PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 26: James Bradberry #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with teammates after an interception during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field on November 26, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Most people assumed James Bradberry would not be on the Eagles roster this season. He still might be cut at some point. But at the start of training camp, he is still here, and in a new role. New DC Vic Fangio is giving him a shot at safety. However Fangio also did warn us that it is not an easy transition, and for most players it does not work.
“The list of guys successfully transitioning from corner to safety is very small. There are guys who have done it, but it isn’t really what you want. We will see if he can do that. James has a good feel for football, very knowledgable. That will help him. He will still play some corner for us too.”
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Can James Bradberry Make The Change To Safety Under Vic Fangio?
The potential switch may be more out of neccestiy than it is because they feel confident in him doing it. The corner room is very deep. Darius Slay, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Kelee Ringo are locks. Isaiah Rodgers is close to being a lock. That leaves two spots, with a lot of guys vying for them.
In 2022, Bradberry played at an All-Pro level. It led to him getting a big deal. Last year he struggled badly, especially later in the season. By the end of the year Kelee Ringo took his snaps, and Bradberry was relegated to the bench.
The amount of dead money he would carry if cut is keeping him alive though. It would cost them more money to move on from him. So at least in camp, there is no upside to releasing him. That may change though if there is another player they want to keep over him when cut day comes.
Safety is not quite so deep though. Especially with Sydney Brown likely to miss the start of the season. Someone like Bradberry, or even Avonte Maddox, could sneak onto the roster if they can also carry versatility at safety.
So the Eagles are giving him a shot there. As Vic Fangio said though, it is not an easy transition. But making that transition might be Bradberry’s best shot at making the roster.
Dylan MacKinnon is The Digital Content Coordinator For 97.5 The Fanatic. he has been an Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, and Flyers fan his whole life. He graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelors in Journalism. Dylan has worked at the Fanatic since 2016, starting as an Intern, moving to the Street team, and eventually was hired as an Associate Producer before settling into his current role in the Digital Department. You may hear him referred to on-air as "The D-Train."
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