Philadelphia Eagles safety Andre’ Sam was carted off the field during the third quarter of Friday night’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles did not immediately announce the nature or severity of Sam’s injury.
The injury interrupted what had been Sam’s strongest performance of the preseason. He recovered two Cincinnati fumbles, including one late in the second quarter after rookie linebacker Deontae Lawson stripped running back Gary Brightwell. Sam made another impact play on the opening kickoff of the second half, recovering Tahj Brooks’ fumble at the Cincinnati 37-yard line. The two recoveries strengthened his case for one of the final spots on Philadelphia’s 53-man roster before he was carted
off later in the quarter.
Sam entered the finale firmly on the roster bubble after recording seven tackles through Philadelphia’s first two preseason games. His experience in Vic Fangio’s defense and ability to contribute on special teams gave him a legitimate opportunity to earn a backup safety role.
The Eagles originally signed Sam as an undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2024. He has spent most of his first two NFL seasons developing on Philadelphia’s practice squad while receiving limited regular-season opportunities. Philadelphia’s recent decision to release veteran safety J.T. Gray appeared to create another opening in the competition. Sam was taking advantage of that opportunity with a productive summer and a turnover-filled performance against Cincinnati.
The timing of the injury could not have been worse. With the roster deadline approaching, the Eagles must now evaluate Sam’s medical status alongside his progress throughout training camp and the preseason.
Sam had done everything possible on the field to remain in the conversation. His immediate outlook will now depend on the results of further medical testing.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles safety Andre’ Sam carted off against Bengals
