Getty Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has taken an extra cautious approach with playing his starters this preseason.
The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the most complete rosters in football, but depth remains an issue at certain positions. Linebacker remains one potential question mark, but safety could be viewed as the biggest area of need. It’s not alarmingly bad by any stretch.
They can roll with Terrell Edmunds and Reed Blankenship as the starters and not lose too much sleep. However, if the reigning NFC champions really wanted to put the rest of the league on notice then an upgrade at safety would speak volumes. Old friend Rodney McLeod is off the market after signing with the Cleveland Browns. Ditto for Eric Rowe who went to the Carolina Panthers. Keep scanning the waiver wire, though.
Heavy’s Matt Lombardo called veteran starter Adrian Amos a “best fit” for the Eagles. The former Green Bay Packer is coming off a career-high 102 tackles in 2022, along with one sack and an interception. The 30-year-old started all 17 regular-season games, too. He’s reliable. He’s a leader. He’s another perfect “lottery ticket.”
Pay Adrian Amos all the money.
Lombardo wrote: “A consistent defender who can contribute in coverage — holding opposing receivers to just 9.3 yards per reception when targeted, and up near the line of scrimmage, where he logged a sack and 22 run-stops — Amos’ versatility should make him attractive to contending teams during this phase of free agency.”
Amos, a fifth-round pick in 2015, has amassed 636 career tackles (28 for loss) in 126 games while securing 10 interceptions and four fumble recoveries. So, yes, he could be a valuable contributor for a Super Bowl contender like Philadelphia. Spotrac projects his market value at $6.8 million per year, or three years at $20.68 million. Amos is coming off a massive four-year, $36 million deal from 2019 in Green Bay.
Eagles Drafted Sydney Brown in 2023 NFL Draft
Another in-house option for the Eagles is third-round pick Sydney Brown out of Illinois. While some thought Philly reached a bit by taking him with the 66th overall pick, there is no denying his immense play-making ability. He led the Big 10 Conference in interceptions (6) and ranked third-best in the nation while finishing as the highest-graded safety in man coverage (89.9), according to Pro Football Focus.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. expressed a tinge of regret about them taking Brown over two other safeties on the board: “I would have gone with Ji’Ayir Brown or Riley Moss over Sydney Brown (66) if I were taking a safety, but I don’t have a huge issue with the Eagles preferring Brown. He is undersized, but he tested well during combine workouts and had six interceptions last season.”
The 5-foot-10, 211-pounder was viewed as more of an in-the-box safety coming out of college, meaning he struggled in space against longer and more athletic pass-catchers. However, he is a legit run defender and excels at jamming tight ends over the middle. He could certainly develop into a future starter for the Eagles, much in the mold of Talanoa Hufanga. General manager Howie Roseman raved about Brown’s potential following the draft.
“Sydney Brown was a passion player for a lot of people in this organization, he was a red star guy,” Roseman said, “and I think just a tremendous person with obviously really good athletic tools, leadership ability, and for us, just excited to get him in the building.”
Sydney Brown just destroying the RB on a blitz
Jalen Carter Inks $21.8 Million Rookie Deal
The Eagles wasted no time in showing Jalen Carter the money. He became the first player from the 2023 draft class to sign a contract after inking a four-year, $21.8 million rookie deal that is fully guaranteed, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He was one of three rookies to officially sign on the dotted line for Philadelphia.
