The Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title in the 2025 season but fell short of defending their Super Bowl crown, losing to the San Francisco 49ers, 23-19, in the wild-card round at Lincoln Financial Field. With the offseason now in full swing, the team is undergoing some changes, starting with the coaching staff. Fans can also anticipate roster adjustments as free agency opens in March, followed by the draft in April.
One player who seems unlikely to return to the Eagles is veteran safety Reed Blankenship. After a challenging 2025 campaign, both in terms of performance and contract considerations, it appears the team might let him test the waters of free agency.
Blankenship's Departure: A Potential Positive for the Eagles
Heading into the 2025 season, Blankenship was hopeful for a contract extension with Philadelphia. However, he played the season on a one-year, $3.9 million deal.
Now, after a season that didn't meet expectations, Blankenship is entering free agency. It seems Philadelphia might only consider a modest, short-term offer for the soon-to-be 27-year-old.
Blankenship ended the season with a Pro Football Focus rating of 46.5, ranking 92nd out of 98 qualified safeties. Given these numbers, the Eagles might be better off letting him move on, avoiding a financial commitment that doesn’t align with his current performance level.
His projected market value stands at $14.3 million over two years. Eagles' GM Howie Roseman would likely prefer to allocate those resources elsewhere, as the team needs to address several areas to climb back to the NFL's summit.
One potential landing spot for Blankenship could be with the Dallas Cowboys. Their secondary struggled this past season, and new defensive coordinator Christian Parker might see value in adding a familiar face to help transition the defense to his scheme.
Regardless of where Blankenship ends up, Eagles fans probably won't mind seeing him on the opposite side of the field, especially if it means their team can focus on bolstering other areas of the roster for a stronger 2026 campaign.