Eagles 'Excellent' Secondary Rankings: Best in NFL?
Even though the Philadelphia Eagles saw safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson depart for the Detroit Lions in free agency, general manager Howie Roseman found a way to retain cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry, largely preserving one of the top defensive secondaries in the sport.
In fact, a new Pro Football Focus countdown says that the Eagles have the No. 3 secondary in the NFL entering the 2023 season:
"The Eagles lost two safeties in the playmaking C.J. Gardner-Johnson and the reliable Marcus Epps but reloaded in the draft and free agency. Slay was dominant at times this past season and ultimately earned the seventh 70.0-plus coverage grade of his career. The rest of the unit played consistently excellent football for most of the year, leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl.
"If one of the rookies steps up in 2023, the unit will be a force once again."
At one point in the offseason, it appeared that Slay was going to be released by the Eagles. Instead, the five-time Pro Bowler worked out a two-year/$42 million extension to remain in Philadelphia. Bradberry also worked out a new three-year/$38 million deal that guarantees him $20 million before he was set to become a free agent.
Cornerback Avonte Maddox is back for his sixth season with the Eagles, while Roseman and company also added veteran Greedy Williams in free agency to improve their depth at the position. To make up for losing both safeties from a season ago, former Pittsburgh Steeler Terrell Edmunds signed a one-year/$2 million deal to join the Eagles.
As far as rookies who could step up, the Eagles selected safety Sydney Brown from Illinois with the team's second third-round pick, while landing former Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo a round later.
It's never ideal to have starters depart in free agency, but between the aforementioned signings and rookies -- along with the potential development of second-year safety Reed Blankenship -- the Eagles should be able to withstand the losses they had.
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