The Philadelphia Eagles have made a blockbuster trade to bolster their secondary, acquiring All-Pro safety Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans on Monday. The Eagles sent safety Terrell Edmunds, a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in 2024 to the Titans in exchange for Byard, who has been one of the best safeties in the NFL for the past few seasons.
Byard Brings Playmaking and Leadership to Eagles Defense
Byard, who was born in Philadelphia and played college football at Middle Tennessee State, is a two-time First Team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler who led the NFL in interceptions in 2017 with eight. He has 27 career interceptions, four sacks, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in his eight-year career. He has also started 111 consecutive games, showing his durability and consistency.
Byard will join an Eagles defense that ranks 10th in the league in passing yards allowed per game (222.3) and has nine interceptions this season. He will pair up with Anthony Harris, another veteran safety who signed with the Eagles as a free agent this offseason. Byard and Harris will form one of the most formidable safety duos in the league, giving the Eagles a strong last line of defense against opposing quarterbacks.
Byard will also bring his leadership and experience to the Eagles locker room, as he was a team captain and a vocal leader for the Titans. He was also active in the community, winning the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2020 for his charitable work. He was also voted by the Nashville chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America as the first recipient of the Eddie George Good Guy Award in 2022.
Titans Part Ways with Byard After Eight Seasons
The Titans decided to trade Byard after eight seasons with the team, as they were looking to clear some cap space and get some draft picks for the future. Byard was due to make $11.5 million in base salary this season, and had three more years left on his contract that he signed in 2019. The Titans will save $6.5 million in cap space this year by trading him, but will also incur $5 million in dead money.
The Titans will also get some draft capital from the Eagles, as they will receive a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in 2024. The Titans also acquired safety Terrell Edmunds from the Eagles, who was a former first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018. Edmunds has started 43 games in his career, recording four interceptions, two sacks and two forced fumbles. He will compete for a starting spot with Amani Hooker and Dane Cruikshank on the Titans defense.
The Titans are currently 4-2 and lead the AFC South division, but have struggled on defense this season. They rank 25th in the league in passing yards allowed per game (273.7) and have only four interceptions. They have also allowed 30 points or more in three of their six games, including a 34-31 loss to the New York Jets in Week 4.
Eagles Hope to Make Playoff Push with Byard
The Eagles are hoping that Byard will help them make a playoff push in the second half of the season, as they are currently 3-4 and third in the NFC East division. They are coming off a 31-17 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, where they forced three turnovers and scored two defensive touchdowns.
The Eagles have a tough schedule ahead, as they will face the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their next five games. They will need Byard to make an immediate impact and help them slow down some of the top passing offenses in the league.
Byard is expected to join the Eagles this week and be ready to play against the Chargers on Sunday. He will wear jersey number 31 for his new team, which was previously worn by cornerback Darius Slay before he switched to number 2 this season.
