Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio made a subtle but significant endorsement of fourth-year veteran Tristin McCollum during recent OTAs. While discussing the team's safety competition to replace traded starter C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Fangio unexpectedly added McCollum’s name to the mix.
When asked about the ongoing battle between second-round rookie Andrew Mukuba and third-year pro Sydney Brown, Fangio responded, “It’s a competition that is going to take a training camp and a few preseason games to sort out. And Tristin’s in that, too.”
That unprompted inclusion speaks volumes about how the coaching staff views McCollum heading into 2025.
McCollum’s NFL path hasn’t been linear. After entering the league as an undrafted free agent, he spent time developing on practice squads before earning a reserve role in Philadelphia. He missed crucial development time last year due to injury. “Well, his experience came in ’23, not ’24,” Fangio said. “Last year at this time, he wasn’t doing anything and didn’t do anything really until the middle of October. So he lost all this time of year—training camp, early part of the season.”
Despite those setbacks, Fangio sees steady improvement. “He did play in the last game against the Giants and did fine,” Fangio said. “But it’s a new system from what he had in ’23. He’s going through that process now and he’s doing fine.”
The Eagles face a genuine three-way battle at safety opposite Reed Blankenship. Mukuba arrives with impressive college credentials after a five-interception season at Texas and was a second-round pick for a reason. Brown, a 2023 third-rounder, is working his way back from a torn ACL and played just 12% of defensive snaps in 2024. McCollum, though often overlooked, was ahead of Brown on the depth chart last year and offers system familiarity heading into Fangio’s second season in charge.
Fangio’s comments carry added weight due to his reputation for blunt honesty. The 65-year-old defensive architect is not known for handing out compliments or inflated praise. When he voluntarily includes a player in a position battle discussion—especially when unprompted—it usually signals authentic consideration based on performance, not politics.
McCollum enters training camp as perhaps the most overlooked candidate in the safety competition, but Fangio’s quiet confidence suggests the veteran has earned his opportunity. With the Eagles aiming to repeat as Super Bowl champions after losing multiple veteran defensive backs this offseason, reliability and communication in the secondary will be critical.