Eagles Banking on Jalen Mills to Replace Malcolm Jenkins' Production is an Insane Risk

The Philadelphia Eagles have had a rather strong offseason in some respects, but it has come at the cost of one of their respected veterans. Philly did acquire stud cornerback Darius Slay and ex-Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to bolster their defense, but in the midst of it all, the team opted to part ways with Pro Bowl safety and team captain Malcolm Jenkins.

And just how are the Eagles going to replace Jenkins' production? Why, by bringing back Jalen Mills on a one-year deal of course!

Folks, that's really risky.

Ever since being drafted by the Eagles in 2016, Mills has strictly played as an outside cornerback. In the very start of his career, the Eagles look like they got a steal out of the seventh-rounder from LSU. However, his play declined, specifically last season. He was burned on numerous routes and had issues tackling the ball carrier.

And now, Mills is expressing his belief that he can fill Jenkins' strong safety shoes admirably. We seriously doubt that, especially considering that Mills has lined up on the outside in 81.5% of his career snaps. Now, he's going to line up at the edge of the box, something he hasn't done since his senior season in Baton Rouge nearly five years ago.

There's going to be a ton of rust for the 25-year-old to deal with. That shouldn't give Eagles fans a ton of confidence.

And now, he's going to replace Jenkins, who hasn't missed a single game in his six-year tenure in Philadelphia, while Mills was sidelined 15 games the past two seasons due to injuries.

An injury-prone defensive back replacing an ironman? Good luck with that, Jalen. You're going to need it. Either that, or you're going to face the wrath of the Philly faithful, who are known for their lack of patience.