Philadelphia Eagles: Ranking the safety selections of the NFC East

There was a time when the NFC East was loaded with talent at the safety spot. Players like Brian Dawkins, Sean Taylor, and Antrel Rolle called the division home, and getting past that last line of defense for a touchdown was no easy task.

In 2021, the division didn’t garner a single Pro Bowl performer, and unless one of the players on the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, or the Dallas Cowboys really take a step forward this fall, it’s hard to imagine that changing next February either.

Still, there is a good bit of intrigue to be had at the back end of each secondary, and that alone should make the division position grouping interesting to watch. Let’s take a look at the edge rushers from across the division to see how each team stacks up against their peers.

4. Washington Commanders

Who is the best safety on the Washington Commanders? Do any of their players have particularly impressive college pedigrees or have a Pro Bowl or two on their resume? No on both counts.

Of Washington’s current crop of players, Bobby McCain is by far the most proven, as he was a starter for years in Miami at both slot cornerback and safety before taking his talents to Ron Rivera’s team, and they do have a fourth round safety drafted with the 113th overall pick in Percy Butler, but until that unit puts it all together and establishes something, they can’t be ranked all that high league, or division-wide.

Most important performer: Kamren Curl

In 2021, Kamren Curl had 99 tackles, which ranked second on the team behind Cole Holcomb, but his AV was actually down from a very good 7 as a rookie – a seventh-round pick rookie at that – to just a 4 in 2021.

Still, if Curl can return to form and fully establish himself as an every-down starter for Rivera/Jack Del Rio’s defense, then the Commanders might have a new signature player at the back end of their secondary.