‘I want to be a feared player’: Eagles’ Sydney Brown makes an impression with his fast-paced style of play

The rookie Brown sparked a scuffle in the joint practice with the Browns after blocking on an interception return, and his aggressiveness has him being compared to a "heat-seeking missile."

Eagles safety Sydney Brown after training camp practice at the NovaCare Complex last week.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer / Heather Khalifa / Staff Photogra

by Olivia Reiner

Published Aug. 15, 2023, 6:18 p.m. ET

Eagles rookie safety Sydney Brown plays like a “heat-seeking missile,” according to veteran cornerback Avonte Maddox.

Cleveland Browns running back Demetric Felton found that out the hard way during the final joint practice between the two teams on Tuesday that was as intense as the 90-degree heat.

After safety Reed Blankenship picked off the Browns’ Deshaun Watson early during team drills, Brown began to bulldoze a path for his teammate and leveled Felton with a block. The Browns took issue with Brown’s block, giving way to the first and biggest scuffle of the two joint practices.

The block was a microcosm of Brown’s energetic game, which has been thrust into the spotlight over the last two practices. Brown, the Eagles’ third-round pick out of Illinois, has been getting opportunities with the starting defense after taking reps primarily with the third team before Saturday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. Brown led the Eagles with nine tackles in their 20-19 loss.

Brown isn’t worried about the consequences of his fast-paced style of play.

“I want to be a feared player,” Brown said after practice Tuesday. “That’s kind of my mindset going into this. But then again, just playing with that intensity every single day, you’re going to connect at some point. You’re going to feel it. My intention isn’t to hurt people, but if you’re carrying that football, yeah, you’ve got it coming for you.”

Brown seemingly understands that the goal of becoming a “feared player” will take more than a block in a training-camp practice. Regardless, the desire to become one stems from his passion for the game and his determination to improve.

Although Brown didn’t grow up watching a lot of football, the London, Ontario, native came to admire defensive backs such as Eagles great Brian Dawkins, Bob Sanders (Colts), and Troy Polamalu (Steelers) for their intensity on the field and their love for the sport. Brown said he views those attributes as “something that you can’t teach,” and while his play is a long way away from Hall of Fame-caliber, he shares a similar passion as that of the greats.

“A lot of guys can say that they want to be feared players, but it’s about what you do on the field,” Brown said. “It’s about the actions that you take to become that person. It’s just the way that you play that makes you that type of person, you know? Can’t say that I am one yet, ‘cause I haven’t done anything. But I guess it just comes from passion. It comes from want-to. It comes from wanting to get to where I want to be.”

Not only does Brown look up to the defensive backs who came before him, but also he admires his teammate Blankenship, who racked up a total of three interceptions over two days of joint practices with the Browns. Blankenship, the undrafted free agent who is going into his second season with the Eagles, appears to be a front-runner for a starting safety spot.

According to Brown, what makes Blankenship special is his passion for and dedication to his craft. Blankenship, alongside the younger safeties like Brown and K’Von Wallace, is trying to continue the high standard that has been set by the veterans at every position group including defensive backs Maddox, Darius Slay, and James Bradberry.

“His intensity every single day, he brings it,” Brown said of Blankenship. “He wants to practice. He wants to play hard. Just looking at what he’s done in such a short period of time, it’s encouraging, for sure. Reed’s who he is because of what he does. I think he’s just a product of the work that he puts in.”

Brown has two more preseason games, one on Thursday against the Browns and another on Aug. 24 at home against Indianapolis, to make a push up the depth chart. Brown said there are some details of his game that he would like to improve, including taking better angles on some of his tackles to ensure that he’s making contact and finishing.

But don’t expect him to slow down or dial back his intensity. Just like a heat-seeking missile, Brown said when he has the opportunity to make a play, he’s going to take it with speed.

“I guess it’s just kind of who I am,” Brown said. “I’m going to come out here and compete my [butt] off every single day. It doesn’t matter what the temperature is, what’s going on outside. It doesn’t matter what the element is. I’m coming out here to play football every single day.”

Following their one-point loss in the preseason opener, the Eagles return home to host the Cleveland Browns in their second exhibition game of the summer. Join Eagles beat reporters Josh Tolentino, EJ Smith, and Olivia Reiner as they dissect the hottest story lines surrounding the team on GameDay Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.