October 23, 2023
The Philadelphia Eagles have traded for Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. In return for Byard, the Eagles will be giving up fifth- and sixth-round picks in 2024, as well as safety Terrell Edmunds.
Byard, 30, is a playmaking safety who has picked off at least four passes in seven of his NFL seasons, including a league-leading eight in 2017. He was named First-Team All-Pro in 2017 and 2021. Interestingly, Byard attended college at Middle Tennessee State, the same alma mater of the Eagles' top incumbent safety, Reed Blankenship.
Blankenship has quickly become a good player since the team signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022. However, it was becoming clear that the Eagles were likely to try to deal for a safety, as their other options left something to be desired. Justin Evans beat out Edmunds and rookie Sydney Brown for a starting role, and was a competent player when healthy, but he is prone to injuries and is currently on IR. Edmunds is more of a safety/linebacker hybrid who struggled when he was called upon to start for the Eagles this season.
Byard's 2023 salary is only $4 million, some of which has already been paid by the Titans. He is also scheduled to make $9.6 million in 2024, and the Eagles will have the back half of the 2023 season to see if they want to keep him on their roster next season at that number. The trade compensation of a pair of later Day 3 picks and a safety in Edmunds — who the Eagles might've released to make room for Byard anyway — feels like a bargain, especially with the Titans taking on a cap hit in order to deal Byard.
Of course, the Titans dealt wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Eagles during the 2022 draft, which has worked out for the Eagles, to put it mildly.
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