Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro bring back Stay or Go in 2026, trying to figure out the futures of every Eagles player on the roster.
We already took a look, at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, interior offensive line, offensive tackle, edge rusher, defensive tackle and linebacker.
Up today: Cornerbacks.
Jakorian Bennett
Roob: Man, was I ever wrong about Bennett. I thought he was the best option at CB2 with both Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo struggling, and I never understood why he didn’t get the opportunity. He seemed like an athletic corner with good size and physicality. Then we saw him play in the season finale and it all made sense. He struggled so badly it made you wonder why he was even on the roster in the first place. He won’t be again.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: In Week 18, Bennett had an awful performance against the Commanders that really showed why he never got an opportunity to compete for the starting job. But he’s still 25 years old and is under contract for this season. That’s no a guarantee he’ll be around — Bennett will have to compete for a roster spot — but he has a chance to stick as a backup option who could perhaps push a free agent or a draft pick for a starting job.
Verdict: Stays
Michael Carter II
Roob: Carter has some value as a backup nickel and possibly backup safety with five years of experience and more than 3,000 snaps under his belt. He also has a $9.97 million base salary in 2026 thanks to the three-year, $31 million in September of 2024. Oops. So while you’d be fine with having him back, it sure won’t be under that contract. Presumably, Carter would agree to a restructure because he has to know he won’t be playing anywhere under that sort of deal. Carter got here in the middle of the season and played well in a new scheme that he had to learn on the run. I’d like to see him back with a more reasonable salary.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: The Eagles acquired Carter II from the Jets before the deadline but he played sparingly the second half of the season. He did offer the Eagles some depth at nickel and safety. He’s technically under contract but his base salaries balloon the next two years so the Eagles will almost definitely release him to avoid paying him that much. And then Carter will be a free agent and will probably sign elsewhere.
Verdict: Goes
Tariq Castro-Fields
Roob: Castro-Fields bounced around from the 49ers to the Commanders to the Panthers playing just 27 snaps in parts of four seasons since the 49ers drafted him in the sixth round out of Penn State in 2022. He was in training camp with the Panthers last summer and then on and off the Panthers’ and Eagles’ practice squads during the season, so we haven’t seen much of him. If he’s here in August we’ll get our first look at him in training camp. He’s survived four seasons so he must have something going for him, and he plays a position where I think everybody is going to be in the mix for a roster spot next summer. But ultimately it’s hard to imagine a 27-year-old journeyman who’s played 27 career snaps making the team.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: The Penn State product has been with the Eagles for a while now but still hasn’t cracked the 53-man roster. They must like Castro-Fields enough to continue giving him a spot on the practice squad but I still don’t think he’s going to get his opportunity to be on the team.
Verdict: Goes
Cooper DeJean
Roob: He’s made an iconic play in a Super Bowl, he’s won a championship, he’s made a Pro Bowl and been named 1st-team all-pro, and he just turned 23. DeJean has a chance to be an all-time great by the time he’s finished. He’s got everything it takes. Exceptional coverage ability, rare physicality, a peerless work ethic and terrific versatility along with emerging leadership skill. DeJean isn’t going anywhere for a long time, and it’s going to be fun watching him continue to develop and grow.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: In his second NFL season, DeJean blossomed even more into an All-Pro nickel corner. He also played outside cornerback in the base package and transitioned back and forth between the positions with ease. DeJean just turned 23 and is already a great defensive back in his prime. It was a big deal to be able to keep DeJean inside for sub packages because of his tackling ability; he’s such a good tackler that the Eagles can stuff the run from their nickel packages and don’t have to go to base. DeJean won’t be eligible for a contract extension until after the 2026 season. If he has another great year in 2026, the Eagles will have to make sure they give him a long-term deal.
Verdict: Stays
Adoree’ Jackson
Roob: Jackson turned in a remarkable resurgence last year, bouncing back from a very shaky training camp and first couple months to really establish himself as a functional CB2 down the stretch. Now, was it enough to guarantee a starting spot in 2026? No way. You still hold your breath when the ball goes Jackson’s way. But you like the way he battled throughout the season and the way he raised his level of play every time the Eagles found a new challenger for playing time at that second outside corner spot. I’m fine bringing Jackson back for training camp and letting him compete with either a Day 2 draft pick or veteran free agent. I do think the Eagles need more consistency at that spot than Jackson delivered in 2025, but you can do worse than having Jackson as a backup outside corner. But he is a free agent, so there’s no lock he’ll be back.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: By the end of the season, the Eagles had Jackson playing at a reasonably high level. It seemed like they tried to replace Jackson throughout the 2025 season but in the end, he was the best guy for the CB2 position. So maybe the Eagles run it back with him on another one-year deal. That certainly wouldn’t be a huge surprise. But based on how many times the Eagles tried to upgrade that position, I think it’s more likely they try to do that again this offseason and Jackson will find a new home.
