Eagles claim Marcus Epps, the safety the Vikings waived so they could pick up Andrew Sendejo

Sometimes it is a small NFL world, indeed.

When the Minnesota Vikings picked up Eagles safety Andrew Sendejo off waivers earlier this week, they cut safety Marcus Epps, a sixth-round rookie out of Wyoming.

Thursday afternoon, the Eagles claimed Epps on waivers.

The move was mildly surprising, because Eagles cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc is thought to be close to returning from injured reserve, and it seemed likely he would get Sendejo’s roster spot. But of course, there are other players the Eagles can trim from the roster to create a spot for LeBlanc. It’s also possible LeBlanc won’t be ready when the Eagles resume practice next week after their bye.

Epps, 6-foot and 198 pounds, has played in eight of Minnesota’s nine games, making one tackle. He is younger and faster than Sendejo but not as feared as a hitter.

The Eagles signed Sendejo, 32, last spring, when Minnesota was willing to let him move on after an eight-year run. He intercepted one pass in nine games as an Eagle, but many fans’ most lasting memory will be of his helmet-first plunge into teammate Avonte Maddox, who suffered a concussion and a neck injury, Sept. 26 at Green Bay. Maddox returned last Sunday against the Bears, and the Eagles changed some of their defensive packages, resulting in Sendejo’s getting just 11 defensive snaps.

Because they cut Sendejo before Saturday, the Eagles stand to gain a compensatory draft pick next spring, when the NFL tallies gains and losses from the previous year’s free agency.

The football Marcus Epps is not the former Union winger of the same name, who now is with the New York Red Bulls.