Eagles, in need of secondary help, acquire Byard

Oct 23, 2023, 03:49 PM ET

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The Philadelphia Eagles added a much-needed reinforcement for their banged-up secondary, acquiring safety Kevin Byard in a trade with the Tennessee Titans on Monday.

The Eagles sent safety Terrell Edmunds plus two draft picks — 2024 fifth- and sixth-round selections — to the Titans.

The trade marks a homecoming for Byard, who was born in Philadelphia and has named former Eagles great Brian Dawkins as one of his favorite players.

Byard took to social media to thank the Titans organization and the team’s fans and express his excitement at joining the Eagles.

💙, KB pic.twitter.com/cHEm3bBgwF

— Kevin Byard (@KevinByard) October 23, 2023

With that being said… @Eagles it’s up!! 🦅🦅 #FlyEaglesFly

— Kevin Byard (@KevinByard) October 23, 2023

Byard will rejoin former Titans teammate A.J. Brown, the star wide receiver who was acquired by the Eagles from Tennessee during the 2022 draft.

Safety was the biggest question mark on a talent-rich Eagles roster entering the season, and those questions grew following a rash of injuries at the position. Reed Blankenship missed the team’s victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night because of a rib injury, while Justin Evans is currently on injured reserve because of a knee injury.

The Eagles are high on rookie third-round pick Sydney Brown, who started against the high-octane Dolphins and acquitted himself well, but he still needs time to develop.

Byard has 27 interceptions since being drafted by the Titans in 2016. He was named a first-team All-Pro in 2017 and 2021 and finished the 2022 season with 108 tackles and four interceptions. He has 47 tackles in six games this season.

Byard, 30, has never missed a game in eight seasons with the Titans. He was a captain for four consecutive seasons and is a homegrown product, having been drafted in the third round from Middle Tennessee State, where his jersey is retired.

“I want to thank Kevin for what he means to me personally and to this team,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. “When I arrived, he helped carry a new message into the locker room and establish the mindset and work ethic we were trying to instill throughout the team. His play on the field speaks for itself. An intelligent and athletic player, he has led the secondary and helped us win a lot of games. Kevin and [wife] Clarke and the kids mean a great deal to me, and I wish them success in all that is in front of them.”

The Titans sit at the bottom of the AFC South with a 2-4 record and will likely be without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill when they take the field against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. There’s still a possibility that All-Pro running back Derrick Henry is traded as well.

“We would always consider trying to strengthen the team,” Vrabel said last week, “whether that’s right now, this week or in the future.”

ESPN’s Tim McManus and Turron Davenport contributed to this report.