The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly signed two free agent safeties to one-year contracts shortly after news of them trading Sydney Brown to the Atlanta Falcons emerged on Friday evening.
They are Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
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MARCUS EPPS
Re-signing Epps felt like a no-brainer after the Eagles allowed Reed Blankenship to join the Houston Texans in free agency.
Epps, who turned 30 in January, never seemed to be a liability when injuries forced him into action last season (250 defensive snaps). He brings plenty of experience to the table with 53 starts in 100 career games played (including playoffs).
With zero interceptions and two forced fumbles produced over the last four seasons, the Eagles can’t rely on Epps to be a play-maker. They can, however, reasonably expect a level of competency if he has to play.
Re-signing Epps to a one-year deal hardly precludes the team from doing more to address the safety position. They can still trade for an established player and/or add some young talent in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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If the Eagles strike out on those options, Epps could be in line to start at safety next to Andrew Mukuba for the 2026 season. There are worse options.
J.T. GRAY
Gray is listed at safety but he’s played just 153 defensive snaps (zero from 2025) in 103 games played over eight seasons. The 30-year-old has carved out an NFL career primarily contributing as a special teams player.
Gray was first-team All-Pro for special teams in 2021 (he also made the Pro Bowl that year) and second-team All-Pro in 2019 and 2024.
After playing the first six seasons of his career with the New Orleans Saints (where he became a team captain), Gray spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.
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We’ll see if Gray is able to make a case to stick on the Eagles’ roster (or practice squad) in 2026 as a special teams standout who can play safety in a pinch.
The Eagles now have Mukuba, Epps, Gray, and Andre’ Sam under contract at safety. There’s also been talk that Michael Carter II could be an option on the back end despite his lack of extensive experience there.
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