The Philadelphia Eagles have parted ways with safety Kevin Byard after a brief tenure of just 10 games, the team announced on Friday.
Byard joined the Eagles in October following a trade with the Tennessee Titans, where he had earned two All-Pro honors. The trade involved fifth- and sixth-round picks along with veteran safety Terrell Edmunds heading to the Titans. The move was aimed at bolstering Philadelphia’s struggling secondary, which was grappling with injuries at the time. However, Byard’s arrival failed to address the team’s defensive challenges effectively.
During his stint with the Eagles, Byard contributed 75 tackles, one interception, and three passes defended. While Philadelphia enjoyed initial success with four consecutive victories after acquiring Byard, they faltered in the latter part of the season, losing five of their last six regular-season games and suffering a decisive defeat in the postseason against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Super Wild Card Weekend.
Byard was slated to carry a hefty $14.417 million cap hit for the 2024 season. His release provides the Eagles with significant cap relief, saving them $13.031 million while incurring $1.386 million in dead money, as reported by Over The Cap.
With Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown as the only remaining safeties on the roster, Eagles’ general manager Howie Roseman faces the task of replenishing the position through both free agency and the upcoming NFL draft to fortify the defense under new coordinator Vic Fangio.
