Why Atlanta Falcons are Touted as Winners of Sydney Brown Trade

The Atlanta Falcons acquired safety Sydney Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles on March 20. As part of the deal, the teams swapped picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, with Philadelphia moving up in both the fourth and sixth rounds. The Eagles received picks No.114 and No.197, while Atlanta moved back to No.122 and No.215, acquiring Brown in the process.

CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles gave the Falcons a B grade for this move, significantly higher than the C+ he awarded the Philadelphia Eagles. The reason is that Atlanta acquired him for virtually nothing.

“There are worse options than [Sydney] Brown as a third or fourth safety… if the Falcons identified something they liked in a former third-round pick who is just 25, and it cost them almost nothing to acquire him, they deserve a solid mark,” Pereles wrote.

Although Brown was used primarily as a special teams contributor in Philadelphia, that role does not necessarily define what he could become in Atlanta.

“Though he showed some flashes here and there, he was mostly a special teamer. That doesn’t mean he can’t be more than that in his new home, though.” Pereles added.

Under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, interior defender Brandon Dorlus went from logging just 19 defensive snaps in 2024 to recording 8.5 sacks in 2025, a jump that highlights Ulbrich’s ability to develop and maximize defensive talent.

Brown, 25, was originally a third-round pick of the Eagles in the 2023 draft. He started in six games as a rookie before tearing his ACL late in the season. Those flashes that Pereles mentioned were shown in Brown’s rookie season, with Brown returning an interception 99-yards for a touchdown in a Week 17 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.

One of Atlanta’s biggest defensive weaknesses last season was stopping the run, and Sydney Brown could help address that issue. According to his scouting report from NFL.com, he was seen as an effective run defender coming out of the University of Illinois. His strengths include “exploiting the crevices as a run defender in the box” and the ability to “step downhill to create a firm edge against an outside run.”

As it currently stands, Atlanta has a strong safety duo in veteran Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts. That could allow Sydney Brown to carve out a rotational role early while contributing on special teams, where the Falcons struggled mightily in 2025, with the opportunity to earn more defensive snaps as the season progresses.

If Atlanta’s coaching staff can unlock more of the potential Brown flashed early in his career, the Falcons may have landed a valuable depth piece at minimal cost.

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