NFL Rumors: Eagles eyeing up two safeties this offseason, including a familiar face

Following Kevin Byard’s release, the Eagles have a renowned need for safety that’ll have to be addressed this offseason.

Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown have shown promise in their young careers, but Philadelphia will require experience with new DC Vic Fangio leading the defense.

According to rumors, two players are on the team’s radar — Broncos safety Justin Simmons and free agent CJ Gardner-Johnson.

Justin Simmons to #Eagles has some buzzzzzzz

— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) March 2, 2024

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Simmons, 30, is coming off a third consecutive All-Pro season and carries a base salary of $14.5M (non-guaranteed) in 2024.

As of now, the Broncos are $16.3M over the cap heading into a rebuild — Denver could look to move Simmons for cap relief as he enters a contract year.

Philadelphia makes sense as a potential landing spot, especially if the Broncos are willing to eat some of Simmons’ salary.

While Simmons and Fangio didn’t always see eye-to-eye during their time together, he has immense respect for his former coach as well as Christian Parker, who is now the Eagles’ DBs coach.

"I think he’s a heck of a coach and I think he’s gonna do a heck of a job for Philly."

Caught up with Broncos Pro Bowlers Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain II to talk about their former head coach and new Eagles DC Vic Fangio:https://t.co/5ksgMvkzIw

— Olivia Reiner (@ReinerOlivia) February 3, 2024

Simmons has spent his entire eight-year career in Denver, compiling 604 tackles, 64 passes defended and 30 interceptions.

As for CJ Gardner-Johnson, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler isn’t ruling out a potential return to Philly.

A C.J. Gardner-Johnson reunion in Philadelphia is on my radar. The Eagles realized they missed the talented safety in the secondary. Tennessee makes sense for him, too. Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is a big fan of Gardner-Johnson from their Philly days.

Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda shared the same sentiment during the NFL Scouting Combine.

The Philadelphia Eagles will look to bring in a safety in the offseason, via free agency or the draft. People at the combine get the sense that there’s a real chance the Eagles bring back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who is scheduled to hit the free-agent market.

Gardner-Johnson was a part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl run in 2022 after coming over from New Orleans, bringing much-needed energy and playmaking to a secondary that lacked those elements last season.

However, Philadelphia’s contract offer didn’t meet his wishes the following offseason, which led Gardner-Johnson to sign a one-year, $8M deal with Detroit to prove his worth.

CJGJ suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 that cost him most of the 2023 season. Now, he finds himself on the open market once again.

In his one year with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson tied the league lead with six interceptions.

League leading 6th INT for C.J. Gardner-Johnson! @CGJXXIII

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— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2022

Mandatory Credit: Adrian Kraus | Associated Press