Eagles Rookie Making Push for Starting Safety Role as Veteran Feels the Heat
Eagles Rookie Making Push for Starting Safety Role as Veteran Feels the Heat originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Sydney Brown's grip on a starting safety position appears to be slipping as rookie Andrew Mukuba continues to impress Eagles coaching staff during spring practices. The third-year safety is facing a make-or-break season after an injury-plagued 2024 campaign that limited his development.
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Brown suffered a torn ACL against the New York Giants in Week 18 of the 2023 season, which derailed much of his 2024 campaign. He saw action in just 11 games this season, making seven total tackles, two pass knockdowns, one interception and one forced fumble after being activated from the reserve/PUP list in October. While Brown has traits — he is fast, strong, explosive and can hit — he seems to lack recognition skills and plays somewhat out of control according to recent analysis.
Enter Andrew Mukuba, the Eagles' second-round pick (64th overall) from Texas. The 5-11, 186-pound safety earned third-team All-SEC honors and was tied for fourth in the FBS with five interceptions last season. He graded second among all Power 4 safeties according to Pro Football Focus and ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The competition is already underway during spring practices, with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio calling it 'a three-man race between Mukuba, Sydney Brown and Tristin McCollum' for the starting spot opposite Reed Blankenship.
'It's a competition that is going to take a training camp and a few preseason games to sort out,' Fangio said during OTAs.
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Significantly, the Eagles have already given Mukuba extensive first-team reps this spring — something they were more cautious about with rookies last year. While Brown has received the most first-team snaps, Mukuba's early involvement suggests the coaching staff views him as a legitimate Day 1 starter candidate.
This competition stems from the Eagles' decision to trade away starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in March. Gardner-Johnson had been a key playmaker, leading the team in interceptions in both of his seasons with Philadelphia. His departure created an immediate need for production in the secondary.
The two players bring contrasting skill sets. Brown and Mukuba are different in many ways, from their football experiences to their styles of play and instincts. Brown mostly played box safety in college, while Mukuba transitioned from slot corner to post safety. Despite questions about Mukuba's size — he's in the lowest percentiles among safeties in his draft class for height and weight — his tape shows he plays much bigger than his measurements suggest.
While Brown still has the experience edge, Mukuba's superior instincts, ball skills and scheme fit appear to give him the advantage heading into training camp. Unless Brown can show significant improvement in his recognition and decision-making, the rookie could very well win the starting job from Day 1.
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Related: Eagles Given Top Grade For All-Pro Tackle Duo
Related: Jayden Daniels Goes Down Memory Lane Against Rival Eagles
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
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