Eagles claim safety Blake Countess off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams

The Eagles remained busy on Friday by claiming safety Blake Countess off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams hours after they signed linebacker Zach Brown.

Countess, 25, spent much of the last three seasons with the Rams and contributed on defense and special teams. He’s familiar to the Eagles, who drafted Countess in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. They released him before that season started, and he caught on with the Rams. He’s played 37 regular season games and has four starts, and he also played four postseason games. Countess has two interceptions and a sack in his career, and he’s also averaged 24.6 yards per kick return.

The Rams had given Countess a restricted free agent tender that pays him $2.025 million in 2019, but they reportedly wanted him to take a paycut before waiving him on Thursday. The Rams had interest in bringing him back, according to the Los Angeles Times, before the Eagles put in the waiver claim. The Eagles are now on the hook for that salary, although it’s not guaranteed.

Countess joins a defensive backfield that needs safety depth this offseason, and Countess is one of three players the Eagles have added at the position. They signed Andrew Sendejo in free agency and they claimed Godwin Igwebuike off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week. They return Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, Tre Sullivan, and Deiondre’ Hall at the position, but did not draft a defensive back.