The Eagles have a safety question hanging over camp, and it starts with Marcus Epps.
Philadelphia entered training camp with a group that doesn’t exactly ease nerves, and the spot next to Andrew Mukuba is the one drawing the most concern. The Eagles had chances to add more competition over the past few months, but they mostly stayed put. Then they used a seventh-round pick on Cole Wisniewski, and now the rookie has a real opening to change the conversation.
Wisniewski may have been viewed as a dart throw when the Eagles took him out of Texas Tech, but there’s at least one familiar comparison floating around: Reed Blankenship. If Wisniewski can tap into that kind of impact, he could end up creating exactly the kind of issue Vic Fangio would actually welcome.
For now, Fangio appears to like Epps, and Epps is the likely starter next to Mukuba. But his 250 snaps in 2025 didn’t settle much. The sample wasn’t huge, yet the inconsistencies were enough to leave Eagles fans uneasy about whether he looks like a true starting safety.
That’s where Wisniewski comes in. His best selling point is the same thing that made him intriguing coming out of Texas Tech: physicality. He’s a bigger safety who plays with force near the line of scrimmage, brings it in run support, and should have no issue finishing plays in the open field.
There’s another part of his game that matters even more in today’s NFL. Wisniewski can line up against tight ends and hold his own, and that matters with offenses leaning harder into multi-tight end looks. It’s not just 12 personnel anymore; teams are using three tight ends more often, too.
That’s where the rookie could separate himself from Epps. The size gap is real - Wisniewski is three inches taller and roughly 20 pounds heavier - and that kind of frame is better suited for matching up with the George Kittles, Brock Bowers, and Colston Lovelands of the league.
So the setup is pretty simple: Epps starts with Fangio’s trust, but Wisniewski has the chance to make that arrangement uncomfortable. If the rookie shows up and performs in camp, he can force the defensive coordinator to take a longer look.
That’s the best-case scenario for Philadelphia. Epps remains the starter for now, but Wisniewski has a chance to turn a weak spot into a real competition - and maybe erase one of the Eagles’ biggest concerns in the process.
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