Add safety Reed Blankenship to the growing list of Eagles defensive players leaving in free agency.
Blankenship, 27, is signing a three-year, $24.75 million deal to join the Houston Texans, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday evening.
Blankenship joins Jaelan Phillips (Panthers) and Nakobe Dean (Raiders) as former Eagles starters who have agreed to terms with other teams on the first day of free agency. The Eagles are projected to get back four compensatory picks for those three losses and the one for Jahan Dotson, per OverTheCap. Blankenship is projected to bring back a 6th-round comp pick in 2027.
The Eagles signed Blankenship as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State in 2022. That spring, despite an impressive college career, Blankenship got just a $5,000 signing bonus and just $55,000 in guaranteed money.
But Blankenship earned a spot on the Eagles’ roster as a rookie, became a contributor and eventually a starter on a Super Bowl-winning team.
In his four years with the Eagles, Blankenship played in 56 games with 50 starts. He had 308 tackles, 9 interceptions and 23 pass breakups. While he had a bit of an uneven 2025 season, he did offer stability to the back end of the Eagles’ defense, which was a role he took pride in.
“Reed, obviously, is our quarterback back there helping everybody get lined up and being on the same page,” head coach Nick Sirianni said this past season. “We talk about this an awful lot. The easiest way to give up a big play on defense is for not everybody to be on the same page.
“Reed has been back there for a while now, and guys trust him to help communicate that. Our coaches trust him, I trust him. It’s an important piece for that secondary to have somebody that can line everybody up and get the calls going.”
Without Blankenship, the Eagles will need to find a new starting safety to pair with second-year player Andrew Mukuba, who will return in 2026 after his rookie season ended early with a fractured ankle. Mukuba was starting to find consistency before the injury in late November. One possible option is to re-sign veteran Marcus Epps, who was solid replacing Mukuba.
Over the last couple of years, Blankenship and nickel cornerback Cooper DeJean became very close friends and even host a podcast together.
DeJean earlier this offseason was asked about the possibility that Blankenship would not return.
“It’s going to be a little different if he’s not back,” DeJean said. “Obviously just a guy I’ve spent a lot of time with. We’ve got a great connection on and off the field. But he’s gotta do what’s best for him and his family and his people around him. I know he’ll do that. I obviously hope it’s back in Philly. I’m sure everybody would love to have him back. But he’s played well over the past however many years he’s been in the league and he deserves to get paid. I hope it’s in Philly, for sure.”