Eagles fans owe Adoree’ Jackson an apology after shocking stat drop
The NFL trade deadline has come and gone, and Philadelphia Eagles fans can finally exhale over the state of their struggling pass defense.
General manager Howie Roseman won the deadline (again) by acquiring a freakish edge in Jaelan Phillips, and a pair of veteran cornerbacks in Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander.
With the cornerback group in particular, Roseman played his typical game of darts, throwing multiple options at the board with minimal impact to the salary cap or future draft capital. Whether it’s Alexander, Cooper DeJean, Jakorian Bennett, or someone else manning the No. 2 outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell going forward, the Eagles are better at that spot now than they were entering their Week 9 bye.
Eagles fans are just happy that the Adoree’ Jackson era appears to be coming to an end. The veteran was an odd signing from the start, entering his age-30 season, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride, to put it kindly, over his three starts and six total game appearances in 2025; he enters Week 10 ranked 105th of 112 cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus’ coverage grade.
PFF’s grades are subjective, though. NFL Next Gen Stats tend to paint a more accurate picture using concrete data — and Jackson’s name popped up in a graphic this week that left Eagles fans absolutely stunned (and amused).
Much maligned Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Adoree’ Jackson has been stickier in coverage than fans realize in 2025
The news that broke NFL trade deadline day was the New York Jets trading superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round draft picks.
Gardner had taken a slight step back in coverage this year, allowing a passer rating over 100 when targeted for the first time in his career, per PFF's metrics. Still, the 25-year-old remains one the best all-around corners in the league, as evidenced by Next Gen Stats' tight-window percentage.
According to NGS, Gardner tops the NFL in forcing tight windows, or giving opposing quarterbacks low expected outcomes when targeting him.
This was definitely meant to be a Gardner graphic, but it's quickly taken on a life of its own with Eagles fans.
Sauce Gardner has faced opponent #1 receivers on 45.5% of his coverage matchups, the NFL's highest rate (min. 125 matchups).
When targeted, he has forced tight windows (<1 yard of separation) at a 52.0% rate, also leading the league (min. 20 targets).@Colts | #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/88AAPXz8aI — Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 4, 2025
Anyone watching Eagles games this year would not put Jackson’s name on any list with Sauce Gardner, Pat Surtain and Quinyon Mitchell. It goes to show, though, that Jackson has given the Eagles a much better performance than he’s gotten credit for this year.
Jackson is what he is at this stage of his career. He fits fine as veteran depth on a roster full of young talent; it just gets a little uncomfortable when he’s being asked to start games, and match up with guys like CeeDee Lamb and Puka Nacua.
Really, the criticism should be sent Roseman’s way. The Eagles took a gamble on Kelee Ringo ascending into a starting role in Year 3, and the result has now been three separate cornerback trades to add depth and mitigate damage.
Jackson was never supposed to play a major role in this defense. He’ll likely fade into the back of the depth chart over the second half of the season.
He definitely deserves his flowers, though, for helping to hold down the fort over Philly’s 6-2 start.
Browns Give Emphatic Answer on Critical Dillon Gabriel Flaw
On Wednesday at Browns practice there was, no question, a reporter on hand who had an agenda–asking everyone in the orange-and-brown just how it is playing with a quarterback who is undersize. And coming out of college, that was the big flaw most scouts latched onto when it comes to Dillon Gabriel–he is just 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds and a wingspan of 73 inches.
Here’s what Pro Football Focus wrote coming out of the Combine last spring: “Gabriel’s measurables — height, weight, wingspan, hand size, etc. — are all in the 35th percentile or lower among quarterbacks. That’s quite a barrier to developing into a successful NFL signal-caller. He’ll be at a significant disadvantage, and some teams may even be scared off from drafting him.”
It’s only been four NFL games, but some of the concerns about Gabriel before the draft are clearly at play now that he is suiting up for the Browns. Basically, that the guy’s too short.
Browns ‘Would Not Characterize’ Dillon Gabriel Height as a Flaw
Of the three quarterbacks who were used, before the draft, in defense of Gabriel–Bryce Young, Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray, who are also under 6-feet in height–only Young still has his job. So it’s probably fair to wonder whether Gabriel’s just too short for this business.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was asked whether the problem of Gabriel’s height is showing up on game film. Stefasnki said no, but mostly dodged the issue.
“I understand the question, Tony (Grossi), but I would not characterize it that way,” he said. “We need to play better as an offense. Certainly, there’s areas to improve for a young quarterback, but it’s really on all of us to improve.”
Browns Jerry Jeudy Emphatic in Defense
The Browns can’t force Gabriel to grow three or four inches, of course. But it is impossible to say his height is not hindering him, even if the Browns refuse to acknowledge that. Scouts criticized Gabriel’s lack of deep-throw risks in college and attributed that to his height, and here in the NFL, he has thrown just six balls of 20-plus yards in four starts. There’s been only one completion, and one interception.
At Pro Football Focus, Gabriel has a grade of 46.5, which ranks No. 37 out of 37 graded QBs.
But it was clear that Browns players do not want to get into the business of criticizing Gabriel, even his height. Star receiver Jerry Jeudy was asked whether Gabriel can see his receivers well enough down the field, but Jeudy responded, flatly, “Yes.”
Dillon Gabriel: Deep Balls ‘Got to Happen’
Gabriel was not flatly asked about his height–he was asked that plenty of times before and after the Browns drafted him. But he was asked about the notion of being afraid to throw downfield, which some have directly linked to his lack of size and ability to see deep receivers.
The 1-for-6 number speaks for itself.
“I think there’s just a mixture of things that have to come together to make that happen, that’s myself included,” Gabriel said. “But you know, like we’ve talked about before, explosives, they got to happen. There’s certain categories within a game that you have to win and explosives and you know, being really good on first and second down so that you’re in some third-and-manageables and moving the chain, sustaining drives.
“So that’ll all contribute to that, but no uncomfortability like that’s something that we work on and want to continue to emphasize.”
