Eagles wave goodbye to All-Pro they just added to save cap space

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired former All-Pro safety Kevin Byard during the 2023 season to bolster their secondary, which was an area of weakness for the team, ahead of what they anticipated would be a long playoff run.

However, life comes at you fast in the NFL.

A handful of months later, the Eagles are coming off the heels of a brutal end to the season that ended with them eliminated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend and parting ways with Byard.

Eagles release Kevin Byard to save cap space

Philadelphia is releasing Byard, per Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports, clearing $13 million in cap space for the Eagles as they enter the new league year.

“His impact was minimal, though, and his cap number was going to be $14.4 million in 2024,” said Vacchiano, a lofty price tag to pay for a safety whose influence on the team’s success was minimal, at best.

The two-time All-Pro recorded 75 combined tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception in 10 games with the Eagles last season. However, his presence didn’t stop Philadelphia from ranking 30th in opponent passing yards per game allowed (255.7).

Byard was traded from the Tennessee Titans to Philly in October in exchange for 2024 fifth and sixth-round picks in addition to safety Terrell Edmunds, and now he will hit the open market in search of his next home.

Turning 31 years old in August, Byard should have suitors and latch onto another contender on a short-term deal this offseason, but his days of being an All-Pro caliber safety are seemingly behind him.

For the Eagles, it’s back to the drawing board this offseason as they look to address their secondary woes after the Byard experiment didn’t work out how they hoped it would.