Aire Alexander’s sudden retirement — announced barely a week after he arrived in Philadelphia — caught just about everyone off guard.
The Eagles hoped the veteran defensive back would become a useful midseason addition, but that vision evaporated almost instantly. Alexander never logged a single snap before being moved to the team’s reserve/retired list.
Help is on the way for the secondary, though. The Eagles activated cornerback Jakorian Bennett from injured reserve, giving the unit much-needed reinforcements. Bennett has been out since September with a pectoral injury, and his return should provide Philadelphia with more flexibility on the back end.
Bennett, who arrived via an August trade with the Raiders, appeared in only three games before going down. Now that he’s healthy again, it’ll be worth watching how the Eagles work him back into the rotation.
With Quinyon Mitchell locked in as Philadelphia’s top boundary corner, the spot opposite him has been far more unsettled. Adoree’ Jackson has made four starts on the outside, while Kelee Ringo has mixed in depending on the game plan and how defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wants to deploy his matchups.
Cooper DeJean’s versatility has been a major boost, too. In base looks, he often kicks outside, giving the Eagles another reliable perimeter option.
Now Jakorian Bennett reenters the mix as a fourth contender for outside reps. Behind them, Mac McWilliams continues to earn his keep on special teams, and veteran Michael Carter II offers additional flexibility as a nickel defender.
“I thought Adoree’ [Jackson] played really well. I think that we were able to watch practice this week — thought Michael Carter did an excellent job this week, starting to get confidence and build confidence in him,” Nick Sirianni said on November 12 (via Bleeding Green Nation).
“Was really excited about Jakorian before he got injured, really happy to have him back, and then Kelee [Ringo has] given us really good reps. And obviously, you have Q [Quinyon Mitchell] and Coop [Cooper DeJean] back there as well. So, feel really good about the depth at that [position].”
Before going down, Bennett logged just 24 defensive snaps for the Eagles. If he can stabilize his play, there’s a real path for him to seize a bigger role as the season enters its stretch run.
Eagles Coming Off Huge Win Over Packers, Now Set for Showdown With Surging Lions
The Eagles are riding high after a gritty defensive showcase in their 10–7 Monday night victory against the Green Bay Packers.
At 7–2 through nine games, Philadelphia is giving up 21.3 points per contest, and its pass defense has tightened significantly — holding opponents to under 190 yards through the air per game since late October. The pass rush has also found a spark with the arrival of Jaelan Phillips, injecting fresh momentum into the front.
Now they’ll face another NFC North powerhouse: the 6–3 Detroit Lions. Detroit enters the matchup ranked second in the league in scoring (31.4 points per game) and sixth in total offense (372.4 yards per game), presenting one of the toughest challenges on the schedule.
It’s a massive test for Vic Fangio’s defense — and if the Eagles can survive another shootout from a top-tier offense, they’ll tighten their grip on the NFC race and firmly take control of the conference.