Andrew Mukuba spent more time this summer watching football than playing. Hindered with a shoulder injury from a collision with a teammate early in training camp,

The rookie seemingly had been slipping out of the competition for a starting safety spot, but he bolstered his case in a loss to the Browns.

The safety provided both the swagger and volatility the Eagles’ defense wanted to reclaim. That Roseman spent a second-round pick on Drew Mukuba to backfill the trade signaled how much the team valued the role Gardner-Johnson fulfilled.