Finding stability at the safety position is proving to be a challenge for the Philadelphia Eagles so far.
Marcus Epps and Andrew Mukuba had a strong summer, but their first three showings of the 2026 NFL season haven’t been promising.
Going into Week 3, many wondered if defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had any tricks up his sleeve. Inserting Michael Carter into the mix was one of his ideas.
The Eagles continued to struggle in the secondary during their Week 3 loss against the Chicago Bears. So far, it seems like the team isn’t going to make any major changes.
Eagles Reveal Plan At Safety vs Los Angeles Rams
When Vic Fangio met with reporters on Wednesday afternoon, he revealed that the plan will stay the same for the time being.
“Vic Fangio said the plan all week was to rotate Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II. He said that will continue,” Cayden Steele of NJ.com reported.
On paper, Mukuba did well against the bears with nine tackles, which came second to Zack Baun, who led the team.
Epps was just behind Quinyon Mitchell with five total tackles. Michael Carter finished the game with four tackles, three of them solo. None of the safeties contributed to any pass deflections. Coverage continued to be an issue, while Epps had some missed tackles.
Cooper DeJean And Kenny Moore Plans
The Eagles spent the summer toying with the idea that Cooper DeJean could play some safety.
While Fangio won’t rule out that idea entirely, he certainly isn’t there yet. For the time being, DeJean will continue his normal role in the slot at cornerback.
As for Moore, he just got the call-up. After the Dallas Cowboys attempted to poach him, the Eagles elevated Moore. Soon, we’ll see if that calls for immediate playing time or not.