The Philadelphia Eagles came away with a 24-20 victory in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, and there were several players that came up big. One of those players was rookie Andrew Mukuba, who played a big role in the Eagles' defense in his NFL debut.
Mukuba was a second-round pick by the Eagles in April’s draft and showed the versatility that made him a target out of the University of Texas. While his four total tackles won’t jump off the stat sheet, his usage is what stood out, and it could spell bad news for incumbent veteran Sydney Brown.
Eagles’ Sydney Brown May Be in Trouble After Usage vs. Cowboys
Andrew DiCecco of Inside The Birds posted snap counts from Thursday night’s win over Dallas, and Brown may not be too happy about his usage compared to the rookie. While Mukuba played 84% of the defensive snaps, Brown was limited to 23%. Pro Football Focus also had the exact numbers from the game, with Mukuba logging 51 snaps to Brown’s 14, putting a clear discrepancy between the rookie and the veteran.
For Brown, it’s a disappointing development. A third-round pick by the Eagles in the 2023 draft, he played in 14 games during his rookie season with 45 tackles, three pass defenses, a forced fumble, and a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown. But Brown tore his ACL in the season finale that year and was limited to 11 games and just 87 total snaps in 2024.
The selection of Mukuba was writing on the wall for Brown’s role in 2025, but the rookie also brings a couple of things that the veteran can’t provide. Mukuba’s versatility was on display against the Cowboys, playing 35 of his snaps at free safety, 11 in the box, and five at slot corner. While he allowed a reception on his only target for five yards, he was also stout against the run with a pair of run stops and a 66.6 run defense grade.
The other benefit that didn’t show up on Thursday was Mukuba’s ability to take the ball away. The Eagles ranked 12th with 13 interceptions last season, but Mukuba was a playmaker for the Longhorns, leading the Big 12 with five picks to lead Texas to the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
Mukuba’s size was one knock on his draft stock heading into the draft, and it could be the avenue for Brown to receive more playing time. But Thursday’s game indicated that may be the only path for that to happen, as Mukuba is well on his way to becoming a key member of Vic Fangio’s defense.