Eagles, Falcons Reportedly Make Trade Involving Sydney Brown, NFL Draft Picks

The Atlanta Falcons are acquiring safety Sydney Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a pair of late-round pick swaps, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday.

The Falcons are trading down in the fourth round from No. 114 to No. 112, and in the sixth round from No. 197 to No. 215, in order to bring in Brown.

The Eagles are also signing safeties Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray to one-year deals, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

Brown is heading into the 2026 season on an expiring contract with a $1.83 million cap hit, per Spotrac.

He finished the season having recorded 34 tackles while playing 249 defensive snaps and 332 on special teams in 17 games with three starts.

The 25-year-old, a third-round 2023 pick who also has experience at nickel, has two career interceptions in three season with the Eagles.

Brown will now slot into a safety depth chart led by Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts.

The move could bump back DeMarcco Hellams, who played the third safety role when available last season but has been available for only 11 games over the last two seasons due to injury.

The Eagles will meanwhile re-sign Epps and bring in Gray after losing Brown and Reed Blankenship, who left Philadelphia in free agency to sign a three-year deal with the Houston Texans.

Epps, who recorded 21 tackles in 12 games for the Eagles last season, will be projected to start alongside Marcus Epps in a depth chart that has thinned at safety but improved at cornerback after the Eagles signed Riq Woolen to play with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.

Gray could take on a backup role after recording three tackles in a season split between the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Eagles hold nine draft picks, all in the top 200, after the trade. Philadelphia is set to draft first at No. 23.

The Falcons hold just five selections in the upcoming draft, and after trading with the Eagles hold just three inside the top 200. Atlanta won't get on the board until the second round, when the franchise is set to pick at No. 48.