The Philadelphia Eagles brought in some new faces to bolster their defense this offseason, but one of the more interesting acquisitions in linebacker Myles Jack will no longer be playing for the team in 2023.
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After working through the majority of training camp with the Eagles, Jack notified the team over the weekend that he'll be hanging up his cleats after seven seasons in the league. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport shared the news on X on Sunday, August 20.
Sources: Veteran LB Myles Jack has informed the #Eagles that he plans to retire after seven NFL seasons and 617 tackles. Jack signed with Philly during camp, now will hang ‘em up. pic.twitter.com/xhMDOUjUSV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 20, 2023
Jack was a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played six seasons with the AFC franchise, appearing in 88 games while racking up 513 combined tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions. He then signed on with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency before the 2022 season, where he played in 15 games and accumulated 104 total tackles.
Prior to his pro career, Jack was a star player for the UCLA Bruins, serving a hybrid role as both a linebacker and running back for the Pac-12 program. He broke barriers as a freshman, winning the Pac-12's Offensive *and* Defensive Player of the Year awards. Jack was remarkably efficient on offense, rushing for 387 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per carry with the ball in his hands.
While he never took the step to stardom in the NFL, Jack was still a consistent and solid linebacker at the pro level. His departure means that the Eagles will now have to rely on other inside linebackers more heavily in 2023, most notably Nakobe Dean. A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Dean saw minimal action over 17 games this past season, but is hoping for a much larger role now that he has a full season under his belt.
Other potential contributors at linebacker include former second-round Texans pick Zach Cunningham, and ascending free agent addition Nicholas Morrow, who had previously played for the Raiders and Bears.
