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The Philadelphia Eagles will need to replace safety Reed Blankenship, but an unheralded safety appears poised to help them do so.
Andrew Mukuba, the Eagles' 2025 second-round pick, was named an under-the-radar breakout candidate for the Eagles by CBS Sports.
Mukuba played a Swiss Army knife-style role under Vic Fangio in 2025, posting a half-sack, 46 tackles and two interceptions in his rookie season while starting 10 games.
But he is poised for a bigger role after Blankenship left via free agency, signing with the Houston Texans in March.
Andrew Mukuba Named Under-the-Radar Breakout Player to Watch
Cooper DeJean is changing positions from slot corner to safety, and he and Mukuba are expected to tag-team the Eagles' safety positions, at points when DeJean isn't migrating back to inside corner.
Yet, Mukuba's ability to stabilize the position is going to be a factor to watch. There is some concern, since Mukuba's coming off a devastating lower-leg injury that ended his season against the Dallas Cowboys last year.
"Mukuba plays with reckless abandon, aggressively going after anyone with the ball in his hands," CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles wrote. "Unfortunately, his rookie year ended prematurely after a friendly-fire collision resulted in a fractured ankle and fibula. Philadelphia is counting on the 2025 second-rounder to shine after losing Reed Blankenship in free agency."
Andrew Mukuba's Continued Development is Integral for the Eagles
Blankenship went from undrafted safety to defensive leader and impact player on a Super Bowl champion, so Mukuba has big shoes to fill.
He proved very capable of playing close to the line of scrimmage last year, since he finished the season with more tackles for loss (2) than Blankenship (1). Mukuba's rookie-year performance effectively made Blankenship expendable, since Mukuba and 2025 free-agent signing Marcus Epps were great at safety.
But the Eagles can't afford a sophomore slump from Mukuba, and they need him to protect himself better in Year 2. The Eagles surrendered more than 141 rushing yards per game in six games after Mukuba's season-ending injury; they gave up 115 on the ground in their first 11 games.
The Eagles' secondary is considered one of the NFL's best but has questions, especially surrounding Riq Woolen's addition as CB2 and DeJean's transition from slot corner to safety, which may not be permanent.
Mukuba should be considered a sure thing considering how he played in Year 1. But he'll largely be without a proven backup in his second seaso
