The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Monday that they have signed S Reed Blankenship to a one-year contract extension. Blankenship was scheduled to become a restricted free agent next offseason.
Blankenship was probably the Eagles' most impactful rookie in 2022, collecting 34 tackles, two pass breakups, and one INT. He made the team out of training camp as an undrafted rookie free agent, and began the season as the No. 4 safety. At some point during that season, he leapfrogged K’Von Wallace for the No. 3 safety role, and was called on to start after Chauncey Gardner-Johnson went down with a kidney injury against the Packers. In that Packers game, Blankenship intercepted Aaron Rodgers and made several nice plays in run defense.
With Gardner-Johnson out, Blankenship would start against the Titans, Giants, Cowboys, and Saints, playing well overall in those four games. Upon Gardner-Johnson's return to the lineup, Blankenship still kept a role. Gardner-Johnson started at safety in the base defense but moved to the slot in nickel with Blankenship coming off the bench to play safety.
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Entering 2023 training camp, it was believed that Blankenship would be in a three-way competition with Terrell Edmunds and Sydney Brown to start at safety. It became quickly apparent that Blankenship was the team's top guy.
Blankenship had an up and down season. Near the midpoint of the season, he led all NFL safeties in pass breakups, and he was a sure tackler, typically taking good angles to the football and preventing good offensive plays from becoming disasters. However, like many of his teammates on both sides of the ball, he struggled down the stretch.
Blankenship was a home run UDFA signing, and he will likely start once again in 2024, barring another veteran safety signing. That will be a big season for him to prove that he can be a long-term starter at safety, as opposed to merely settling in as a role player.
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