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Report: Safety Reed Blankenship to sign three-year deal with Houston Texans

Blankenship was the third defensive starter to depart as Monday's legal tampering period began in the NFL.

Reed Blankenship is set to depart after four years as an Eagle, including the last three as a key member of a productive secondary.
Reed Blankenship is set to depart after four years as an Eagle, including the last three as a key member of a productive secondary. Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Beyond the crushing blow of a home playoff loss, Eagles safety Reed Blankenship was feeling the reality of what was to come.

The free agent safety knew that the locker room would look different for the 2026 season. He knew that the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee in 2022 might not re-sign him.

“Who knows where we all end up?” Blankenship said after the Eagles’ 23-19 loss to San Francisco. “That’s just part of the business side of it. They can’t keep us all. I wish they could.”

» READ MORE: Eagles free agency news: Reed Blankenship, Nakobe Dean, Jaelan Phillips all sign elsewhere

As free agency opened Monday, Blankenship’s words rang true. No, they can’t keep them all, and on the defensive side of the ball, at least, they aren’t keeping many of them.

Blankenship, according to ESPN, is signing with the Houston Texans for three years and $24.75 million. The news on Monday evening made Blankenship the third defensive starter from that playoff game heading elsewhere, joining Jaelan Phillips (Carolina) and Nakobe Dean (Las Vegas).

Blankenship, a three-year starter, was a captain and the quarterback of the Eagles’ defense. In 56 regular-season games across four seasons with the Eagles, Blankenship tallied 308 tackles, 23 pass breakups, nine interceptions, and three fumble recoveries.

With Blankenship on the move, the Eagles are pretty thin at safety. Drew Mukuba, the Eagles’ second-round pick last year, will be back from injury to start the season. Who will be next to him? That player may not be on the roster yet. The current internal options would be Sydney Brown, Andre’ Sam, or Michael Carter II. Marcus Epps, who started down the stretch for the Eagles, is also a free agent.