Eagles need Kevin Byard to bring stability at safety

PHILADELPHIA -- Until very recently, safety Kevin Byard only knew NFL life as a Tennessee Titan. He spent seven-and-a-half seasons with them after being selected in the third round of the 2016 draft.

Byard was notified by Titans head coach Mike Vrabel on Monday that he had been dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles for fellow safety Terrell Edmunds plus two draft picks -- 2024 fifth- and sixth-round selections -- setting off what Byard described as "a crazy 48 hours" that took him from a last-place team to a first-place team trying to gear up for another Super Bowl run. But there's plenty of familiarity for Byard in his new setting, which should be beneficial as he works to acclimate to his new environment and help a secondary that could use a stabilizing force over the middle.

"I feel like I'm a great player, but at the end of the day it's not really about that. It's all about what I do now that I'm here," Byard said. "I've had a great career in Tennessee, but I'm a Philadelphia Eagle now and that's what it's more about, moving forward and making plays to help this team win."

Byard, 30, was born in Philadelphia and spent the first 14 years of his life there. He grew up watching highlights of former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins -- aka "Weapon X" -- on YouTube before his high school games to get hyped. Byard's eyes widened as an employee told him Wednesday that he was given Dawkins' old locker stall, and took it as a good omen.

He's surrounded by familiar faces in the locker room. Byard is friends with receiver A.J. Brown from their days together in Tennessee -- he was Byard's first call when the trade went down outside of the one to his wife, Byard said. He attended the same college as fellow safety Reed Blankenship -- Middle Tennessee State -- and trains with him in Nashville during the offseason. He kept in touch with cornerback James Bradberry after attending the Senior Bowl with him during the pre-draft process, and has mutual connections with another veteran member of the secondary, Darius Slay.

In many ways, Byard's reputation preceded him to Philly.

"He's a great addition," quarterback Jalen Hurts said. "Played against him last year and heard a ton of stories about him from A.J. He seems like he has a humble spirit, he's a dog and I know he was a leader of that Tennessee Titans team. We just want him to bring his best here. A guy with a good heart, good head on his shoulders, it seems like he'll fit in just fine."

Byard is expected to slide into a starting role opposite Blankenship. The two-time Pro Bowler racked up 27 interceptions and 63 passes defensed during his time with the Titans while averaging 90 tackles per season. Defensive coordinator Sean Desai pointed to Byard's versatility as a key attribute for this system.

"He has played in a lot of different defenses," Desai said. "Really smart. Great leader. I've gotten great reports."

The Eagles defense is coming off its most impressive outing of the year, limiting the high-flying Miami Dolphins to just 10 offensive points and 199 passing yards. The safety spot, though, has been a roller-coaster ride. After the departure of C.J. Gardner Johnson, safety was the biggest question coming into the season and those questions only grew as injuries started to mount.

On the year, the Eagles are tied for the third-most passing touchdowns allowed with 12.

"[General manager] Howie [Roseman] has done a great job building this roster," said defensive end Brandon Graham. "To be able to get a stud in the middle like that, especially in the back end where we haven't been doing so great -- it's been a revolving door of injuries and different people in those positions -- you can tell that he really wants to win.

"The challenge is to get him up to speed and get him comfortable and playing fast with what Desai wants, but I think they're going to do a good job of that because he's a vet."

The addition of Byard likely means that promising rookie third-round pick Sydney Brown will move back to a special teams/depth role. He got the start opposite Edmunds against Miami with Blankenship (ribs) and Justin Evans (injured reserve/knee) sidelined. But with Blankenship on the mend, the Byard/Blankenship starting duo could debut as early as this Sunday at the Washington Commanders(1 p.m. ET, FedEx Field, Fox).

"I think Howie is a genius for bringing in other guys and getting guys in to fill big-time roles," Brown said. "At the end of the day, it's all about getting the 'W'. It doesn't matter what your feelings are. I'll find a way. I'll be productive no matter where they put me."

Byard and the Titans played in Philadelphia last December -- a 35-10 Eagles win. Prior to that, he said the last time he was in the area was following the death of his mother last year. Before that, it was to attend the funeral services for his grandmother.

"It feels good to be coming to Philly on a good note," he said.

Byard has many family members still in the area and has received a deluge of calls and texts since being traded back home. He has full intentions of returning them all but for now is consumed with trying to learn a new playbook.

"I had a great, wonderful seven-and-a-half years in Tennessee, really enjoyed my time there, I'm always going to be a Tennessee Titan for sure," he said, "but going forward I'm excited to be here, excited to be in Philly, back home in my hometown where I was born and raised. It's an exciting time for me right now."