The Philadelphia Eagles walked away from the 2026 NFL Draft with plenty of praise—and for good reason. They added talent, addressed key areas, and gave fans plenty of reasons to be excited. But if you look closely at the roster, one glaring issue remains: the safety position. It's the one room that still feels unfinished, and it's hard to ignore.
Philadelphia did make a move, selecting Cole Wisniewski in the seventh round. There's optimism he could develop into a contributor, with some even drawing comparisons to Reed Blankenship. But early signs suggest Wisniewski might be better suited playing closer to the line of scrimmage rather than patrolling the deep middle of the field. That leaves a gap—literally and figuratively. The Eagles lack a true presence on the back end who can control the center of the field and force opposing offenses to adjust their game plans.
Right now, the safety room has bodies, but not certainty. Drew Mukuba is expected to take a step forward in his second year as a starter, though he's coming off an injury. Marcus Epps brings experience and familiarity with the system, but he's not viewed as a long-term difference-maker. J.T. Gray is a core special teams contributor, while Andre' Sam and Brandon Johnson remain developmental projects.
Undrafted additions like Tucker Large, Maximus Pulley, and Kapena Gushiken bring competition to training camp, but they're long shots to solve the problem immediately. (And Gushiken may be better suited for slot cornerback duties anyway.) That's the reality of the situation.
The departures of Blankenship and the trade involving Sydney Brown reshaped this room in a hurry. What's left is a group searching for its identity. In today's NFL, that's no small concern. Safeties aren't just last-line defenders anymore. They're communicators, playmakers, and tone-setters for the entire defense. Without a clear answer at the position, the ripple effects can be felt across the unit.
The Eagles still have options. They could explore veteran additions in free agency. They could trust internal development to take hold. Or they could wait and see how the competition unfolds in training camp. Either way, this is a position to keep a close eye on as the season approaches. For a team with championship aspirations, the safety spot remains the biggest question mark—and it's one that won't go away quietly.