Ahead of Monday night’s Wild Card showdown against the Buccaneers, the Eagles elevated two players from the practice squad – cornerback Mekhi Garner and safety Tristin McCollum.
CB Mekhi Garner
A 6-foot-2, 212-pound rookie out of LSU, Garner was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft and has spent the entire season on the practice squad.
Garner was elevated three times from the practice squad during the season (the maximium amount of times in the regular season, totals reset in playoffs). In those three games, Garner played 27 snaps on defense and another 45 on special teams.
The Eagles are without one of their core special teams players in fellow rookie defensive back Sydney Brown, who tore his ACL in the Week 18 game against the Giants.
S Tristin McCollum
Like Garner, Tristin McCollum is in position to make his playoff debut against the Buccaneers. McCollum, too, was elevated three times during the regular season, including the two late-season contests against the Giants. In Week 18, McCollum played 29 snaps on defense – his first career NFL defensive reps – and totaled six tackles. McCollum was a rookie free agent signing of the Houston Texans in 2022 and spent the season on their practice squad before joining the Eagles on a future deal in the offseason. McCollum also played 59 snaps on special teams in those three games. In addition to the loss of Brown, starting safety Reed Blankenship is a game-time decision with a groin injury.
McCollum’s twin brother, Zyon, is a cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and there is a good chance the two will collide on special teams.
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