Philadelphia Eagles Sydney Brown, Eli Ricks Could Lend Nickel Stability

The two rookies are learning to play the position at the same pace after the Philadelphia Eagles have tried several players at the position due to a litany of injuries at that spot

PHILADELPHIA – If they had a nickel for every nickel cornerback they’ve used, well, the Philadelphia Eagles would have at least a whole quarter by now.

After losing starter Avonte Maddox and backup Zech McPhearson with season-ending injuries, the Eagles have used James Bradberry, Bradley Roby, Mario Goodrich, Eli Ricks, Sydney Brown, and Josiah Scott.

There still doesn’t seem to be any long-term solution, though Brown could be the one who helps deliver some stability at the position, especially after the Eagles acquired safety Kevin Byard shortly after beating the Miami Dolphins in Week 7.

There is a chance that Roby could be ahead of Brown when he is healthy enough to return from a shoulder injury.

Right now, though, it's probably Brown, who was trending toward slot reps before a hamstring injury cost him three games. It was during his absence that the Eagles signed Roby off the street.

Brown made his first start at safety last week, but that was out of necessity, with the Eagles down to only two healthy safeties.

Byard alleviates that crunch, and Reed Blankenship, who missed last week’s game with a rib injury, was listed as a full participant on Wednesday’s estimated injury report after a walkthrough practice.

Byard and Blankenship will likely start at safety when the Eagles visit FedEx Field on Sunday (1 p.m.) in a rematch against the Washington Commanders, who gave Philly all it could handle before losing 34-31 in overtime four weeks ago.

“It’s all about where I can add value,” Brown said. “With (Byard) coming in, and Reed coming back as well, I think it’s going to be more at the nickel position. I’ll be doing a lot more nickel.

“It’s all about getting your best players on the field. You gotta move pieces around. As a rookie, I’m willing to go and move and play anywhere, and do whatever this team needs to win games. And if that’s at nickel, then that’s what I need to do.”

Asked to assess Brown’s play in his first start, Eagles defensive coordinator Sean Desai said: “He did a good job. It was his first time. It was an exciting and emotional game for him to be out there. He's such a competitor.

“He played physically in the spots that we needed him to play physically at, came down in the box, and did a good job of communicating. So, I think it was a good game for him to kind of get his feet wet and get going.”

Sydney Brown / © Eric Canha, USA TODAY

Brown could also provide some versatility at safety if needed, and if he were, Ricks is also learning to play the slot. So, he can’t be discounted after a 14-snap role at nickel during the win over Miami.

The undrafted rookie, Ricks, and Brown, a third-round pick this past spring, are learning the nickel position together, under the tutelage of slot corner coach Ronell Williams.

“Me and Sydney are really cool,” Ricks said. “He’s a really good guy, just off the field in general, but being able to ask him questions really helps and it’s a little bit easier when someone else is a rookie as well going through it with you.

“We were on the same pace with everything, getting everything at the same time in those meetings together. When I had a question or he had a question, we could always ask each other, and we knew that. That was a big help.”

Ricks, who never played in the slot at the University of Alabama, was asked to give it a try when Maddox tore a pectoral muscle in Week 2. His response when asked about it? “Let’s do it.”

“Whatever the coaches ask me to do, I’ll do,” he said, “so there wasn’t too much thought about it.”

Brown said he played a lot of big nickel at the University of Illinois. The nickel spot isn't completely foreign to Brown like it is to Ricks, however.

“I played a lot in the slot, and I played a lot in the deep post,” he said. “Again, I’m comfortable wherever you put me. That’s always been my M.O. So yeah, it’s just about getting more reps there now. So, I’m extremely excited.”