As the NFL Draft took center stage in the world of sports, fans of the Philadelphia Eagles entered the annual festivities fully expecting general manager Howie Roseman to land a replacement for former starter Reed Blankenship at safety. If not early, eventually, a safety prospect seemed destined for Philadelphia.
As the picks poured in, at certain points, it appeared that the ideal time to address the position had arrived. Finally, at pick No. 244, Texas Tech's Cole Wisniewski got the call from Roseman. And while the rookie does have some impressive traits, at least early on next season, it appears Marcus Epps and second-year man Andrew Mukuba will combine to form the Eagles' starting safety duo.
How the safety situation played out this draft
The hype accompanying Emmanuel-McNeil Warren reached a fever pitch for Philly fans when, on day two of the draft, the Toledo Rocket had slipped all the way down draft boards directly to the Eagles. Roseman didn't flinch, though, selecting Eli Stowers with the 54th pick.
In the later rounds, names with considerable buzz linking them to Philly, including South Carolina's Jalen Kilgore, also continued to fall further from their projected draft rounds, yet Roseman never wavered in electing to address offensive needs early on, while swinging the move for veteran edge Jonathan Greenard. To be fair, Kilgore did get passed on by many teams, but plenty of notable names at the position came and went as Roseman steered clear of adding safety help.
Then in the 11th hour, Philadelphia tabbed the Red Raider Wisniewski in the seventh round.
Epps-Mukuba the current favorites to start at safety
It all suggests that at the moment, Roseman and company believe Epps can continue to be a solid starting presence, not spectacular, but steady. As he showed last season, the cagey vet and two-time Eagle safety can hold the fort down in the back of the secondary.
The question now becomes, though: can Mukuba return to promising form and pair sufficiently with Epps, just as Blankenship did when he and Epps ran well in tandem at the safety spot? It's a risky proposition, but as the roster currently stands, Roseman and the coaching staff appear ready to take that leap of faith.
Meanwhile, Michael Carter II is also an option for Fangio, as the veteran defensive back has been rumored to be getting more looks at safety moving forward. That seems a stretch, though, to think he could slot in with Mukuba, though.
In time, Wisniewski might eventually prove ready to challenge for a starting spot, but that's a massive question mark, especially for a talent-laden roster with laser-focused designs on another Super Bowl run.
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There's a ton that can happen between now and training camp, but as it stands, Epps appears to be the man alongside Mukuba at safety.
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