Eagles’ A.J. Brown has high praise for cornerback returning from gambling suspension

NFL players got their first reps in with new teammates over the past few weeks at minicamps, and a few players left strong first impressions.

On the Philadelphia Eagles , wide receiver A.J. Brown noted cornerback Isaiah Rodgers as a teammate that surprised him with his play.

"For a guy that has not played football for a year, coming back, he looks like he has been playing nonstop," Brown said of Rodgers, per ESPN . "He's flying around, and he's going to do special stuff for us this year."

Rodgers was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2020 out of UMass and played three seasons with Indy before he was suspended for the 2023 season for violating the NFL’s gambling policies.

The Colts dropped him shortly after the suspension, but he was signed by the Eagles in August of 2023, despite the fact that he would be sitting out the entire year.

Heading into 2024, Rodgers is one of several players in competition for a starting spot in the Eagles secondary, along with Kelee Ringo and rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. In addition to his role as a corner, Rodgers could also be a factor in the Eagles’ return game.

Eagles fans won’t get their first true look at Rodgers until training camp begins in full, but for now, there’s reason to believe that the Philadelphia secondary will be much improved from last year’s disastrous end.