Eagles' Safety To Start Camp On PUP List

Sydney Brown suffered a torn ACL in Week 18 last season and that needs more tome to heal.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown (21) intercepts a pass and returns for a 99 yard touchdown against the Arizona Cardinal / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - In what should be no surprise, second-year Eagles safety Sydney Brown is set to begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform List after tearing his ACL win Week 18 of the 2023 season.

PhillyVoice’s Jimmy Kempski was the first to get the word in advance.

Source: Eagles S Sydney Brown will begin training camp on the PUP list https://t.co/KUYiEvxYpN

— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) July 21, 2024

A team source told Eagles on SI back in the spring that the athletic Brown was progressing nicely and the former Illinois star himself has set Week 1 against Green Bay in Brazil as his personal goal to return.

Brown would work off to the side with trainers during voluntary OTAs and minicamp before joining his teammates during practice to take "mental reps" in an effort to stay engaged as much as possible.

The issue for Brown is that ACLs need a certain time to heal properly the current standard from a medical perspective is nine months.

Brown suffered his injury on Jan. 7. Wednesday’s first training camp practice is July 24, which is 199 days, less than seven months off the injury.

By placing Brown on the PUP list to start camp it gives GM Howie Roseman more flexibility if needed at the cut to 53 and there is no downside to using it.

If Brown is cleared to practice later in the summer the Eagles can simply take him off the list. If not and the medical staff believe he will need more time to heal, the Eagles can keep him on the list into the regular season where Brown would have to miss at least four games.

The NFL further liberalized roster rules this offseason and teams can place up to two players on injured reserve, PUP, or Non-Football Injury lists in advance of the initial cut to 53 players and still have those players return to the active roster.

Whenever Brown is deemed clear for contact, he’s expected to be the third safety behind presumptive starters C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship, as well as a core special teams coverage player for Michael Clay.

In his practice absence young safeties Tristin McCollum, Mekhi Garner, who is making the move from cornerback to safety full-time in his second season, and undrafted rookie Andre’ Sam will get opportunities to state their cases.

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