Eagles make a daring move by releasing safety Kevin Byard

The Philadelphia Eagles have made a dramatic move by dismissing safety Kevin Byard, a decision that was not fully unexpected but will likely have a big impact. By parting ways with Byard, the team stands to save a large sum of money, reaching in the millions. Byard’s 2024 salary cap charge was a whopping $14,417,088, and by cutting him loose, the Eagles will save an amazing $14,070,588. However, this change does come with a negative, as there will be a dead-cap hit of $346,500.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Byard was regarded as the 23rd highest-graded safety in the NFL. He had a solid season, establishing career highs in both tackles (122) and solo tackles (80) throughout the 16 regular-season games. Byard initially started the season with the Tennessee Titans before being traded to the Eagles. Despite only playing 10 games for Philadelphia, he managed to secure the fourth-highest number of tackles on the squad, with a total of 75 following the move.

It’s worth mentioning that the Eagles had the option to investigate alternatives such as renegotiating Byard’s contract or restructuring the deal. However, it seems that the $14 million cap hit was simply too costly for a player who did not produce any game-changing plays during his stint with the team.

In light of this move, the Eagles now find themselves with just two safeties on their roster, leaving them with a potential gap to fill in this position. This decision signals a big change for the team and raises doubts about their strategy moving ahead.

The Philadelphia Eagles have made a dramatic move by dismissing safety Kevin Byard, a decision that was not fully unexpected but will likely have a big impact. By parting ways with Byard, the team stands to save a large sum of money, reaching in the millions. Byard’s 2024 salary cap charge was a whopping $14,417,088, and by cutting him loose, the Eagles will save an amazing $14,070,588. However, this change does come with a negative, as there will be a dead-cap hit of $346,500.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Byard was regarded as the 23rd highest-graded safety in the NFL. He had a solid season, establishing career highs in both tackles (122) and solo tackles (80) throughout the 16 regular-season games. Byard actually started the season with the Tennessee Titans before being traded to the Eagles. Despite only playing 10 games for Philadelphia, he managed to secure the fourth-highest number of tackles on the squad, with a total of 75 following the move.

It’s worth mentioning that the Eagles had the option to investigate alternatives such as renegotiating Byard’s contract or restructuring the deal. However, it seems that the $14 million cap hit was simply too costly for a player who did not produce any game-changing plays during his stint with the team.

In light of this move, the Eagles now find themselves with just two safeties on their roster, leaving them with a potential gap to fill in this position. This decision signals a big change for the team and raises doubts about their strategy moving ahead.

When asked about the decision to release Byard, the Eagles’ general manager had this to say: “We appreciate Kevin’s efforts throughout his time with the team. However, we thought that it was in the best interest of the organization to make this change at this time. We wish Kevin all the best in his future efforts.”

Moving forward, the Eagles will need to carefully assess their alternatives for filling the gap left by Byard’s departure and ensuring that their roster is well-equipped for the upcoming season.