Thumbs up or down? Eagles beat writers weigh in on the Kevin Byard trade.

Despite not being afforded any continuity across his secondary, defensive coordinator Sean Desai has done a commendable job deploying his scheme and calls. He has notably slowed dynamic quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford and Tua Tagovailoa. No matter the personnel, Desai has done plenty to help push the Eagles to 6-1.

On Monday, the Eagles added Kevin Byard, a two-time All-Pro who boasts experience all over the field. Byard is a safety by trade, but he has the ability to line up near the box and also at nickel cornerback. He’s the exact type of player the banged-up Eagles needed ahead of next week’s trade deadline. Perhaps most importantly, Byard is extremely durable, and he’s a playmaker. He has started 124 consecutive games dating back to 2017 and has 27 career interceptions.

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Byard moved to Atlanta at age 14, but he was born in Philadelphia and he considers it home, so his arrival will serve as a homecoming. He also will be paired at safety with fellow Middle Tennessee State alum Reed Blankenship.

General manager Howie Roseman has developed his reputation to work the phone lines, and by trading for Byard, he made the first big splash during one of the NFL’s busiest weeks. Roseman could still add talent over the next seven days, but Byard was a home-run type acquisition.

Remember what I wrote about Roseman being able to walk and chew gum last week when it came to addressing multiple roster needs after the Eagles signed wide receiver Julio Jones? Anyway, he did just that, packaging 2024 fifth- and sixth-round picks and safety Terrell Edmunds in a trade with the Tennessee Titans for safety Kevin Byard to bolster a depleted secondary.

The Eagles have been in a shaky spot at safety since the start of training camp following the departure of C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency. Blankenship quickly emerged as a clear-cut starter in camp, but the second starter job appeared to be up for grabs going into Week 1. Justin Evans earned that role, but he played just four games before he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury on Oct. 13.

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Blankenship missed Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings and Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins with a rib injury. Edmunds repeatedly showed that he wasn’t up to snuff as a starter, particularly in coverage (he allowed four receptions on four targets for 51 yards against the Dolphins, according to Pro Football Focus). Rookie Sydney Brown is still getting his legs under him after he made his return to action on Sunday night following a three-game layoff with a hamstring injury. So, Roseman made a smart deal with the 2-4 Titans to bring a two-time Pro Bowl, two-time All-Pro safety to the Eagles.

Byard has racked up 27 interceptions, 63 pass breakups, 4 fumble recoveries, 4 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, and 15 tackles for a losses in 120 games with the Titans. He has been notably available throughout his career, starting 111 consecutive regular-season games dating back to Week 10 of his rookie year in 2016. Byard led the league with eight interceptions in 2017.

At 6-1 with a daunting stretch of the season ahead when they face the Dallas Cowboys in Weeks 9 and 14, the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, the Buffalo Bills in Week 12, the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, the Eagles need all the help in the secondary they can get.

Byard’s stats through six games aren’t as eye-popping as they have been in his career thus far, but he is a clear upgrade at a position of need for the Eagles.

The 30-year-old safety should slot in next to Blankenship on the back end once the second-year starter returns from a rib injury, which will give the position group the stability it has lacked to this point. Byard and Blankenship are complementary pieces as well.

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Byard hasn’t been as productive this season as he has been the last several years, but he has a long track record of being a ball-hawking safety capable of making splash plays. He also has the versatility to line up from multiple spots in the defense. According to Pro Football Focus, Byard has played 43% of his snaps this year as a deep safety, 34% dropped down into the box, and 17% as a nickel cornerback. Blankenship, by comparison, has spent more than 50% of his time as a deep safety.

Byard should give Desai the versatility to get even more creative with pre-snap disguises, something he has shown an ability to do with success in the early going this season.

In terms of compensation, it’s hard to quibble with two Day 3 picks headed to Tennessee next spring and Edmunds, having just lost his starting spot, as an expenditure for a credible starter like Byard. It’s important to remember the Eagles are expecting four compensatory picks from the mass exodus they experienced in free agency, so even after the trade they are projected to have eight picks in next year’s draft.

Byard’s salary-cap hit this season is even more palatable: He’ll count for just $2.4 million against the Eagles’ cap and is due $9.6 million next year but without any guaranteed money.

Roseman has made deals in the lead-up to the trade deadline in six of the last seven years, with mixed results. Time will tell if Byard falls into the Golden Tate column, the Jay Ajayi category, or somewhere in between. Regardless, Byard’s career production and the minimal cost make this a good move for the Eagles.