Eagles Safeties
With only a week until the Philadelphia Eagles play their first preseason game of the year, it’s time to look at the last edition of this series. The safety position for the Eagles has been a group that has seen a lot of change this offseason. Last year’s starters Marcus Epps and Chauncey Gardnery-Johnson signed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Detroit Lions, respectively. The Eagles not only addressed the position group in free agency but also through the draft this offseason.
A team coming off a Super Bowl usually will go through some turnover with the roster. How those franchises handle those changes is a large factor in the continuation of success. But could the safety position be a potential downfall for the Eagles this year?
Check out the other position groups below!
Starters: Reed Blankenship, Terrell Edmunds
The Eagles agreed to a one-year deal with Terrell Edmunds this offseason from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Edmunds spent five years with the Steelers as a first-round pick and obviously did not impress them enough to warrant re-signing to a long-term deal. Last season, Edmunds had five passes defended and 70 tackles with two sacks. Edmunds is primarily a run-support safety who will likely match up with tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. However, Edmunds has struggled in coverage throughout his time in the league, so asking him to cover receivers down the field would be a big mistake.
Reed Blankenship is a player the Eagles have high hopes for in his second year in the league. While he did not have too much playing time in his rookie year the Eagles seemingly expect him to be a big part of the secondary going into this season.
Backups: Sydney Brown, K’Von Wallace
Sydney Brown has been a name that has been discussed a good amount during Eagles training camp. Brown was a third-round pick in this past year’s NFL draft out of the University of Illinois. Many fans are excited to see if Brown can fulfill the star potential many believe him to possess. A lot of Brown’s hype comes from the immense athleticism he displayed at the NFL combine. Brown ended up measuring in at 5’10” and 211 pounds, ran a 4.47-second forty-yard dash with a 40.5 inch vertical and almost 11-foot broad jump. When you watch him play in college, the athleticism is apparent, and he can do several things on the football field. He can defend the run, match up with tight ends, and even in some cases, bigger slot receivers, and he plays like a missile trying to take down the ball carrier.
K’Von Wallace was a fourth-round pick out of Clemson in 2020 and has not played much outside of special teams. Wallace’s biggest contributions come from being a great tackler with some upside guarding more physical pass-catchers. However, Wallace can struggle to stay with quicker receivers or more refined route runners in the league. He will really need to show that he’s improved upon those weaknesses in training camp to see more regular playing time on the defense.
Fighting for Roster Spots: Justin Evans, Tristin McCollum
Justin Evans is an NFL vet that spent two years on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before spending last year with the New Orleans Saints. He has plenty of experience in his career, with 25 starts under his belt. Evans is an extremely physical player who has had problems with injuries throughout his time in the NFL. He is a good run defender and if he can show that he is healthy and has not lost a step, don’t be shocked if Evans is in line for some snaps as part of the rotation.
Tristin McCollum is an undrafted free agent from the 2022 draft class out of Sam Houston State University. McCollum is a safety with solid size and some athletic upside. He is very agile and could potentially become a slot/safety hybrid covering slot receivers. However, there’s a long road ahead of him and some needed improvements in technique and route recognition before he can be a true, reliable factor.
Philadelphia Eagles 2023 Depth Chart Preview Series Conclusion: Safeties
All in all, if there is a weakness to this Eagles team, it may very well be the safeties. There is no proven talent among the group, but that does not mean there is not necessarily any potential. The big player to watch will be Sydney Brown, as he is the most talented of the group, but may not be ready to be an NFL starter in his rookie year. For that reason, expect Blankenship and Edmunds to be the starters in Week 1, but it seems like they could be on a short leash. Wallace is an interesting player the Eagles obviously like, but whether it’s purely for special teams value, or they believe that he can become a starter is remained to be seen. Evans proving his health could throw a wrench in the safety depth chart as well, as he’s proven and has shown talent before.
Main Image: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
