Philadelphia Eagles third-year safety Sydney Brown is entering a critical season. After showing brief flashes of promise as a rookie, a late-year injury derailed the majority of his sophomore campaign. Brown now faces a make-or-break season in 2025.
The Eagles selected Brown with the No. 66 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Illinois standout began playing significant snaps by midseason, capturing a rotational role in the secondary. Brown's most memorable moment as a rookie occurred in Week 17 when he intercepted Kyler Murray and returned it for a 99-yard pick-six.
Unfortunately for Brown, that highlight-reel feeling would be short-lived.
SYDNEY BROWN 99-YARD PICK-6! @Eagles
— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
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Brown suffered a torn ACL against the New York Giants in Week 18. It immediately placed his sophomore season in question. That devastating setback proved to ruin his second campaign, preventing him from building on a stellar rookie year.
Brown began 2024 on the reserve/PUP list. The London, Ontario, Canada native wasn't activated until October and made his season debut in Week 7. Unsurprisingly, the Eagles eased Brown back into the defensive rotation. He earned just 37 defensive snaps from Week 7 to Week 17.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio gave Brown his biggest opportunity in Week 18. With the NFC East title already clinched, the Eagles rested the majority of their starters in the regular-season finale against the Giants. Brown played a season-high 42 snaps, 79% of the Eagles' defensive plays. He maximized his opportunity, recording an interception he returned for 21 yards.
That performance wasn't enough to earn Brown playing time throughout the postseason, however. He played just four defensive snaps in Philadelphia's four playoff contests. The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, but Brown largely watched that triumph from the sidelines.
The Eagles have undergone changes at safety this offseason. In a cash-slashing move, general manager Howie Roseman traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans. Gardner-Johnson played a position-high 1,119 snaps last season, and his departure creates offseason competition at safety.
The Eagles didn't sign any notable safeties as replacements, but they did draft Andrew Mukuba with their second-round selection (No. 64 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. Reed Blankenship returns as a starter, and the opposite spot could be decided between Mukuba and Brown, with Tristin McCollum also in the mix.
Philadelphia's secondary will look significantly different in 2025. Isaiah Rodgers, Darius Slay, and James Bradberry were fellow subtractions, joining Gardner-Johnson out the exit door. Brown will attempt to bring continuity while putting the knee injury fully behind him.
Fangio is entering his second season as the Eagles' defensive coordinator. Brown's recovery unfortunately prevented him from making the desired first impression on his defensive play caller. He'll now enter training camp and the preseason attempting to outperform Mukuba, a rookie safety Fangio liked throughout the pre-draft process.
Brown showcased legitimate potential as a rookie, but a late-season injury ruined his sophomore campaign prematurely. His future with the Eagles could be determined after the upcoming season. It's truly make-or-break for Brown.
