One of the biggest potential headaches for the Philadelphia Eagles in training camp is actually turning out to be pretty good for them.
Many were worried about the Eagles' safety position without Reed Blankenship, but they are trending in the right direction. Guys like Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, and Michael Carter II have been playing extremely well so far.
Mukuba should be a lock to start at safety since he was their second-round pick last year. That means it all comes down to Epps versus Carter, but there might be a clear sign that one of them is winning the job.
Marcus Epps is no longer a favorite to win the Eagles' safety job
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke with the media about how the defense is going in training camp so far. Fangio, unprovoked, gave Carter a shoutout for his versatility.
"It's different at every position with every player," Fangio said. "You know, for instance, you know, Michael Carter right now, I mean, I feel good about him playing nickel, playing safety if need be. Maybe some of the other DBs that are in that bag, not so yet, but that doesn't mean they won't get there. We don't have a lot of new young players on defense. So most of the guys that are here have been with, have some background with us. So it should come, we should be able to make those decisions a little quicker."
Carter was a solid slot corner for the New York Jets before being traded to the Eagles last year. He has allowed a completion percentage over 67% once in his five-year NFL career. He has 26 pass deflections and two interceptions in 73 games.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman initially saw Carter as a safety, which appears to be where he will play. What's even better is that Carter is proving he can play multiple positions in Fangio's defense, like Cooper DeJean is doing.
Epps deserves credit for his play late in the season last year when Mukuba was hurt. That final month for Epps helped him earn another contract with the Eagles and put him on top of the leaderboard to start. He finished with 21 tackles and one tackle for loss in 12 games and four starts.
This week has changed things for Carter, though. He got an interception off of Jalen Hurts and has made several plays in training camp. That could be exactly what Carter needed to get a leg up on the competition.
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This is a position battle that might not be decided until the end of August, so no decision should be made anytime soon. Epps shouldn't feel safe, though, as Carter is proving himself worthy of the starting job.
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