The Philadelphia Eagles have 1 position where there’s still some uncertainty on an otherwise stellar defense.
Of the 2 projected starters, neither Andrew Mukuba nor Marcus Epps inspires much confidence. Mukuba looked sharp as a rookie in 2025 but suffered a season-ending fractured ankle with 6 games left in the regular season. Epps has been a decent fill-in but should not be a full-time starter.
It also means the Eagles no longer have either of their starting safeties from their Super Bowl-winning team 2 years ago, with C.J. Gardner-Johnson now on the Buffalo Bills and Reed Blankenship on the Houston Texans.
Philly Special’s Anthony DiBonna believes those factors are setting the Eagles up for a “big-time safety trade” sooner rather than later, and putting Arizona Cardinals safety and 8-time Pro Bowler Budda Baker at the top of the list.
“Howie Roseman is always looking to make a deal and looking from the outside in, it feels like there is still a major void at safety in Philadelphia,” DiBonna wrote. “Even if the Eagles are excited about Cooper DeJean playing safety in their base defense, that will only account for about 20% of their total defensive snaps. While Epps stepped up as a starter late last season, I don’t see how the Eagles are essentially comfortable running it back with the same safety room minus Reed Blankenship.”
Baker has been 1 of the NFL’s best — and highest-paid — safeties on 1 of its worst teams for the entirety of his career. He was a 2nd-round pick by the Cardinals in 2017 and is also a 4-time NFL All-Pro with approximately $89.1 million in career earnings through the end of the 2025 season.
He signed a 3-year, $54 million contract extension with the Cardinals before the 2024 season that will pay him $16.1 million in 2026 and $17.8 million in 2027.
Eagles May Have NFL’s Best Cornerback Trio
The Eagles have seen a lot of attention focused on how good their 3 cornerbacks are in 2026 — perhaps the best trio in the NFL with a pair of NFL All-Pros in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, along with the addition of Super Bowl champion Riq Woolen in free agency.
What’s not gotten as much attention is the void at safety created by the departure of longtime starter Blankenship in free agency and the uncertainty around 2nd-year safety Andrew Mukuba, who is returning from a fractured ankle suffered last season.
While Mukuba’s play before his injury lends toward giving him the benefit of the doubt, the idea of Epps or Michael Carter II at the other starting safety spot should give the Eagles pause.
Eagles Probably Should Have Paid Blankenship
You don’t have to be a psychotherapist to understand there may have been some hurt feelings when Blankenship left for the Houston Texans on a 3-year, $24.75 million free-agent contract.
“That honestly felt like the first time in my whole career, that somebody really wanted me as a player and as a person,” Blankenship told NFL reporter Aaron Wilson after he signed with the Texans.
Blankenship, who went undrafted in 2022, became a full-time starter for the Eagles in his 2nd season and helped them win a Super Bowl following the 2024 season. For the relatively low price the Texans paid for him, you also don’t have to be an NFL general manager to wonder why the Eagles didn’t just pay the man.
Eagles Predicted to Make ‘Big-Time Trade’ for 8-Time Pro Bowler