Well, every Philadelphia Eagles fan thought it was going to be Sydney Brown who would be lining up at safety with the starting secondary. Turns out, it's not looking that way.
Multiple Eagles reporters have shared on social media that rookie second-round pick Andrew Mukuba was working out with the starters, while Brown was with the second-stringers. This would be a surprising move since Mukuba missed time during training camp due to injury.
#Eagles S Andrew Mukuba has been warming up primarily with the starters. Sydney Brown with the second unit ...
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) September 4, 2025
It was a memorable preseason for Mukuba who played in just one game, but had an interception and a fumble recovery against the Cleveland Browns. Many thought he was in line for a starting job, but a late camp injury caused him to miss the final preseason matchup against the New York Jets.
How impactful is the last second change with Mukuba over Brown at safety?
Eagles fans wanted Mukuba to start from the beginning of training camp. His skill set he showed off at Texas with hard hits and an interception machine fits the same style of play that former Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Brown has been behind in Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's defense after missing the first part of last year with his recovery from the 2023 ACL injury. He had been more of a special teams ace for the Eagles on kickoff coverage.
Philly is looking more for a long-term solution at safety, and Mukuba could develop into one. He has been praised throughout camp and the practices, but Fangio was talking Brown up more at safety leading up to the Cowboys game.
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It's a pleasant surprise for the Eagles to be rolling out Mukuba as the starter, and the fan base will be looking forward to seeing how he does in his first career game.