Why green-haired, finger-wagging Jalen Mills is the key vs. Chiefs | Early Birds

Good morning, Eagles fans. I'm coming to you before heading to Kansas City for Sunday's Eagles-Chiefs game  (and, hopefully, for some good barbecue.) This is "Early Birds," the twice-weekly newsletter breaking down the Eagles. It's free to sign up here to get it in your inbox every Monday and Friday. I want to know what you think, what we should add, and what you want to read, so send me feedback by email or on Twitter @ZBerm. Thanks for reading.

— Zach Berman

If the green hair and the finger wagging didn't give it away, I can tell you Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills would not be categorized as bashful. Whether he remains that way after battling Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill will be a fascinating part of Sunday's game at Arrowhead Stadium.

Ronald Darby dislocated his ankle last week, moving Mills up to the No. 1 cornerback spot. Don't frame it that way to Mills, though. He always considered himself a top-level cornerback. (For more, read Bob Ford's column from Thursday.) Just the way Mills is wired. Safety Malcolm Jenkins said that in Mills' mind, he's "been the No. 1 cornerback since he got here."

Mills arrived at training camp in 2016 with that green hair he's now known for in Philadelphia. But remember – he was a relatively anonymous rookie seventh-round pick at the time. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz looked at him on the first day and said, "If you're going to be wearing that green hair, you better be out here making plays." Mills is so confident that when I asked him last year if he had ever been insecure, he considered the question and remembered a specific moment in grade school. His mother, Kisa Jackson, named Mills after Jalen Rose when Rose played for Michigan's Fab Five. In Rose, Mills saw another athlete with swagger he could appreciate. It won't surprise you that as a youth basketball player, Mills dressed like Allen Iverson —– straight down to the arm sleeve and headband.

Mills will need more than confidence on Sunday. The knock on Mills is his lack of speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds at the combine last year. Hill didn't participate in the combine, but he reportedly ran the 40 in 4.24 seconds at his pro day. Mills said Hill might the fastest player in the league. On last week's 75-yard touchdown against New England, Hill reached a top speed of 20.82 mph. In 2016, his top speed of 23.24 mph on a Week 2 kickoff return was the fastest time recorded by the NFL's Next Gen stats. Mills will rely on technique and film study to compensate. Look for the Eagles to have a deep safety — often Rodney McLeod — helping if Hill gets behind an Eagles cornerback. And the Chiefs use different formations, so it's not guaranteed it's Mills on Hill throughout the game. (Les Bowen goes into more depth on the Eagles' cornerback possibilities.) The Eagles acquired Darby knowing they needed help at cornerback, and now they're back to where they were at the beginning of training camp.

Regardless who Mills covers, he'll get tested. Washington targeted Mills 15 times, according to Pro Football Focus. Although 10 of those targets were caught, Mills had an important pass break-up and a pivotal interception. The Eagles need Mills to show why the team is so bullish on him during the next 4-6 weeks while Darby is out. Schwartz thinks Mills is in position to take the second-year jump this season. If Mills is able to wag his finger often enough, the Eagles won't just be able to get by in the short term –-they also will be validated in believing Mills can be a long-term starter in the NFL.

Note: The Eagles signed Elliott off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad this week to replace Caleb Sturgis, who has a hip injury.

Zach Berman: How's the transition been? When the call came, what were you thinking?

Jake Elliott: "So far, so good. Everyone's kind of welcoming me with open arms. It's a great experience so far. Quick turnaround, that's for sure.  … Just excited for an opportunity. Obviously, strange switching homes real quick. But it's awesome to be here."

Zach Berman: In the preseason, why do you think you didn't lock down the job in Cincinnati? And what's the key to lasting here?

Jake Elliott: "I thought I kicked pretty well. But Randy [Bullock] had a heck of camp, heck of a preseason, and coaches felt that was their route . . . I don't know what the situation is going to be with Caleb. But I'm going to come here and just do my job, take advantage of my opportunities, and see what happens."

Zach Berman: What's the biggest challenge with the college-to-NFL adjustment at kicking?

Jake Elliott: "I think just getting used to the different environments. Obviously, you play in front of a lot bigger crowds. But you play in some big atmospheres in college as well. So just adjusting to the guys, a new holder, new snapper. But they're making it easy on me."

Send questions on the weekly Philly.com chat,  by email or on Twitter @ZBerm.

You're talking about Derrius Guice. Between Guice and Penn State's Saquon Barkley, there are going to be high-caliber running backs available. The Eagles didn't capitalize on a historically deep running back class in this past draft, but that was because they prioritized cornerback, a harder-to-find position. If the right running back is on the board, they'd be wise to look. But they could need defensive tackle or offensive line, too. And remember: The Eagles lack a second-round pick and a third-round pick.

I don't think Smith throws for 368 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday like he did last week, but I can see him having a good game. The Eagles could be vulnerable in the secondary and Kansas City has the weapons and the scheme. The key will be the Eagles' pass rush. The defensive line was the difference against Washington. If the Eagles can pressure Smith, they'll be in position to force turnovers. That's when Schwartz's unit is at its best.

I still think Joel Embiid is Wentz's biggest challenge for the biggest star in Philadelphia, but it's incredible what Hoskins is doing so far. (Check out this Matt Gelb story last month on how the Phillies discovered and developed Hoskins.) Hoskins still must sustain it, but he'll enter that Wentz-Embiid category of stardom if he keeps hitting balls out of the park.