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After trading Sydney Brown, Eagles sign safeties Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray
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- After trading Sydney Brown, Eagles sign safeties Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray
After trading Sydney Brown, Eagles sign safeties Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
After the Sydney Brown trade left them with just one experienced safety, the Eagles began restocking the safety room by signing veterans Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray.
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Epps, who spent 2019 through 2022 with the Eagles and was a full-time starter in the 2022 Super Bowl season, was a starter the last month of last year in his second stint with the Eagles. He was a free agent this offseason and becomes the third free agent to return to the Eagles, following Grant Calcaterra and Braden Mann .
Gray, an eight-year veteran known for his special teams excellence, began his NFL career as an undrafted rookie with the Saints in 2018 out of Mississippi State. He spent time last year with the Ravens, Broncos and Bucs, playing just five games.
While Epps is a veteran safety who can also play special teams, Gray is a star special teamer who is a safety by trade.
Epps began his career as a 6th-round pick out of Wyoming with the Vikings in 2019. In between stints with the Eagles, he spent two years with the Raideres.
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Epps has played 3,779 defensive snaps in his career and started 53 games and Gray has played just 153 defensive snaps and has no career starts. His 103 career games played are the most among active NFL position players without a start.
Gray was a special teams Pro Bowler and a 1st-team all-pro in 2021 and a 2nd-team all-pro special teamer in 2024.
When the Eagles traded Brown, a former 3rd-round pick, it left them with only Andrew Mukuba , a rookie last year, and Andre' Sam, who has played just three career defensive snaps in the safety room.
Although Gray will likely be counted on mainly for special teams, he is a safety by trade. Epps played well last year late in the season. After Mukuba suffered a season-ending knee injury, Brown started against the Bears while Epps was still on Injured Reserve and then Epps started the rest of the season.
The Eagles originally signed Epps off waivers after the Vikings released him in November 2019. They signed him last year after he was released by the Patriots following training camp.
