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Philadelphia Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba.
The Philadelphia Eagles have enough confidence in 2025 2nd-round pick Andrew Mukuba last season that they have let 1 talented safety after another go elsewhere over the last year.
Mukuba looked good and sometimes great before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in a Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys — and you can make an argument that there was a noticeable difference in the defense after he was sidelined.
Heading into 2026, it appears the Eagles still have confidence in Mukuba, despite his injury, after they not only let longtime starter Reed Blankenship leave in free agency but also traded safety Sydney Brown to the Atlanta Falcons.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon thinks Mukuba is the most important 2nd-year player on the Eagles’ roster — even trumping inside linebacker and 2025 1st round pick Jihaad Campbell.
“The second-round pick is coming back from ankle surgery after that injury cost him a large portion of his rookie season,” Gagnon wrote on June 17. “There were positive signs during that campaign, but we’re still talking about a starter on a contender who posted the second-lowest PFF grade among qualified rookie safeties in 2025. The Eagles are hoping he can offer them some much-needed stability at safety.”
Lofty Projections Headed Into Rookie Season
ESPN’s Mike Clay predicted Mukuba, 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds, would finish in the Top 5 among NFL rookies in both tackles and interceptions in his preseason projections — he had a chance to do both before his injury.
“In Philadelphia, second-rounder Mukuba has a real shot to replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was traded to the Texans,” Clay wrote on May 21.
The Eagles could get big savings on Mukuba in 2026 after he signed a 4-year, $7.1 million rookie contract.
Eagles fan account @ThatHurts called Mukuba the “Next Honey Badger” on its official X account, comparing Mukuba to 4-time NFL All-Pro safety and Super bowl champion Tyrann Mathieu.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame