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The NFL nears another free agency frenzy. The Philadelphia Eagles are near that stage of roster building where tough financial decisions begin to surface. Winning teams always eventually face that reality. So do the ones that lose more often than they hope, but Howie Roseman and his staff have drafted extremely well in recent years, and the bill for that success is almost due.
Extensions for young stars such as Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis loom on the horizon. Those deals certainly won't come cheap. If Philadelphia intends to keep the core of its defensive front intact while continuing to reinforce other areas of the roster, the front office will need to free up cap space wherever possible.
That's where a player like Reed Blankenship enters the conversation.
The former undrafted rookie free agent addition has been one of the Eagles' best development stories in recent memory. He earned his spot on the roster, eventually carving out a starting role through instincts, toughness, and reliability in the secondary.
Still, the NFL is a numbers game, and Philadelphia already has significant investments tied up in its defense with bigger deals looming on the horizon. If they determine they need flexibility elsewhere, moving on from Blankenship could become part of the larger financial puzzle. Should that happen, there would be no shortage of interested teams.
The Chicago Bears make a lot of sense. Chicago has spent the past two seasons rebuilding its defense with young pieces, but it still needs stability at safety. Blankenship's football IQ and willingness to play downhill would fit well in a defense still searching for a few more tone-setters.
Los Angeles is another logical landing spot. They've leaned heavily on younger defensive backs in recent seasons and could benefit from a steady veteran presence on the back end.
Blankenship's ability to read plays and communicate coverages would help stabilize a secondary that has gone through constant turnover. Plus, seeing as how the Rams have again mortgaged part of their future, this time in a trade to land Trent McDuffie, they may want to explore bang-for-buck signings in free agency.
The Bengals could also be an intriguing option. Cincinnati's defense has struggled with consistency in the secondary, and adding a dependable safety could be attractive for a team that seemingly can't stop anyone while trying to remain competitive in a loaded AFC North.
The Panthers won the NFC South for the first time in a long time, but only by default. Make no mistake. They are still in the middle of a rebuild.
For a roster searching for culture-setting veterans, Blankenship offers a high-effort player who plays the game the right way. Plus, departing Eagles (Miles Sanders, Torrey Smith, Kurt Coleman) often seem to land in Carolina.
The move would certainly turn heads, and it's seemingly very possible, as Blankenship's former defensive backs coach, Christian Parker, is now the new defensive coordinator in Dallas.
He has long valued instinctive defensive backs, and adding a player with firsthand knowledge of how he wants to do things could provide him both depth and familiarity in one of the NFL's fiercest divisions.
Worth mentioning: Whether the Eagles ultimately move on or find a way to keep him remains to be seen, but if Reed Blankenship hits the open market again, teams will certainly be interested.
He's a smart, physical safety. Someone will be willing to add a player of his caliber. Oh, and by the way, he certainly has championship experience.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: NFL Free Agency: Possible landing spots for Reed Blankenship
Continue reading...
Extensions for young stars such as Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis loom on the horizon. Those deals certainly won't come cheap. If Philadelphia intends to keep the core of its defensive front intact while continuing to reinforce other areas of the roster, the front office will need to free up cap space wherever possible.
That's where a player like Reed Blankenship enters the conversation.
The former undrafted rookie free agent addition has been one of the Eagles' best development stories in recent memory. He earned his spot on the roster, eventually carving out a starting role through instincts, toughness, and reliability in the secondary.
Still, the NFL is a numbers game, and Philadelphia already has significant investments tied up in its defense with bigger deals looming on the horizon. If they determine they need flexibility elsewhere, moving on from Blankenship could become part of the larger financial puzzle. Should that happen, there would be no shortage of interested teams.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears make a lot of sense. Chicago has spent the past two seasons rebuilding its defense with young pieces, but it still needs stability at safety. Blankenship's football IQ and willingness to play downhill would fit well in a defense still searching for a few more tone-setters.
Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles is another logical landing spot. They've leaned heavily on younger defensive backs in recent seasons and could benefit from a steady veteran presence on the back end.
Blankenship's ability to read plays and communicate coverages would help stabilize a secondary that has gone through constant turnover. Plus, seeing as how the Rams have again mortgaged part of their future, this time in a trade to land Trent McDuffie, they may want to explore bang-for-buck signings in free agency.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals could also be an intriguing option. Cincinnati's defense has struggled with consistency in the secondary, and adding a dependable safety could be attractive for a team that seemingly can't stop anyone while trying to remain competitive in a loaded AFC North.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers won the NFC South for the first time in a long time, but only by default. Make no mistake. They are still in the middle of a rebuild.
For a roster searching for culture-setting veterans, Blankenship offers a high-effort player who plays the game the right way. Plus, departing Eagles (Miles Sanders, Torrey Smith, Kurt Coleman) often seem to land in Carolina.
Dallas Cowboys
The move would certainly turn heads, and it's seemingly very possible, as Blankenship's former defensive backs coach, Christian Parker, is now the new defensive coordinator in Dallas.
He has long valued instinctive defensive backs, and adding a player with firsthand knowledge of how he wants to do things could provide him both depth and familiarity in one of the NFL's fiercest divisions.
Worth mentioning: Whether the Eagles ultimately move on or find a way to keep him remains to be seen, but if Reed Blankenship hits the open market again, teams will certainly be interested.
He's a smart, physical safety. Someone will be willing to add a player of his caliber. Oh, and by the way, he certainly has championship experience.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: NFL Free Agency: Possible landing spots for Reed Blankenship
Continue reading...
