Eagles Facing Safety Dilemma as Injuries Mount - Could Darnell Savage Be the Answer?
The Philadelphia Eagles are staring down a familiar late-season problem: injuries in the secondary at the worst possible time. With Andrew Mukuba sidelined by a fractured ankle, the Eagles are being forced to dig deep into their depth chart - and that’s led them to Sydney Brown, a player who, so far in 2025, hasn't exactly inspired confidence.
Brown has been thrust into a starting role more out of necessity than merit. And while the Eagles have done a solid job masking weaknesses in the past, this one’s starting to show.
Brown’s production has taken a noticeable dip from last year. According to Pro Football Focus, his run stop rate has plummeted from 10.3% in 2023 to just 3.6% this season.
In coverage, he’s allowed five catches on eight targets for 50 yards - not disastrous, but with no pass breakups and just 87 snaps under his belt, the sample size might be small, but the trend is hard to ignore. Quarterbacks aren’t hesitating to test him, and so far, they’re not paying a price for it.
Add in a missed tackle rate of 17.6%, and the concern becomes more than just a blip. That kind of inconsistency - especially with playoff positioning on the line - is something the Eagles can’t afford.
But just as the Eagles were running out of options, a potential solution may have landed in their lap. Veteran safety Darnell Savage has reportedly requested his release from the Washington Commanders, and per reports, the team is expected to grant it. If that happens, Philadelphia should be first in line to make a call.
Savage, a former first-round pick, brings something the Eagles desperately need: experience. He’s logged years of starting reps, primarily with the Packers, and while his time in Washington hasn’t been perfect, his most recent outing in Week 11 showed he still has something left in the tank. He posted season-high grades in both coverage (73.6) and overall play (76.2), and his tackling grade (78.0) was his second-best of the year - all in just 26 snaps.
That’s the kind of performance that makes you take notice, especially when you’re a team with Super Bowl aspirations trying to patch a hole in the secondary.
Bringing in Savage wouldn’t just be about replacing Brown - it’s about buying time for Mukuba to recover without rushing him back too soon. It’s about stabilizing a unit that’s been asked to do a lot this season. And it’s about giving defensive coordinator Sean Desai a veteran presence who can communicate, adjust, and bring some order to the chaos that’s crept into the back end of this defense.
For general manager Howie Roseman, this could be one of those classic low-risk, high-reward moves that he’s become known for. There’s no long-term commitment required, and the upside is clear: a seasoned safety who can step in and help right away, without the growing pains that come with leaning on a young player who isn’t quite ready.
The Eagles have built a roster capable of making another deep playoff run. But as we’ve seen time and again, it’s the little adjustments - the midseason additions, the depth signings - that can make all the difference in January. If Savage hits the open market, Philly should be ready to pounce.
Because with the NFC race tightening and the margin for error shrinking, the Eagles need more than just stopgaps. They need solutions. And right now, Darnell Savage might be the best one available.