The Eagles are heading into training camp with a familiar problem in a new form: how to replace Reed Blankenship’s spot in Vic Fangio’s secondary without losing what made the unit work.
That vacancy has already triggered a real shuffle. ESPN’s Tim McManus reported that Cooper DeJean is moving from nickel to safety in base packages, where he is expected to line up alongside second-year player Andrew Mukuba. In sub packages - which McManus noted are used most of the time - Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II are competing for starting roles.
“The departure of Reed Blankenship in free agency left a starting spot open in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's secondary,” McManus wrote. “Cooper DeJean will move from nickel to safety in base packages and probably will be paired with second-year player Andrew Mukuba. Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II are vying for starting spots when the Eagles are in sub packages, which is most of the time.”
DeJean’s 2025 season showed exactly why the Eagles have been comfortable moving him around. Playing close to the line of scrimmage, he piled up 93 total tackles, added two interceptions, broke up 16 passes and forced one fumble. The question now is how much of that impact carries over if he’s spending more time deeper in the defense.
For now, Epps appears to have the edge over Carter in the race for the job. McManus said Epps and Mukuba have been the most common pairing early in camp, though Fangio has been mixing and matching to see different combinations.
“In the early stages of camp, Epps and Mukuba have been paired the most frequently, but Fangio has been rotating players to get different looks,” McManus added.
Even with the new alignment, DeJean should still spend plenty of time near the ball, since the Eagles lean on sub packages so heavily. The bigger picture is what Fangio can build with a secondary that now includes DeJean, Mukuba, Epps, Carter II, and newcomer Riq Woolen, who is expected to handle the perimeter with Quinyon Mitchell.
That makes the rest of camp worth watching closely. The Eagles have a lot of moving parts in the back end, and the way Fangio sorts them out could shape the defense in 2026.
In Other News...
Jalen Hurts Just Changed The Mood Around Eagles Camp
The first week of Eagles training camp had a familiar pressure point attached to it, with Jalen Hurts drawing heat for a slow start, no touchdown passes and a string of sacks. By the time Day 4 rolled around, though, the tone around practice had shifted noticeably. Hurts was sharper, more decisive and started stacking the kind of completions that can change the feel of a camp session in a hurry.
Reporters came away pointing to the improvement as a welcome sign for an offense trying to find its rhythm early. The progress did not erase the rough opening stretch, but it did give the Eagles something they badly needed this time of year: evidence that the quarterback can reset quickly and lift the whole group with him. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Smith Just Added Real Pressure To A Huge Eagles Season
Nolan Smith opened up this week about the speeding and reckless driving arrest that has followed him through the offseason, publicly apologizing for what he called an unacceptable mistake. The Eagles edge rusher said he has already addressed it with the organization and stressed accountability to his teammates, a notable step for a player entering his fourth season with a real opportunity to cement his place in the lineup.
The timing matters because Philadelphia already made a commitment to Smith by picking up his fifth-year option in April, and this is the kind of offseason noise the Eagles would rather avoid around a defender they expect to lean on. Smith said he is focused on moving forward, but the episode has already added another layer of pressure to a season that could shape both his standing in Philadelphia and the clubs wider plans on defense. [Read more 🡒]