Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has been excellent at identifying talent during his lengthy tenure with the team, which directly led to their Super Bowl run last season. And he made a controversial move on Monday, signing former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers.
The NFL cracked down heavily this offseason on gambling within the sport. Ten players have been issued suspensions this offseason alone for gambling.
Rodgers was one of those ten players, receiving one of the more lengthy suspensions handed out. He is currently indefinitely suspended from the league after it was revealed that Rodgers placed over 100 bets on NFL games in the 2022 season. At least one of those bets was directly on the Colts, as he placed a “player prop” on a Colts running back.
It is still possible that he may never play in the NFL again. That will be determined when Rodgers is eligible to petition for reinstatement at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
If he does indeed play again, it seems like it may be for the Philadelphia Eagles. It was announced on Monday that the Eagles have signed Rodgers, and subsequently placed him on the Reserve/Suspended list.
Fans took notice of this move and were extremely mixed about it. Some thought that it was a brilliant move, while others brought up the morality of the signing.
This is a no-brainer, high upside signing. He won’t play this season but doesn’t count against the final 53-man roster. Was graded very highly last year as a starter for Indy. Also brings juice on special teams especially as an effective returner. Love it. https://t.co/Vkn2eJxxJg
— Christian Zwick (@Zwick_Christian) August 28, 2023
Rodgers came into his own last season in Indianapolis, starting nine games at cornerback for the Colts. He was extremely effective in his appearances, receiving the fifth-highest grade at his position last year by Pro Football Focus.
This move by Roseman is a high-upside signing that really has very little downside. And if he is able to return next year, he could be an immediate contributor to an already excellent Eagles defense.