There's a bit of a vocal leadership void that's been left behind in the Philadelphia Eagles locker room, and star cornerback Cooper DeJean has felt it of late.
With the departure of steady veteran Reed Blankenship, who signed with the Houston Texans in free agency, things are indeed a bit different in both the secondary and the locker room for Philadelphia. DeJean and Blankenship recently appeared together, comprising their Exciting Mics duo, at the Fanatics Fest in New York City.
When asked about life without Blankenship in midnight green these days, DeJean offered up his sentiments per Anthony Dibona.
"It's been a little quiet in the locker room without him around," DeJean said. "We're going to miss him, but he got his money, I'm happy for him, he's got a baby now, he's married, he's grown up, he's leaving the nest. But you know, I'm happy for him, I know he's going to miss me, too."
Eagles will look to DeJean and others to be more vocal, and he sounds ready
The two have always shared a strong - and certainly comedic - bond, and their chemistry was undeniable on the gridiron as well. Blankenship was an unsung leader of the Philadelphia defense, rising from an undrafted free agent to a reliable, hard-hitting captain and Super Bowl champion.
And from a leadership perspective, Blankenship has wasted no time making his presence felt in Houston. Free agency has proven time and again, though, that business is never personal, so Blankenship's new start in the AFC South now signals the time for younger Eagles to embrace a more vocal and influential presence in Philadelphia.
Fangio has, of course, entrusted DeJean with heightened responsibilities, including safety duties as part of the team's base package. And when it comes to vocal leadership, to building further on that communication and chemistry piece that Blankenship was revered for, DeJean is eager to rise in that regard as well.
Back in May, DeJean spoke with NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark about embracing more of a leadership role head-on.
“We are ready to take that next leadership step," DeJean said. "Hopefully, I can be a voice on the field and in the room.”
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For DeJean and the current members of the defense, it's business as usual, and the unit still has trusted veterans at all three levels. The departure of Blankenship does leave a bit of a void, but that's life in professional sports. Others will have to step up and inherit more of a leadership role, and DeJean sounds absolutely ready to tackle the responsibility.
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