Eagles waive safety Andrew Sendejo, add to their compensatory draft picks

The Eagles waived safety Andrew Sendejo on Tuesday, improving their compensatory-pick arsenal.

Sendejo, a 32-year-old veteran who signed with the Eagles this offseason, served mostly as their third safety when they were in sub formations with extra defensive backs. But against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the former Minnesota Vikings defensive back played only 11 snaps, as Rasul Douglas took his spot as the third safety.

The Eagles essentially had to choose between keeping Sendejo the rest of the season, or waiving him and receiving a compensatory pick in next year’s draft. Sendejo was the only newly signed player on the Eagles roster who counted against the NFL’s compensatory-pick formula. The team is already in line for two picks after losing Nick Foles and Jordan Hicks in free agency, but now will receive one for the loss of Golden Tate as well.

The compensatory pick could be as high as a fourth-rounder.

The decision could have been more difficult had Sendejo played better, but he had lapses. He had a personal foul against the Bears, hitting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky after he had given himself up, costing the defense 15 yards. Against the Green Bay Packers, he accidentally hit Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox, sending Maddox to the hospital on a stretcher. Sendejo’s friendly fire came in the fourth quarter as the two were trying to break up a pass, and Maddox said there was no ill will after the play.

Douglas will likely fit into the vacant third-safety role seamlessly, but Sendejo did play 41% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps and 68% of the team’s special-teams plays.