Eagles realized letting talented safety leave was a mistake.

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Ceedy Duce is a defensive back that could be coveted by several NFL teams in free agency.

After a stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, the talented safety signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract to play with the upstart Detroit Lions in 2023.

His presence was immediately felt, on and off the field.

A torn pectoral muscle forced Duce to miss the majority of the regular season. Aaron Glenn’s defense scrambled and eventually relied on younger talent to take strides forward.

Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph proved they have bright futures in the NFL.

Duce worked diligently to make his return, but may find himself on another team in 2024.

According to ESPN, who spent the week in Indianapolis gathering information from league sources at the Scouting Combine, the 26-year-old could return to the Eagles, who realized their defense took a slide backwards without him.

“A C.J. Gardner-Johnson reunion in Philadelphia is on my radar. The Eagles realized they missed the talented safety in the secondary. Tennessee makes sense for him, too,” writes Jeremy Fowler. “Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is a big fan of Gardner-Johnson from their Philly days.”

In reviewing offseason needs, nearly all following the NFC East squad express the defense needs to be upgraded.

The team hired Vic Fangio to run the defense, after struggles emerged throughout the 2023 season.

The team is counting on several young players to make growth, but free agency could sure up positions of need, especially on the back end.

Eagles general manger Howie Roseman expressed, “I think we have a lot of good young players on this team. I think we have the ability to go out and continue to add to that.”