Three free agent safety options the Eagles should consider with Andrew Mukuba injured
Justin Simmons intercepts Mahomes in the end zone!📺: #KCvsATL on NBC/Peacock📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/cSNbVDGTzt
After trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Houston, the Philadelphia Eagles will have a new safety tandem in 2025. One of those starting spots is occupied by Reed Blankenship; the other will be determined in training camp.
Third-year player Sydney Brown has been splitting first-team reps with second-round rookie Andrew Mukuba throughout camp, with Tristin McCollum mixing in. A recent shoulder injury has kept Mukuba out of the last two practices, putting Brown ahead in the competition.
'[Sydney Brown] just needs to go out there and play good,' Eagles DC Vic Fangio said of Brown last week.
'So much of the safety position is just like ILB, where instincts and play recognition play a major part in how good you are. And, he just needs a lot of reps. He didn't start practicing last year until October, and I think at that point you're in game weeks, where you don't practice a whole lot, you don't have a lot of reps, so he didn't have a great opportunity last year because of his injury. Hopefully now, we'll see exactly what he can do.'
With the current injuries and inexperience at the position, Philadelphia may be compelled to look at available veterans on the open market. Let's take a look at three free agent options the Eagles could explore if Mukuba misses extended time.
Former two-time Pro Bowler Justin Simmons would be the most seamless fit for obvious reasons. He played under Fangio for three seasons in Denver (2019-2021), recording 14 interceptions and 36 pass breakups during that span. Simmons hasn't been bashful about his desire to not only reconnect with Fangio, but also current Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker.
Simmons signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons last offseason and is being slightly more selective this time around. While the Eagles have focused on getting younger this offseason, Simmons' experience could help develop Philly's talented secondary.
"I think Atlanta I would still pick 10 out of 10 times if I was in the spot (I was in) last year," Simmons said. "But in terms of where I'm at now, (I'm) being a little bit more picky where we want to go and where we want to call home next … the next two years, a year, whatever it is … but a contender is No. 1 on the list right now."
Whitehead is a seasoned veteran with over 100 career starts, having spent five seasons with the Buccaneers and two with the Jets. A fourth-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2018, Whitehead has earned a reputation as a physical player on the backend.
Although a pectoral injury limited him last season, Whitehead still appeared in 12 games, recording 79 tackles and three pass breakups. Whitehead re-signed with Tampa Bay on a two-year, $9 million deal last offseason but was released following a January car accident. Now fully recovered and medically cleared, he could be a budget-friendly addition to the Eagles' defense.
THREE INTS FOR JORDAN WHITEHEAD 😱(via @nyjets) pic.twitter.com/quWaXEOg3u
Marcus Williams was once considered one of the best young safeties in football. His elite playmaking ability in New Orleans earned him a five-year, $70 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022. Williams frequently missed time with injuries, however, and didn't play up to expectations when available. He was a healthy scratch down the stretch last year, leading to his release in March.
Philadelphia is known for taking on reclamation projects, and perhaps Fangio can get Williams back on track after his worst statistical season. Williams has tallied 469 tackles, 20 interceptions, and 56 pass breakups across his eight-year career.
.@MarcusWilliams' SECOND INT of the day! #RavensFlock📺: #MIAvsBAL on CBS📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LqzAxQaA7Q pic.twitter.com/WLyp8vGQr0
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