Eagles’ Isaiah Rodgers has a lofty goal for his first start in nearly two years, on Sunday vs. Jaguars

Every week, Isaiah Rodgers writes down his goals for the week. Putting them into words, he said, allows him “to try to speak them into existence.”

This week, he wrote down only one thing: win the NFC defensive player of the week award.

Aim high, they say.

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Rodgers is slated to make his first start since the day after Christmas in 2022 with the Colts. Eagles cornerback Darius Slay will miss Sunday’s game against Jacksonville with a groin injury, and Rodgers has earned the first look as the next man up at outside corner.

Rodgers, 26, battled with rookie Quinyon Mitchell during training camp for the job opposite Slay, but finished in second place and played sparingly over the last four games, though those appearances featured a few key moments.

Rodgers, whom the Eagles signed in 2023 while he served a one-season suspension for violating the league’s policy on gambling, was on two sides of poor special teams playing during the Week 4 loss in Tampa.

He had a mental lapse, knocking an opposing player into punt returner Cooper DeJean while the Eagles were fielding a punt. He later blocked a point-after-touchdown attempt. During last week’s win in Cincinnati, Rodgers, filling in for Slay after he left the game, made a strong recovery play on the sideline against Ja’Marr Chase and knocked Joe Burrow’s pass into C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s hands for the first Eagles takeaway since Week 3.

It has been an eventful 108 total snaps for Rodgers (58 on defense, 50 on special teams), who, along with his Eagles teammates, are facing a weakened Jacksonville offense. The Jaguars lost wide receiver Christian Kirk to a broken collarbone, and top pick Brian Thomas Jr., who is on pace to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in his rookie season, is a game-time decision. So are wide receiver Gabe Davis and running back Travis Etienne.

Rodgers said he treated this week of game preparation just like any other.

“I didn’t overdo it, I didn’t underdo it,” he said. “I’ve just been preparing like it’s any other game. I’ve been feeling good since I got back out here. I just try not to make the moment too big for me.”

The goal, however, is as big as big gets.

Mekhi Becton was a full participant at practice Thursday and again on Friday after clearing the concussion protocol. Becton went down in the first half of the Eagles’ 28-3 road win over the Giants. He said he knew right away that he had been concussed, and it took three to four days to finally feel like himself again. Becton missed last week’s win in Cincinnati but is in line to return to his post at right guard Sunday. He’ll replace Tyler Steen, who filled in nicely while Becton was out.

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Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Friday that he has seen some improvement in Steen, who “was getting really good displacement” against the Bengals.

“He’s always prepared so it’s no surprise to me,” Becton said of Steen. “I see him practice his craft every day.”

Becton said that despite the competition for the same spot, he works together with Steen to try to improve each other’s game.

“That’s my guy,” Becton said. “He’s cool people.”

Becton and the rest of the Eagles front, which is still missing left tackle Jordan Mailata, will have a tough assignment against a challenging Jaguars front that features edge rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.

The line will have to hone its craft “and make sure we get to our spot before they get to their spot,” Becton said.

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The Eagles will be without Slay and tight end Dallas Goedert, who will miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury. They are the only two Eagles on the active roster carrying an injury designation into Sunday.

DeVonta Smith missed practice Friday for a personal reason. The rest of the team participated fully, including left guard Landon Dickerson, who missed practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday with a knee injury.

The Eagles play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.