The Philadelphia Eagles seemingly have zero trust in safety Sydney Brown, turning to the current starter based only on pure desperation. Starter Andrew Mukuba suffered a fractured ankle and is obviously set to miss an extended period of time, leaving the Eagles in the precarious position of being forced to start Brown.
As Week 14 continues, a surprise solution might have just presented itself to the Eagles, with the news that veteran safety Darnell Savage has requested his release from the Washington Commanders. The report comes courtesy of KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson, who notes that the Commanders are expected to follow through with the release.
Savage is a former first-round pick from the Green Bay Packers and has extensive starting experience. It makes sense that if the Commanders release him, the Eagles would be near the top of potential landing spots for the defensive back. Philly can offer the rare chance of a starting role as well as a legitimate chance to make a Super Bowl run.
Savage can step into a starting role and take the pressure off Brown from a role he isn't suited for, and rookie Mukuba from pushing too quickly for a return. It simply makes far too much sense all the way around for Philly not to seriously consider making the move.
Darnell Savage Could Help Eagles Solve Their Sydney Brown Problem
It's hard to find much to be excited about when it comes to Brown's 2025 performance. He's only generating run stops on 3.6% of rushing downs compared to a rate of 10.3% in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus. In terms of coverage, he's allowed five catches on eight targets for 50 yards without a breakup. It's a small sample size (87 coverage snaps), but it also might be big enough to let opposing quarterbacks know that it's safe to throw in his direction.
His reckless (17.6% missed tackles) and inconsistent play has no spot in the Eagles' lineup, especially this close to the playoffs.
With Brown giving the Eagles few reasons to believe in him, rolling the dice on Savage makes sense. He's been far from perfect with the Commanders; however, his last appearance (Week 11) saw him finish with season-high PFF grades for coverage (73.6) and overall play (76.2), while his 78.0 tackling performance across 26 snaps was his second-best effort of the year.
Signing Savage allows the Eagles the opportunity to seek out the potential upgrade without any obvious risks. Savage only brings upside for a Philly roster that needs to put every option on the table heading into Week 14. Now is the time for a collective sense of urgency if you're going to reclaim your position as the NFC's top seed.
With this in mind, general manager Howie Roseman must chase Savage in the next days if he hits the open market. It's a low-risk, high-reward attempt to solve their Brown issue, as well as a potential roll of the dice that could save the Eagles' season.