Sportsnaut
Marcus Epps was one of 50+ players the Patriots parted ways with this week to get to a roster of 53. Epps had a solid summer and is good enough to be on a roster, but the Patriots just have too much depth in the secondary.
The Patriots opted to go with Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Craig Woodson, Jaylinn Hawkins, Dell Pettus, and Brenden Schooler at the safety spots. There were rumors about Dugger being traded, but the team was reportedly unable to find a partner. If Dugger was moved, the chances of keeping Epps would have been much higher.
When the Epps move was announced, it was reported that Epps actually requested his release. However, this was refuted by Mike Vrabel in a Wednesday press conference.
“That’s news to me… you break up with somebody, your girlfriend doesn’t wanna be with you, and then you say, ‘Well I don’t wanna be with you either.’ I’m not gonna get into all that,” the coach bluntly explained.
So, it seems like Vrabel and Epps didn’t end on the best terms. If it weren’t for that exchange, it likely would have been possible Epps could have rejoined the team in the event of an injury or if Dugger eventually gets traded.
However, Epps didn’t have to wait long to find his new team. The veteran has reportedly signed a deal with the Eagles. The Eagles need safety depth as rookie Andrew Mukuba is dealing with an injury and Tristin McCollum was waived on Thursday. Epps joins Reed Blankenship, Mukuba, and Sydney Brown in the safety room.
This is a homecoming for Epps who spent four seasons with the Eagles from 2019-22. During that time, Epps played in 54 games with 25 starts and collected 208 tackles, 15 pass deflections, and three interceptions.
After 2022, Epps signed a deal with the Raiders and spent two seasons with the team. However, Epps suffered a torn ACL last season after playing in three games. Epps latched on with the Patriots following his injury-marred 2025 season but will now end up back where he’s had his most productive seasons.
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