Vic Fangio delivered the Marcus Epps response Eagles fans were hoping to hear

After what was a very shaky first start of the season with the Philadelphia Eagles, safety Sydney Brown might have some competition in Week 14.

Brown officially took over for the injured Andrew Mukuba in the Eagles' 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 13. He had a rough start, posting a Pro Football Focus grade of 48.6. He was ranked the sixth-lowest, which tells fans what kind of performance the defense had.

That did inspire some change in the secondary, though, as safety Marcus Epps had his 21-day practice window opened, as he is still on IR. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio confirmed with reporters that Epps has a chance not only to play, but to start in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

"He's an experienced safety. He's got good instincts. He's got a good feel for the game. We'll have to get a good feel and a barometer about where he's at, missing four to five weeks or whatever it was when he couldn't practice."

As for a performance review on Brown? Not a great one from Fangio as he kept it short.

"It was a lot like the rest of us. Some good, some bad."

Epps might make more sense to start for Eagles

Epps is no stranger to Philadelphia, as he played three and a half seasons for the Eagles from 2019 through 2022 before returning this season. He was a key starter in the secondary who helped the Eagles make the Super Bowl in 2022.

Over the last two seasons, Epps was a starter for the Las Vegas Raiders, but an ACL injury last year held him to only playing three games. While his trip to the injured reserve list this year was unknown, there is some recent history with injuries for Epps.

After Brown's struggles, Eagles fans would probably prefer a guy who has started a Super Bowl for them to be in there than a guy who is considered more of a special teams ace. Epps has the experience and has played at a high level in the past.

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Knowing how Fangio works, though, it seems very unlikely that Epps jumps right in and starts after over a month of not practicing. Eagles fans might be stuck with Brown for a little bit longer before Epps potentially gets his chance.