One position battle coming up at Philadelphia Eagles training camp that might be the most important for the 2026 season is at safety.
Reed Blankenship is gone after signing with the Houston Texans, leaving uncertainty at safety for the near future. Now the Eagles have to make a decision at the position.
For the time being, Andrew Mukuba should be a clear-cut starter at one of the safety positions, as he is back from his ankle injury that ended his season with over a month to go last year. As for the other starting safety position, Marcus Epps appears to have the edge, but one other veteran will give him a run for his money at camp.
Michael Carter II could be a starter for the Eagles in 2026
When the Eagles first traded for Carter midseason last year, many fans saw him as another cornerback to help with depth behind Cooper DeJean in the slot. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman spoke a different tune, as he saw Carter as a potential safety in the secondary.
Carter ended up playing less in the eight games he was on the Eagles, taking more snaps on special teams than on defense. He finished the year with 10 tackles in eight games.
During the offseason, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio named many players who are in the running to be the starting safety in 2026. Carter and Epps were among the many names dropped, which appears to line up with the idea that they are battling for a starting job.
Epps played well last year when he replaced Mukuba in the starting lineup and got more praise from Fangio during the offseason. That's why Epps appears to have the lead in the position battle.
Carter had some strong moments in his early years with the New York Jets playing in the slot. In the last couple of years, though, there was a dip in his performance, making a move to safety a realistic and potentially good idea for him to restart his career in a new position.
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It's going to be a long month plus at training camp, as Epps and Carter battle it out to see who will be the starting safety. Don't count out the possibility that Carter is number one on the depth chart when the season begins.
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