While there appears to be more focus on what the Philadelphia Eagles are going to do with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and tight end Dallas Goedert, there seems to be less noise about safety Reed Blankenship.
The Eagles hit a massive home run with Blankenship, as he was an undrafted free agent who became a starter for the secondary for years, but now will be testing free agency with an uncertain future in Philly. While there might be a chance he comes back, the early chatter is that he might sign elsewhere in free agency, leaving the Eagles to look in the NFL Draft for his replacement. Pro Football Focus writer John Kosko has his sights set on the Eagles' best-case draft scenario, which is to upgrade the safety position with Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
"The Eagles drafted Andrew Mukuba in the second round a year ago but are looking at losing Reed Blankenship to free agency this offseason. The Eagles could dip back into the Toledo talent pool and find another future star in McNeil-Warren. McNeil-Warren posted an elite 91.9 overall PFF grade in 2025 and paired that with an even better 92.0 PFF coverage grade. His 33.3% forced incompletion rate is off the charts and highlights the playmaking abilities he showcased in college."
PFF's ideal first pick for Eagles is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
McNeil-Warren had a stellar final season with Toledo, as he racked up 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, five pass deflections, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one touchdown, and a half sack. The last time the Eagles went after a Toledo defensive back in the draft, it worked out pretty well with some All-Pro name Quinyon Mitchell, so it might be a good option to use the well that worked the first time.
It would be a bit of a surprise, though, to see the Eagles go safety, especially with more glaring issues to resolve with the team. The offensive line is a major concern for the future, as they need to secure insurance for Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson in case they retire in the next few years.
This all comes down to how much Blankenship will command in free agency. He could go for anywhere north of $5 million per year, but the Eagles have to think about their other options, like Phillips, that will take about $17-18 million per year to pay for.
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Blankenship might be one of the odd men out for the Eagles, but pairing a promising Mukuba with McNeil-Warren would keep the Eagles' safety positions intact for at least the next three years.