The Philadelphia Eagles are planning to release safety Kevin Byard, a league source confirmed to The Athletic, less than five months after acquiring him in a trade from the Tennessee Titans.
Byard started 10 games for the Eagles after joining the team at midseason. The 30-year-old tallied 75 tackles, an interception and three passes defended during his tenure with Philadelphia.
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While Byard was a two-time first-team All-Pro with Tennessee, Philadelphia’s move is not surprising. The Eagles will gain just over $13 million in cap savings by releasing him, according to Over the Cap. No other possible release would’ve saved them more than $1.9 million.
Last week’s record-setting, $30.6 million increase of the salary cap afforded general manager Howie Roseman more flexibility to possibly retain Byard. But the Eagles are now entering the free-agency cycle with more than $42.4 million in available cap space, which ranks 10th in the NFL, according to Over the Cap.
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The Eagles acquired Byard in a deadline deal with the Titans last season by trading away safety Terrell Edmunds, plus a 2024 fifth-round pick and sixth-round selection. Roseman essentially spent the Titans’ money in deciding whether Byard was worth a $14.4 million cap hit in 2024, which would’ve been the third most on the team (ahead of even Jalen Hurts).
Byard did not record a sack, tackle for loss or forced fumble in his 10 games with Philadelphia. He did provide locker room leadership during the franchise’s tenuous, late-season collapse. Byard took the lead on convincing former defensive coordinator Sean Desai to let the secondary prepare its own game plans ahead of its matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Safety now becomes an immediate need for the Eagles. Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown, who is recovering from a season-ending ACL tear, are the only safeties remaining under contract.
