The Eagles have announced that they will be moving cornerback James Bradberry to safety, a position he has never played before. Despite not being in their plans at cornerback with the selection of their first two draft picks, the team has not given up on Bradberry entirely. In fact, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni expressed excitement about the opportunity to transition him to safety.
Bradberry has shown versatility in playing different roles on defense, including at dime, nickel, and corner. Sirianni mentioned examples of successful cornerbacks who made the switch to safety, such as Charles Woodson. Despite a dropoff in performance in 2023, Bradberry earned All-Pro honors at corner and signed a three-year, $38 million deal with the Eagles in March 2023.
The move to safety comes as the Eagles seek depth behind their starting safeties, Reed Blankenship and CJ Gardner-Johnson. In addition to Bradberry, there are other players on the roster competing for the safety position, including Sydney Brown, Mekhi Garner, Tristin McCollum, and Andre Sam. Avonte Maddox, a veteran nickel corner, has also cross-trained at safety.
Despite facing an injury during a mandatory minicamp practice, Bradberry’s commitment to the team has been praised by Sirianni. The coach noted Bradberry’s willingness to do whatever is needed for his teammates. With this move to safety and his continued dedication to the team
