Eagles were so close to landing Chiefs star safety in NFL free agency
The Philadelphia Eagles were so close to landing Kansas City Chiefs star safety Justin Reid in NFL free agency. According to New Orleans Saints beat writer Matthew Paras, Reid told reports that the Eagles were one of three teams that he considered signing with. "Justin Reid said the Eagles, Titans and the Saints were the […]
The Philadelphia Eagles were so close to landing Kansas City Chiefs star safety Justin Reid in NFL free agency.
According to New Orleans Saints beat writer Matthew Paras, Reid told reports that the Eagles were one of three teams that he considered signing with.
"Justin Reid said the Eagles, Titans and the Saints were the final teams he was considering in free agency: 'It made too much sense” to sign with New Orleans," Paras wrote on X.
Reid, 28, ultimately signed a three-year, $31.5 million deal, including $22.25 million fully guaranteed with his hometown team.
The former third round pick out of Stanford in the 2018 draft has been a major key to Kansas City's secondary over the last three years and is coming off a 2024 season where he racked up 87 tackles and two interceptions in 16 regular-season games.
Reid would have been a solid replacement for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, whom the Eagles traded away to the Houston Texans earlier this week.
Will the Eagles draft a Safety?
With the Eagles swinging and missing out on landing Reid in free agency, there's a chance they could turn to the 2025 NFL Draft for a new safety.
If that ends up being the case, then former Georgia Bulldogs star Malaki Starks should be their first-round draft pick.
Starks accumulated 197 tackles and six interceptions in three seasons at Georgia before declaring for this year's draft. He did have a questionable NFL Combine performance in February, but he put any doubts to rest with solid testing at Georgia's Pro Day on March 12.
If, for some reason, the Eagles choose not to address the safety position in the draft, then they have a fully healthy Sydney Brown this offseason to lean on as well as Tristin McCollum and Lewis Cine.
Eagles have exactly what they need to find their Mekhi Becton replacement
They’ll be just fine.
