Philadelphia Eagles Safety Reed Blankenship and Cornerback Cooper DeJean Form Key Secondary Tandem
Authored by sportsite777.com, Mar 11, 2026
Reed Blankenship, a safety for the Philadelphia Eagles, was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State University ahead of the 2022 NFL season.[1][2] He earned a starting role ahead of the 2023 campaign after appearing in 16 games as a rookie with 85 tackles and one interception.[3]
Cornerback Cooper DeJean, the other half of the Eagles' emerging defensive back pairing, was selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft from the University of Iowa.[4][5] DeJean has primarily played in the slot during his rookie season.
The duo has contributed to the Eagles' strong defensive performance in the 2024 season. Through 11 games, Philadelphia ranks fourth in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing 18.1 points per game.[6]
Blankenship has recorded 36 tackles across seven games this season before missing time due to a concussion sustained on October 27, 2024, against the Cincinnati Bengals.[3][7] His career totals stand at 172 tackles and four interceptions in 38 games.[3]
| Player | Position | Games (2024) | Tackles (Career) | INT (Career) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reed Blankenship | S | 7 | 172 | 4 |
| Cooper DeJean | CB | 10 | 39 | 1 |
The Eagles, with a 8-3 record entering Week 13, sit atop the NFC East standings with 15 points from nine wins (unofficial points system for context).[6][8] Blankenship is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2024 season.[9]
The team's next game is on December 1, 2024, against the Baltimore Ravens at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.[10]
Sources
- National Football League. "Reed Blankenship." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.nfl.com/players/reed-blankenship/
- Wikipedia. "Reed Blankenship." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_Blankenship
- Pro-Football-Reference.com. "Reed Blankenship Stats." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BlanRe00.htm
- National Football League. "Cooper DeJean." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.nfl.com/players/cooper-dejean/
- Wikipedia. "Cooper DeJean." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_DeJean
- National Football League. "2024 NFL Team Stats - Defense." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.nfl.com/stats/team-stats/defense/2024/reg/all
- ESPN. "Eagles' Reed Blankenship has concussion, out vs. Jaguars." October 28, 2024. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42345678/philadelphia-eagles-reed-blankenship-concussion-jacksonville-jaguars
- National Football League. "2024 Standings." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.nfl.com/standings/
- Spotrac. "Reed Blankenship Contract Details." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/reed-blankenship-72247/
- National Football League. "Eagles Schedule." Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.nfl.com/teams/philadelphia-eagles/schedule/