Philadelphia Eagles Turn to Sequel in Slot, Bring Back Josiah Scott

The versatile Josiah Scott is set for his second stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.

PHILADELPHIA - The front of the NovaCare Complex isn’t equipped with revolving doors but it would have been apropos for a pair of players this week.

In was fourth-year defensive back Josiah Scott, who was brought back by the Philadelphia Eagles from the Pittsburgh practice squad, and out was practice squad  offensive tackle Tyre Phillips, who returned to the New York Giants after a relaxing soak at the facility’s hot tub at the end of a six-week tour at Stoutland University.

Talked to Tyre Phillips about his return to #NYGiants. Says it's a lesson in not burning bridges, even when circumstances might cause you to question why.

Was in hot tub at Eagles' facility yesterday when he was told Giants wanted to sign him to the 53.

"And now I'm back."

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) October 18, 2023

That’s like in the NFL, especially on the back end of rosters around the league.

Bringing Scott back, who spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Philadelphia, was a tacit admission that betting on the upside of Mario Goodrich and Eli Ricks instead of keeping a player with 31 games of experience and four starts with the organization was, at best, a questionable decision.

Goodrich was waived to make room for Scott on the 53-man roster and could return to the PS if he clears waivers.

Scott, meanwhile, had turned the page after being released in August but wasn’t about to slam any doors either

“I don't really say it surprised me,” Scott told SI.com's Eagles Today about being waived for unproven commodities. “Things happen for a reason and so I'm not really too pressed about that. I just felt like moving forward, it was probably best for me to just go, get in a new system, learn a new system, learn new coaches, be around them, and just be able to put my best foot forward.”

Already a versatile player who has played the slot, outside cornerback, and safety at the professional level, Scott added more to his toolbox by gaining experience in a different defensive system with the Steelers.

“I got to be around some really good guys who have done it for a very long time like Pat P. (Patrick Peterson), Minkah (Fitzpatrick), Levi Wallace. people who've been played at high levels in this league,” Scott explained. “So be able to be around those guys and just pick their brains and just see how they go about their business and their different sort of techniques helps so I can put stuff like that into my game."

Scott could factor in at both the slot and safety in what are mirrored positions in the Eagles’ defensive scheme. Philadelphia has suffered significant injury attrition in the slot and on the back end.

With Miami, the most explosive offense in the NFL, set to invade Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, the Eagles are already down Avonte Maddox and Zech McPhearson in the slot and now veteran stop-gap Bradley Roby is likely to miss a game or two with a strained pec. Goodrich and Ricks, meanwhile, couldn't handle the workload inside.

At safety, starter Justin Evans is on injured reserve while rookie Sydney Brown has been out with a hamstring injury. While the latter may return against the Dolphins, Reed Blankenship, the Eagles’ best safety, is iffy with a rib injury.

“I've always been a guy who's very versatile, and really any team I played for going back to my rookie year in Jacksonville. I played corner, safety. nickel, dime. I mean, I've always been asked that by any team I went to him so it's nothing different,” Scott said.

Versatile DB Josiah Scott is back for a second stint with the Eagles :: Ed Kracz/SI Fan Nation Eagles Today

Versatile and ready to help after recovering from a hamstring issue that put Scott on PS/IR in Pittsburgh.

“I just had something something minor,” Scott said. “Thought it was best just to go on IR, just to be back 100 percent healthy. So really my time in Pittsburgh, it was really more informative than the physical grunting work of like practice.”

Now it’s back to the grunting and grinding for Scott, who hopes to calm down some of the Eagles’ troubles on the back end.

"We've got confidence in him," head coach Nick Sirianni said of Scott. "We've got confidence in the person. We've got confidence in the player. So, I think a little bit of that was just his experience in this city, his experience with this team, his experience with these guys on this team."

"I'm just going with the wind,” Scott added. “I mean, that's kind of been my thing here anyways, just you know, one play I'll play nickel, one play I'll play safety, one play I'll play corner so it's just kind of like just going with whatever they tell me to go. That's why I just try to learn every single position.

“... I've been in the defense before so things are coming back to me seamlessly and so I'm excited."