The Philadelphia Eagles took a rough loss against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12, and in the process, they may have lost one of their up-and-coming defenders for the season, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
“Eagles rookie safety Andrew Mukuba suffered an ankle fracture that will require surgery, per sources. Mukuba – who has stood out in Philly’s secondary – is working through next steps, but his season is in jeopardy,” Fowler wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Mukuba has been playing well for the Eagles in his rookie season, and it would be tough for them to lose him for the rest of the year. For now, it will have to be next man up for the team.
This season, Mukuba leads the team with two interceptions, and he's fourth on the team with 43 tackles. He also has one-half sack, two tackles for loss, and three passes defended. There's no doubt that he was making a name for himself in the secondary, and his play has made it easier to let go of CJ Gardner-Johnson during the offseason.
Mukuba wasn't the only player in the Eagles' secondary who suffered an injury against the Cowboys, as Reed Blankenship was also banged up. The one healthy safety that the Eagles have on their roster now is Sydney Brown, who has struggled when he gets on the field. Marcus Epps was the other healthy safety on the roster, but he's been ineligible to be active from injured reserve until after the Eagles face the Chicago Bears in Week 13.
At this point, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Eagles experimented with other players at safety, and one of those players could be Michael Carter II, whom they acquired in a trade with the New York Jets. In the end, the Eagles need more healthy bodies, and it will be interesting to see what they do as the season continues.
