Two former Eagles draft picks now on the Vikings — linebacker Jordan Hicks and receiver Jalen Reagor — return to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Monday night for the first time since they played for the Eagles.
The reunions sit differently with Hicks, the 30-year-old veteran who hasn't played for the Eagles since 2018, and Reagor, the 23-year-old punt returner who was dealt away by Philadelphia just two weeks ago for a conditional fourth-round pick. Both Vikings players said they keep in touch with friends in the organization.
But Reagor, the 2020 first-round pick selected just ahead of Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, wants to show up the Eagles after they decided to move on from him after 28 games in two seasons. His only chance might be as a punt returner, where he played four snaps during Sunday's win over Green Bay.
"Of course, why not?" Reagor said Thursday. "But I'm not going to go into the game pressing. I'm going to let the game come to me. If there are plays to make, make the best of them."
Hicks, a 2015 third-round pick by Philadelphia, returns with fond memories. He went on to play more games — 49 — for the Arizona Cardinals than the 43 games he played for the Eagles over four seasons. But none of his NFL moments top the Eagles' 2017 Super Bowl win at U.S. Bank Stadium, where he now plays home games.
"That was a storybook moment for me," Hicks said. "I was able to take some time and kind of slow down and remember all that stuff, so, yeah. Every time I think back, it's like a book, like a story."
Hicks wrote a strong first chapter with the Vikings, finishing with a team-high 14 combined tackles (nine solo) and a sack-fumble against the Packers. He's looking to create more memories on the Eagles' home field on Monday night.
"I have a lot of good memories out there, a lot of people I still know," Hicks said. "Anytime you play a former team or play back in your hometown, it means a little bit more."