Verdict: Goes
Brandon Johnson
Roob: Johnson made the practice squad as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon and worked both inside and outside at practice. He also got into three games as a game-day callup, playing 28 defensive snaps. Johnson will be back in training camp with a chance to earn a roster spot, and Year 2 in Vic Fangio’s system will benefit him. I just think he’s fighting too many odds as 5-foot-10, 185-pound undrafted free agent. But definitely want to get a long look at him in camp.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: The rookie from Oregon spent the season on the practice squad but was elevated for the final four games of the regular season. He offers depth at nickel and perhaps safety. But he’ll still face an uphill battle to make the roster. He’ll at least have that opportunity in training camp and he’s a fun dark-horse candidate for fans to follow.
Verdict: Goes
Mac McWilliams
Roob: You would have liked to have seen a little more of the rookie 5th-round pick from Central Florida last year, but McWilliams – like Johnson – only played 28 defensive snaps and didn’t play much on special teams either. I don’t think McWilliams is a lock to make the roster in 2026 as a backup slot, even as a draft pick. And the fact that he barely got on the field as a rookie is concerning.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: The Eagles drafted McWilliams in the 5th round out of UCF but he didn’t play very much as a rookie. He saw action in just five games despite the Eagles’ constantly looking to upgrade the CB2 position. But McWilliams did seem to have a good training camp and seemed to catch the eye of Vic Fangio. He’s worth keeping around as the Eagles continue to develop him.
Verdict: Stays
Quinyon Mitchell
Roob: Everything we said about Cooper DeJean applies also to Quinyon Mitchell. A chance to be one of the best to ever play for the Eagles. The Eagles have had their share of elite corners in their history, but most of them – Troy Vincent, Asante Samuel, Darius Slay – joined the Eagles later in their career as veteran free agents. Hall of Famer Eric Allen and Lito Sheppard are the two homegrown all-pro corners the Eagles have developed and Mitchell’s coverage skills are right up there with Allen’s. The interceptions will come in time. If Mitchell keeps covering the way he has his first two seasons, the ball will come his way in the regular season the way it has in the postseason. But even without interceptions, he’s one of the best in the business, and he’s not going anywhere for a long time.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: He didn’t have an interception in the regular season again but don’t let that fool you. Mitchell was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL this season and earned his All-Pro nod. Mitchell is as sticky as they come in coverage. And even when he did get beat in the wild-card round, he rebounded and more than made up for it the rest of the way. Entering Year 3, just like DeJean, Mitchell will be eligible for a contract extension after the 2026 season and he’s going to make a ton. He’s a building block type of player.
Verdict: Stays
Kelee Ringo
Roob: One of the bigger disappointments of 2025 was Ringo’s inability to compete at even a mediocre level given several opportunities to be a starting outside corner. The Eagles drafted Ringo in the fourth round but with a pick they acquired for a 3rd-rounder, so you expect more considering the resources the Eagles spent on him. He’s got tremendous speed and size, he just hasn’t shown the instincts, stickiness and technique necessary to play cornerback in the NFL.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: Whenever Ringo has gotten an opportunity to play on defense, it hasn’t gone well. That’s extremely disappointing because Ringo is a physical freak. He’s 6-2, runs a sub-4.40 and is over 200 pounds. But he has proven himself to be a liability in coverage and squandered his opportunity to become a full-time starter in 2025 despite it seeming like the Eagles wanted to give him that shot. While Ringo hasn’t been good on defense, he excels as a gunner on the punt team and has been one of the Eagles’ best special teams players over the last several years. In 2025, Ringo was third on the team in special teams snaps and was a Pro Bowl alternate. That’s enough to keep him around for his fourth and final season on his rookie contract.
Verdict: Stays
Ambry Thomas
Roob: As the Eagles struggled at points last season to find a functional CB2 I wondered if Ambry Thomas would ever get a shot. Thomas was the 49ers’ 3rd-round pick in 2021, so he was once a pretty highly regarded cornerback prospect, but he hasn’t played since 2023 with the 49ers – he had seven tackles and three pass breakups in the 49ers’ blowout win over the Eagles that kick-started the late-season collapse. Alas, Thomas never made it beyond the practice squad last year. But he’s still here and back on a futures contract. Thomas was with the Vikings during training camp last summer so we never got to see what he’s all about but looks like he’ll be here this summer for camp. I wouldn’t rule out any cornerback candidate considering the Eagles’ situation at the position, but Thomas remains a longshot.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: Thomas was actually a third-round pick of the 49ers back in 2021 but hasn’t played in a regular season game since 2023. He was on the Eagles’ practice squad this season and signed a futures deal in the offseason. A long shot to make the roster.
Verdict: Goes