Cornerback Jalen Mills. Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Green Goblin could be the hero Eagles need right now

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 3/18/23

Jalen Mills may not be the hero Philadelphia wants, but with less than $4 million in cap space, the former Eagles safety could be the hero they need.

Eagles fans want C.J. Gardner-Johnson back, but that seems unlikely since Darius Slay and James Bradberry re-signed with the team. With fellow safety Marcus Epps now with the Raiders, Philly sure could use the “Green Goblin.”

Mills earned the “Green Goblin” nickname while playing cornerback and safety for the Eagles from 2016 to 2020. In Philadelphia, he had 283 tackles, five interceptions and most notably, a head full of glorious, neon-green hair.

Patriots release CB Jalen Mills. (via @MikeGiardi) pic.twitter.com/KQo3SSWw3k
— NFL (@NFL) March 17, 2023

His hair is still green, even after two seasons with the Patriots, but he’s about to be released by New England. Mills played cornerback when the Eagles beat the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, but the team moved him to safety in 2020. The 2020 season is still the best of Mills’ career. Even on a last-place, 4-11-1 team he established career highs in tackles, sacks and forced fumbles.

A groin injury limited him to 10 games in 2022, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t be healthy for 2023. Aside from Gardner-Johnson, there aren’t many high-quality safeties on the market right now. Mills won’t get many big offers after an injury-plagued year, but a one-year deal for a player with his experience makes sense. Days before his release, Mills took to Twitter to remind everyone he’s really a safety. Was he talking to Philadelphia? It’s possible, but now that he’s available, the Eagles should definitely be talking to him.

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