Nov 23, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship (32) celebrates after an interception in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Eagles React To Departures In Free Agency

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Ed Kracz | Last updated Mar 11, 2026 8:45 AM ET

Shakespeare once wrote that parting is such sweet sorrow, and so it is for the Eagles who, so far, have fled the Eagles during free agency. Safety Reed Blankenship sent a farewell message out on social media.

“To the city that took a chance on an undrafted kid from MTSU-thank you from the bottom of my heart. Elsa (his wife) and I will always be a part of the bird family and have nothing but love for everyone that has supported us.”

Blankenship left for the Houston Texans on a deal that will pay him about $8 million per year over the next three seasons.

Jordan Davis, who signed a three-year extension worth up to $78 million just days before the start of free agency, was asked about linebacker Nakobe Dean’s potential departure after the season ended. Dean was still an Eagle then, but he left for a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“I know Nakobe is going to ball out wherever he goes, whether that’s here or not,” said the defensive tackle at the time. “Unfortunately, that’s the nature of the beast. You can’t control stuff like that. You can only just let it happen and adjust from there.”

Jordan Davis Will Have To Make Do Without His Good Friend

Davis and Dean, of course, are good friends from their time together at the University of Georgia before both got drafted by the Eagles in 2022.

“Nakobe’s my guy, and everybody knows that,” said Davis. “Having a guy like that in the room, and having that guy behind you, just like the confidence. We’ve been together, going on damn near eight years now, so it’s just kind of crazy to imagine a defense where he’s not behind me, where he’s not calling plays, he’s not calling shots.

“I know he’s going to be a great player for somebody, whether that’s here or not. Excited for him to get his opportunity to really shine and get what he deserves.”

Dean got about $12 million per year for the next three season in Las Vegas.

The Eagles’ defense has been slowly eroding over the past two seasons. Last year, they lost Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, and Darius Slay in free agency and traded safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but still developed into one of the league’s better defenses.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will have to figure it out again with the departures of Blankenship, Dean, and Jaelan Phillips, who was the first player to leave when he took a four-year deal worth up to $120 million from the Carolina Panthers.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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