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By Anne Erickson
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The Philadelphia Eagles don't have many obvious holes going into the season. That's what happens when you've built a roster that's loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. But there's one position that looks a little less settled than the rest: safety.
Reed Blankenship wasn't exactly a household name, but he was a steady presence in Philadelphia's secondary. He started 51 games over the past three seasons, including the playoffs, before leaving for Houston this offseason. Losing that kind of experience creates a bigger adjustment than the name recognition might suggest.
Marcus Epps is expected to take on a larger role, and there's reason to believe he can handle it. Epps has already been there before, starting every game for Philadelphia during the 2022 season that ended with an NFC championship and a Super Bowl appearance. He's not walking into an unfamiliar situation.
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The Eagles also have options around him. Cooper DeJean can move between safety and the slot depending on what the defense needs, while Michael Carter II and Jonathan Jones give Philadelphia additional veteran depth.
Still, there's a reason this stands out as the team's biggest remaining question.
Philadelphia's roster is otherwise difficult to poke holes in, so even a relatively minor uncertainty becomes more noticeable. The Eagles don't necessarily need someone to transform the position overnight. They just need the group to provide the same sort of reliability Blankenship gave them over the past few seasons.
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If Epps settles in and the rotation holds up, this could end up being much ado about very little. If not, the Eagles could have some issues on their hands. Which way will it go? That'll shake out over the next few months.
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