49. Objectively, he was a great pick in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He was a starting cornerback for the 2017 Super Bowl winning team and played well during that playoff run.
As a free agent in 2020, Mills re-signed with the Eagles for a one-year deal worth $ 4 million, so it’s somewhat surprising that he was able to score the kind of deal he got with the Patriots after an unimpressive 2020 -campaign. It’s worth noting that the Patriots place great value on versatility throughout their defense, which makes Mills a good fit for them.
Mills is a legitimate NFL starter, but in his first five years in the NFL, he often got the job with responsibilities that were beyond his means. For much of his first four years in the league, he was number 1 in the Eagles’ corner. In 2020 he replaced an all-rounder safety in Malcolm Jenkins. Neither role was ideal for a player with Mills’ skills, but it was to his credit that he always craved every tough challenge and attacked them thinking he was Ronnie Lott’s second coming.
With Mills gone, the Eagles’ remaining protections are as follows:
Rodney McLeod: McLeod is a slot that lands on the PUP list prior to the start of training camp after undergoing surgery on Dec. 29 to replace a torn ACL. He will also likely stay on PUP for at least the first six weeks of the 2021 season.
Marcus EppsEpps appeared in 14 games in 2020, starting five and amassing 47 tackles, two INTs and four additional pass breakups. It is an unfinished product, but there is an advantage.
K’Van Wallace: In the 2020 season, Wallace played 202 snaps in the regular defense, mostly as box-safety. In Jim Schwartz’s defense, he would clearly be prepared for some of the Jenkins role Mills took on. It will be interesting to see how he fits into Jonathan Gannon’s defense.
Rudy Ford Grayland Arnold, and Elijah Riley: Special teamers and / or lottery tickets.
Let’s just say they are quite thin at the back now.
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