The Falcons and Eagles have agreed to a trade that sends safety Sydney Brown to Atlanta and helps Philadelphia move up slightly in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here are the full details, per CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones:
- Falcons receive: Safety Sydney Brown, 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 122 overall), 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 215 overall)
- Eagles receive: 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 114 overall), 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 197 overall)
Brown, 25, was a third-round pick of the Eagles in 2023, and he played in 14 games (six starts) as a rookie before tearing his ACL late in the season. He returned to game action in Week 7 of the 2024 season, appearing in 11 regular-season games and all four playoff games — mostly on special teams — for the eventual Super Bowl champions. In 2025, he played in all 17 games (three starts), again playing mostly special teams. He played on 22% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps last year.
Brown showed promise early in his career and had a 99-yard pick six against the Cardinals. The next week, however, he suffered the torn ACL that would cost him the rest of his rookie season and some of his second year. Last year, he was a key special teamer for Philadelphia and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown.
The Eagles made this move despite already having a clear need at safety. Philadelphia lost Reed Blankenship to the Texans in free agency. That leaves Andrew Mukuba, coming into his second year, as the only returning starter for the reigning NFC East champions.
The Falcons, meanwhile, have a veteran stalwart in Jessie Bates III and a promising rising second-year player in Xavier Watts as their safety duo. Brown, who is the brother of Bengals running back Chase Brown, figures to slot in behind those two players and be a key special teamer for new coach Kevin Stefanski.
Grade: B
Brown was a top-100 prospect according to CBS Sports’ 2023 NFL Draft prospect rankings, and he ended up going 66th overall to Philadelphia. Though he showed some flashes here and there, he was mostly a special teamer. That doesn’t mean he can’t be more than that in his new home, though. Brown has earned mediocre Pro Football Focus grades, though he earned a solid tackling grade in 2025. There are worse options than Brown as a third or fourth safety.
Brown is a proven special teams contributor. He’s entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he came very cheap. If the Falcons identified something they liked in a former third-round pick who is just 25, and it cost them almost nothing to acquire him, they deserve a solid mark.
Grade: C+
The Eagles have moved pretty quietly this offseason. I am a big fan of the Riq Woolen addition on a one-year deal, and the cornerback trio of Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Woolen could be absolutely outstanding. At safety, Mukuba will have to make a significant leap in his second year and prove he can stay healthy. The other starting safety likely currently isn’t on the roster.
Overall, this Eagles team has lost a lot, particularly on defense: Jaelan Phillips to the Dolphins, Nakobe Dean to the Raiders and Blankenship to the Texans. Now, there’s another hole at safety. Does moving up a few spots in the fourth and sixth rounds warrant losing a player who, if nothing else, provides solid defensive depth and good special teams play?
This isn’t a big trade, of course. Brown wasn’t much of a defensive contributor, and improving draft capital for a player whose time has run its course isn’t a bad move, per se. Plus, in the immediate aftermath of the deal, Philadelphia brought back safety Marcus Epps and also signed special teamer J.T. Gray.
It’s just a bit strange to see the Eagles chip away at their defense even more in an offseason full of losses. Maybe an A.J. Brown trade down the road remains on the board, which could help Philadelphia recoup some defensive talent. For now, though, Howie Roseman will need to nail the draft and the under-the-radar free agent acquisitions.
