The Eagles have one healthy safety, and that's not very many

Here’s a look at the Eagles’ healthy safety depth chart:

Terrell Edmunds.

Justin Evans is on Injured Reserve for at least another three weeks, Reed Blankenship left Sunday’s game with a rib injury, Sydney Brown has missed three straight games with a hamstring injury, K’Von Wallace is an Arizona Cardinal, and one of the most explosive offenses in NFL history heads to the Linc this weekend.

Yeah, that’s not ideal.

The Eagles’ secondary has been battered all year - there isn't one defensive back who's played defensive snaps in all six games - but the safety situation right now is about as dire as it gets.

With Evans, Blankenship and Brown unavailable by the end of the game against the Jets Sunday, the Eagles were forced to use undrafted rookie corner Mekhi Garner – a practice squad elevation who had never played an NFL snap – at safety along with Edmunds. 

And oh yeah, Garner isn't a safety.

All this on top of long-term injuries to corners Zech McPhearson and Avonte Maddox (who can play safety) and Darius Slay out Sunday with a knee injury. As well as corner Eli Ricks and slot Bradley Roby (who could play safety in a pinch) leaving Sunday’s game early.

Add it up and the Eagles were down eight defensive backs by the end of the game Sunday.

The good news is Slay and Brown could be back Sunday for the Dolphins and their 38 points per game, and Nick Sirianni didn’t rule out Blankenship playing.

But as of now, Edmunds is the only healthy safety on the roster.

“Obviously, we'll monitor Reed, but we’ve been banged up at this position,” Sirianni said Monday, a day after the Eagles lost for the first time this year. “Kind of when it rains it pours on that position because the injuries have gotten us there.”

Despite the almost unbelievable rash of injuries, the defense played outstanding Sunday, allowing just 244 yards and 74 in the second half and giving up just 155 net passing yards.

Garner became the sixth Eagles defensive back to make his NFL debut this year, joining Ricks, Brown, Tristin McCollum, Kelee Ringo and Mario Goodrich. That already ties the most for an entire season in franchise history (not including the 1987 strike season, with three games played by replacement players). 

Garner didn’t work at safety in training camp, but Sirianni said Monday that as the injuries piled up recently the defensive coaches began cross-training him at safety.

At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Garner has the look of a safety, and we saw in camp he’s an aggressive, physical player and a good tackler.

On Sunday, he played the first 37 snaps of his career – 23 on defense, 14 on special teams.

“Our defensive coaches did a really nice job getting Mekhi reps these last couple weeks,” Sirianni said. “He's been doing it for the last couple weeks. We’ve just got to be able to do that with guys consistently throughout the year just because you're limited in the amount of players you have, you’re limited to the amount of guys you can have up on game day.

“So good job by Mekhi. I thought he did a nice job. He hasn't played a lot at safety outside of practice, so I thought he did a nice job under the circumstances, and he'll continue to improve.

"One thing he does have, and I credit Howie and his staff (for) what they look for and us being on the same page of what we’re looking for, they look for guys with traits, and Mekhi is big, strong, can run. 

“He did some nice things in pre-season there at corner, and so you can work with guys like that.”

What will the safety position look like Sunday against a Dolphins offense among the top-10 in NFL history in yards and points through six games?

“We'll hopefully get Sydney back,” Sirianni said. “We'll see. Don't like to get too much into that because I don't know yet and there is a lot of week to be played until we have to make that decision or see if he can. Hopefully, we’re getting a couple guys back and feel good about it.”

And you know Roseman is trying every imaginable route to find the Eagles safety help, whether it’s someone on the street or a trade deadline move.

“Howie is always working to put ourselves in great spots as far as personnel goes,” Sirianni said.