Eagles 2024 Training Camp Preview: The Safeties

The return of C.J. Gardner-Johnson could bring a playmaking presence back to the Eagles' secondary.

Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (23) before action against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - The return of C.J. Gardner-Johnson is expected to solidify the Eagles’ safety position with the playmaking ballhawk being penciled in opposite the underrated Reed Blankenship.

Gardner-Johnson had a spectacular season with Philadelphia in 2022, tying for the NFL lead in interceptions with six despite missing five games with a lacerated kidney. 

Coming off that type of season, Gardner-Johnson expected to cash in from a contract standpoint and things got acrimonious with the Eagles and CJGJ took his act on the road to Detroit on a prove-it deal.

The grass wasn’t greener with the talented Lions after Gardner-Johnson tore his pec in Week 2, missing most of the season. When he returned he had lost his starting job but did manage to snare an interception in the divisional round of the playoffs against Tampa Bay.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the Eagles pass defense fell off a cliff without Gardner-Johnson, free-falling from No. 1 in the NFL to No. 31.

Both sides wanted and needed the reunion and Gardner-Johnson returned to Philadelphia on a three-year, $27 million deal that could reach $33M with incentives.

The Eagles’ defense under new coordinator Vic Fangio should benefit from Gardner-Johnson’s ball skills and energy.

Blankenship is expected to be a steadying presence opposite CJGJ and the Eagles bought out his restricted free agency year of 2025 for $3.575M, a clear indication to the Justin Simmons truthers that the Eagles believe in Blankenship, a former undrafted free agent who Pro Football Focus graded as the 19th best safety in the NFL last season, far ahead of Simmons, a former All-Pro and Fangio favorite.

Simmons remains a free agent with camp approaching and until he decides on his next stop the rumors will swirl because of the presence of Fangio.

Athletic second-year safety Sydney Brown is the No. 3 safety but is coming off a torn ACL suffered on Jan. 7 in Week 18 of the 2023 season against the New York Giants.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown (21) before action against the Arizona Cardinals at Lincoln Financial Field. / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Typically an injury with a nine-month rehab period, that makes Week 1 tenuous for Brown although the second-year player feels like he will be ready. The medical staff may say otherwise and play it cautiously. Either way, Brown should be back relatively early in the season, albeit with little offseason work which is important for a developing player. 

The deeper reserves are Tristin McCollum and Mekhi Garner, both former cornerbacks who have the size for safety and have made the move full-time, as well as undrafted rookie Andre’ Sam.

Another interesting development is the idea of moving veteran James Bradberry to safety, a plan derailed by an oblique injury in minicamp.

The thought around the league is that is gamesmanship by GM Howie Roseman, who wants to get something for Bradberry instead of just releasing the veteran who is coming off a poor season at CB. 

Depth Chart: 

S - C.J. Gardner-Johnson; James Bradberry; Tristin McCollum;  

S - Reed Blankenship; Sydney Brown; Mekhi Garner; Andre’ Sam 

WHAT’S CHANGED: Gone is veteran Kevin Byard, who signed with Chicago, and the oft-injured Justin Evans with CJGJ and Sam as the additions.

Garner also moved from CB to safety full-time and that’s the plan with Bradberry as well, at least until Roseman can trade the veteran.

COACHING: The new secondary coach, along with an additional title of defensive passing game coordinator, is Christian Parker, who was the DB coach in Denver from 2021 to 2023. The first of those three seasons with the Broncos was under Fangio, who was the head coach and gave Parker his first NFL job as a position coach.

Just 32 and a South Jersey native, Parker is regarded as a rising star in the coaching world. He and Fangio set up the staff with both a cornerbacks coach (Roy Anderson) and safeties coach (Joe Kasper) assisting. Kasper was with the Eagles previously as a quality control coach in 2021-22 before leaving for Miami to be the safeties coach under Fangio.

THE LONGSHOT: Sam, 25, is an older rookie the Eagles typically shy away from but he showed some skills in the spring as an undersized safety with coverage ability.

WHO STAYS/GOES: Gardner-Johnson, Blankenship, and Brown are the sure things with McCollum trying to hold off Garner from there. The Eagles might also go light at safety because cornerback Avonte Maddox has the versatility to play the position in a pinch and rookie Cooper DeJean may also offer that ability. 

MORE NFL: Eagles 2024 Training Camp Preview: The Cornerbacks