Eagles best free-agent safety options with Tyrann Mathieu off the table

What if Landon Collins was on the Eagles’ side for a change?

During the 2021 offseason, the Birds came up with this bright idea. What if they took a long-time nemesis from one of their biggest rivals and added him to their roster? That led to the decision to sign Ryan Kerrigan to a one-year deal. The results were, shall we say, less than favorable.

Here we are, more than a year later discussing safeties, and one of the best options they have, if adding one of the remaining free agents is in play, happens to be another of their former adversaries, Landon Collins.

A former First-Team All-Pro (2016) and three-time Pro Bowler (2016–2018), Collins has faced the Eagles 12 times in his career as either a member of the New York Giants or Washington’s football team. He’s added 87 tackles, a sack, three additional quarterback hits, three interceptions, three pass breakups, and three forced fumbles to his career resume as a result. Yep, he’s been annoying.

The facts are this. He isn’t what he once was, and in 2021, he was a liability in coverage. That can be said about much of the Eagles’ secondary though.

Collins would thrive in a linebacker/safety role and could provide some veteran leadership for the young guys, that is if the Ryan Kerrigan debacle hasn’t scared the Birds off from adding former rivals. Frankly, we wouldn’t blame them if it did.