Bradley Roby looks forward to playing alongside the Eagles’ elite cornerbacks
Roby was signed to the Eagles' practice squad after waiting for the right situation for him.
Shortly after Bradley Roby was released by the New Orleans Saints at the conclusion of training camp, his phone blew up.
According to the veteran cornerback, multiple NFL teams were interested in him, but he insisted on waiting it out several weeks. Rather than make a rash decision about where he’d play next, Roby wanted to see which teams would rise to winning records and also which ones would be affected by injuries.
Insert the Eagles, who had a glaring need in their secondary after nickel cornerbacks Avonte Maddox (torn pectoral muscle) and Zech McPhearson (torn Achilles) suffered serious injuries. With the two parties emerging as an ideal fit, Roby was signed to the Eagles’ practice squad and practiced with his new team Wednesday.
The team’s plan, according to a league source, is for Roby to learn the Sean Desai-led defense, get into playing shape, and eventually be elevated to the active roster.
“It was more about being patient and waiting for the right time,” Roby said. “I feel like now is that time.”
Roby, 31, is a nine-year veteran who won a Super Bowl title during his second season with the Denver Broncos in 2015. He has extensive experience playing at both outside and nickel cornerback, which should aid the Eagles’ banged-up secondary. Over 126 career games with the Broncos, Houston Texans, and New Orleans Saints, Roby has 85 passes defensed, 11 interceptions, and 370 tackles.
“I’ve played a [nine]-year career and realize it’s very tough to get back,” Roby said. “I’m ready to play in big games, in playoff games, do what we can to get back [to the Super Bowl]. ... I had other teams hitting me up immediately. The Saints even hit me back up. But I wanted to wait for a better situation, for me, to come open.”
Roby already boasts multiple ties to the locker room, having played with safety Justin Evans, linebacker Zach Cunningham, and defensive tackle Kentavius Street earlier in his career. Roby also trains regularly with fellow cornerback and team captain Darius Slay during the offseason in Texas — a relationship that both players hope will aid in Roby’s assimilation to Philadelphia.
“Our bond is great,” Slay said. “Of course, corner to corner, we’ve got a great friendship already as it is. I told him anything he needs from me, I can help you with. He’s a great addition, a veteran that can play outside and nickel. We’re looking forward to it and seeing what he can bring to the team.”
The Eagles rank 16th in total defense, allowing 323.8 yards per game. Through four games against opposing quarterbacks Mac Jones, Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, and Sam Howell, they’ve allowed 260.8 passing yards per contest (27th in NFL). Despite the unit’s early struggles against the pass, the run defense has been stout, ranking second with just 63 yards allowed per game.
“He gives us some good depth [as] a guy who has done it before,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We are excited to have him on this football team. ... We’ll see how long it takes [for Roby to get in game shape]. I know he’s a really sharp guy, so we’ll see.”
» READ MORE: Eagles-Commanders takeaways: What to make of 4th-quarter defense; does the secondary need reinforcements?
Roby doesn’t anticipate taking too long to get acquainted.
“Once you play so long in the league, there’s only certain coverages that you’re going to run,” he said. “So for me, it’s the small, minute details. ... I stayed in shape, working out. I had a plan, and it fell in place how I thought it would.”
Roby detailed some of the responsibilities that come with playing at slot and outside cornerback: “I’ve been playing [inside] since my rookie year. So I’ve always had that ability to play both. I think the difference is more happens inside, more thinking, things happen faster, there’s more space to cover. So it might be a little tougher. But from the outside, it’s also hard because you’re one-on-one. It’s just you and another guy with a lot of space, and [defending] great quarterbacks and great receivers. They’re equally tough in their own way. Different footwork and eye progressions you have to go through.
“But it’s not that big of a deal once you get the hang of it.”
Following Maddox’s injury in Week 2, the Eagles moved Bradberry, a 2022 All-Pro selection, to nickel cornerback, while inserting second-year player Josh Jobe on the outside. Jobe has flashed in certain moments, but he’s also been frequently targeted and has experienced his share of hiccups. Rookie safety Sydney Brown, who missed Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders with a hamstring injury and was limited in practice Wednesday, also has cross-trained in the slot.
When he was asked about the potential to form a cornerback trio featuring Slay, Bradberry, and himself, Roby’s eyes lit up.
“That’s going to be a dope combination,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons why I decided to [come here] because I like playing with other elite guys. It’s great when you have elite, smart players to play with because you feed off each other. It’s a great situation to be in.”