ESPN exposes Eagles' biggest weakness (but fans would argue against the idea)

For the past several years, the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary has been one of the key strengths on their defense during their playoff and championship runs. However, in 2025, the defensive secondary is in a bit of flux as the team prepares for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.

As part of a season preview for all 32 NFL teams, ESPN staff writers have identified the Eagles' secondary as the biggest concern for the team heading into this season. The concern stems from the "drop-off" of the Eagles' replacements after the departures of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Darius Slay.

"Veteran Adoree' Jackson seems to have gained an edge on Kelee Ringo but certainly didn't run away with the job. Perhaps Jakorian Bennett, recently acquired from the Raiders, or rookie Mac McWilliams will claim the spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell at some point. Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba flashed brightly in his preseason debut against the Browns but has also been hampered by injuries, opening the door for third-year player Sydney Brown to try to secure the job, at least temporarily."

Do the Eagles really have a major concern in the secondary or is it justified?

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman hasn't sat idly while the team goes through some growing pains of replacing two high-level defensive backs. We've talked in circles about the upside of Andrew Mukuba, who is currently dealing with injuries.

Roseman also made a low-risk signing in Adoree' Jackson for a one-year deal to provide depth (or possibly start). At this time, Kelee Ringo and Mac McWilliams continue to develop as the season progresses. Roseman also made the trade during training camp for Jakorian Bennett, who has flashed success in the past.

While Roseman has been proactive in attacking the weaknesses in the secondary, there are still plenty of question marks. The Eagles also face the question of how defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will maximize the talent of Cooper DeJean. DeJean is slated to play both safety and nickel; however, there are plenty of questions about the remaining two positions in the defensive secondary.

Not many teams can stack their top three defensive backs against DeJean, Reed Blankenship, and Quinyon Mitchell; however, when you start peeling back into the depth chart, it appears that there are a lot of questions, especially if Mukuba isn't ready to go. The Eagles are desperate to piece together a winning secondary, and they have even brought back Marcus Epps, who is recovering from a torn ACL.

It won't take the Eagles long to see if their defensive backfield is up to the test, as the team will take on the Cowboys' receiving corps of CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and KaVontae Turpin this Thursday in Week 1.