PHILADELPHIA— Eagles rookie safety Drew Mukuba has helped and hurt Philadelphia’s defense simultaneously.
Every time Mukuba makes a good play, he seems to follow up it with a bad one.
In the Eagles’ Week 7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings this past Sunday, Mukuba picked off quarterback Carson Wentz for his second interception of the season. On the next drive, Mukuba failed to tackle Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson on a 40-yard gain to Philadelphia’s 15-yard line, which set up a field goal.
If Mukuba does not eliminate the negative plays, Philadelphia’s secondary will be inconsistent for the whole year.
“It’s uneven,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on Tuesday about Mukuba’s performance this season. “The ability is there. He has to be more consistent.”
In the Eagles’ Week 6 loss to the New York Giants, Mukuba took a poor angle on Giants slot wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, allowing Robinson to sprint free down the sideline for a 35-yard touchdown. Mukuba finished that night with four receptions allowed for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Mukuba rebounded with a decent performance against the Vikings. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Wentz’s QB rating with Mukuba as the nearest defender was 36.7, the lowest among qualified Eagles defenders.
The Eagles selected Mukuba in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, believing he could develop into a high-end starter. Mukuba could eventually play to his potential, but he needs to tackle better and make less mistakes in coverage as well.
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