‘He’s getting an opportunity’: Marcus Epps has the early advantage in the safety competition at Eagles training camp

On the first day of training camp, Marcus Epps made a play that helped explain the confidence the team has projected in him since the offseason.

The 26-year-old safety was matched up against Dallas Goedert during red zone drills when he jumped the tight end’s route and dove for an interception in the corner of the end zone.

Epps, who is battling for a starting spot in the Eagles secondary, has spent the early days of training camp running with the first team and looks the part so far.

“I’ve got a lot more confidence out there,” Epps said. “I feel like these first few days, I’ve been flying around. Like I said, I’m just trying to keep building on that every day because I haven’t arrived by any means, and I know that. I’ve still got a lot to learn.”

With all the marquee additions the Eagles made to the defensive side of the ball, safety remained an apparent weakness going into training camp. The team re-signed veteran Anthony Harris and signed free agent safety Jaquiski Tartt late in the offseason, but it still seemed like the group was short at least one starter-quality player.

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Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, and general manager Howie Roseman each expressed confidence in Epps during the offseason.

The Eagles claimed the former Wyoming prospect off waivers in 2019, and he started three games the following season. Last year, he had a significant role in the defense most of the season, logging 48% of the team’s defensive snaps as part of a rotation with Harris and former Eagles safety Rodney McLeod.

He had one interception, 62 tackles, and, according to Pro Football Focus, three pass breakups.

“Having more game experience, now I know what to expect,” Epps said after practice Saturday. “The game has kind of slowed down for me. I’m not swimming out there trying to think about what my assignment is. I already know what that is. Now I’m more thinking more about what the offense is going to run, situations, things like that. I just feel a lot more comfortable out there.”

Gannon said Epps has the makeup of a modern safety because of his ability to do different things within a multiple scheme.

“The first thing I look for in a safety is reliability,” Gannon said. “He’s very reliable, smart, tough, and he has got a very unique skillset that you need, in my opinion, to play safety in the NFL today. In 2022, the safety position looks different than when I got in the league in 2007. You have to be able to cover. You have to be able to tackle. You have to have ball skills. You have to play zone. You have to process. That’s a thinking position. He has all those tools.”

Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox said he and Epps typically sit next to each other during film sessions and talk about the game often as a result. Maddox also was part of a group of Eagles defensive backs who went to train in a gym Epps owns in his native California.

“Epps is just a very smart player, very athletic, great footwork,” Maddox said. “I mean you see it the first day out here he caught the interception on Dallas as well. ... He’s getting an opportunity, and he’s doing a great job with it.”

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Epps has the early advantage for the starting safety spot opposite Harris, but he’ll have to hold off Tartt and former fourth-round pick K’Von Wallace for the next month. Wallace worked in with the first team when Harris missed the first day of training camp because of “COVID progression,” and Tartt has worked extensively with the second team so far.

Tartt was a starter in the San Francisco 49ers defense for five years but battled injuries often. He played 14 games last season and seven the year before.

Like Epps, Tartt checks Gannon’s boxes. He might eventually get reps with the starters, but Gannon said he’s focused on getting him up to speed first.

“What I look for in the safety position, he has that,” he said. “He’s played at high level in San Francisco. He’s smart, tough, he can tackle, he’s a great communicator, and [we are] looking to see what he can do out there and how he integrates with our scheme and other players.”

Tartt and Eagles cornerback James Bradberry played together at Samford. When Bradberry signed with the Eagles midway through the offseason, Tartt said he knew he’d like to reunite with his former teammate.

“James is still the same dude,” Tartt said. “He’s going to be one of those guys that will always be the same. No facial expression, one-word answer, that’s him.”