BALTIMORE — Before the Eagles took their first snap against the Ravens on Saturday night, one of their players emerged victorious.
Notably, veteran safety Marcus Epps sat out with the other starters, making him a winner without having to play. Philadelphia's defensive starters did not suit up for the preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium, so it's clear now that Epps is one of them.
The Eagles had Epps and Michael Carter II compete for the starting safety job during camp, but Saturday night's decision to hold Epps out and play Carter indicated that the team viewed Epps as the starter.
Carter will be the Eagles' dime back and the team's top backup safety and nickel cornerback. He has had a strong summer at safety, so it's surprising the Eagles are not giving him a better shot to win the job.
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#epps #carter #Ravens #notably

Replacing a productive starter is difficult. Replacing one of the defense's leaders can be even harder. The Philadelphia Eagles certainly understand that reality. Following Reed Blankenship's departure, they're in familiar territory, managing roster turnover, but rather than asking one player to fill every aspect of his role, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio appears to be taking a different approach.
Philadelphia will likely rely on Coach Fangio's unit early this season. Recently, he spoke with the media at Eagles camp. When asked who would **** ume the communication responsibilities in the secondary, a role Blankenship filled admirably, Fangio didn't identify a single successor. Instead, he named several.
"That'll be both of them (Marcus Epps and Andrew Mukuba). When it's Mukuba and Epps back there, they'll both do it. Epps is very capable of that, and I think Andrew is too. He'll get even better and better, this being his second year and being more confident... And Cooper DeJean, when he's there, he'll be capable of it."
Those comments offer a revealing glimpse into how Philadelphia plans to move forward after losing one of its defensive leaders. Communication won't fall on one player. It, like everything else on this Eagles defense, will evolve into a more team effort.
Blankenship's value extended beyond tackles and interceptions. As one of the defense's primary communicators, he helped organize coverages, relay adjustments and keep the secondary aligned before the snap. Those responsibilities don't disappear simply because he has left to continue his career with the Houston Texans. Instead of placing that burden entirely on Marcus Epps or expecting Mukuba to become the defense's lone voice immediately, Fangio is cultivating multiple players who can direct traffic from the back end.

#Eagles #replacing #instead #marcus

After months of waiting, the Philadelphia Eagles took the field Wednesday morning for their first practice of the 2026 training camp, beginning several weeks of preparation, competition and roster evaluation at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.
Practice was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. after head coach Nick Sirianni spoke with reporters at 9:30. The opening session will provide the first on-field look at Sean Mannion's new offense, Philadelphia's revamped receiving corps and several competitions that will help shape the initial 53-man roster.
Attention will center on Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith as the offense begins installing Mannion's system. The defense will feature Jalen Carter following his record-setting contract extension, while Jonathan Greenard's absence creates additional opportunities for Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa.
The secondary will also command attention as Riq Woolen begins competing for a prominent role alongside Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Marcus Epps, Andrew Mukuba and the rest of the safety group will begin sorting through responsibilities in Vic Fangio's defense.
This live blog will be updated throughout the morning with photos, videos, news, observations and notable moments from the practice fields. Follow along as the Eagles officially begin their work toward the 2026 regular season.

#practice

The Philadelphia Eagles are back together, and preparations for the 2026 season have officially begun.
Players reported to the Jefferson Health Training Complex on Tuesday for the opening of training camp. The Eagles' social media team released photos and a video offering fans their first look at the team's arrival. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith were among the offensive stars shown entering the facility. Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley and Andy Dalton were also included in the team's arrival gallery.
The defensive group featured Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean, Nolan Smith, Marcus Epps, Moro Ojomo and offseason addition Riq Woolen. Carter reported on the same day Philadelphia announced his four-year extension through the 2031 season, providing another significant development as camp opened.
The arrivals also offered an early glimpse at newcomers preparing for their first training camp with Philadelphia, and were buoyed by Jalen Carter's historic contract extension. Saquon Barkley, Jake Elliott, Hurts, Andy Dalton and Cooper DeJean were among the players photographed entering the facility.
Reporting day marks the transition from offseason projection to on-field evaluation. The Eagles must begin installing Sean Mannion's offense while determining how the receiving targets will be distributed around Smith. Philadelphia also has competitions to resolve throughout the secondary and at several depth positions.

#Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are less than a month away from the start of training camp. We'll be counting down the 25 most important Eagles for the 2026 season.
25. Marcus Epps
24. Jake Elliott
23. Eli Stowers
22. Dontayvion Wicks

Every NFL team can point to its stars. The Philadelphia Eagles certainly have their fair share. Howie Roseman deserves his fair share of credit. You'll never be able to say this team lost because he didn't do his job. There's talent on both sides of the ball, but championship teams aren't defined solely by their biggest names.
They're defined by what happens when someone misses a game, a young player is thrust into a larger role, or the schedule begins testing a roster's depth over the course of a 17-game season. That's where Philadelphia may quietly separate itself from much of the NFL. Depth has become one of the organization's greatest strengths.
Depth is questioned on every roster thanks to free agency and a salary cap. Every team will always seemingly need something, but there aren't many major holes on this Eagles depth chart.
Hollywood Brown gives them another proven playmaker at wide receiver, while Makai Lemon enters camp as one of the roster's most intriguing young receivers. The offensive line features multiple players capable of stepping into larger roles if needed, continuing a tradition of strong development in the trenches.
Defensively, the Eagles have created competition throughout the secondary. Riq Woolen adds another experienced cornerback to a group already featuring Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, and DeJean provide Vic Fangio with multiple answers at safety. The defensive front remains loaded with players capable of rotating without a significant drop in production. Few teams can say the same.

The Philadelphia Eagles are less than a month away from the start of training camp. We’ll be counting down the 25 most important Eagles for the 2026 season.
25. Marcus Epps
24. Jake Elliott
23. Eli Stowers
22. Dontayvion Wicks

Jalen Hurts' Philadelphia Eagles earn No. 2 spot in ESPN's 2026 NFL roster rankings originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Only one team finished above the Philadelphia Eagles in ESPN's first roster rankings for 2026. The Eagles remain among the league's strongest contenders entering the new season.
ESPN placed the Philadelphia Eagles second in its 2026 NFL roster rankings because they remain one of the league's most complete teams. While the defense has plenty of talent, the report says the offensive tackle pairing stands above every other position group on the roster.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata and right tackle Lane Johnson are the biggest reasons behind that view. Mailata has finished no lower than sixth among NFL tackles in Pro Football Focus grades over the past three seasons. Johnson is now 36, but he still ranks well in pass protection and run blocking when healthy.
The report found one clear concern on the roster. Safety lost experience after Reed Blankenship left for Houston. That leaves second-year player Andrew Mukuba and Marcus Epps in larger roles. Cooper DeJean can also play safety, though his work as the team's main slot corner limits that option.

The Philadelphia Eagles are less than a month away from the start of training camp. We’ll be counting down the 25 most important Eagles for the 2026 season.
25. Marcus Epps
24. Jake Elliott
23. Eli Stowers
22. Dontayvion Wicks

The Philadelphia Eagles have a young defensive core with enough talent to become one of the NFL’s most disruptive units, but training camp will determine how the pieces fit around the established names.
Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith Jr., Jonathan Greenard, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Riq Woolen, Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, and Andrew Mukuba give Philadelphia high-end talent across all three levels. The questions come behind them and around them. The Eagles must settle their safety rotation after Reed Blankenship’s departure, determine the linebacker picture, sort through a deep edge group, identify the defensive tackle depth, and decide how to align one of the league’s most crowded cornerback rooms.
Here are the Eagles' defensive position battles to track during training camp.
Mukuba enters his second season as one of the most important young players in the secondary, but the rest of the safety picture remains somewhat unsettled. Marcus Epps gives the Eagles veteran experience, and he has a fan in DC Vic Fangio, while Michael Carter II can factor into safety looks depending on personnel. Cole Wisniewski, Andre’ Sam, and Maximus Pulley add depth to a room that must replace Blankenship’s snaps and communication.
The key question is whether the Eagles use a traditional safety pairing or lean into flexibility. DeJean has taken reps at safety in base looks, while Carter gives Philadelphia another movable defensive back. Epps can steady the group, but camp will determine whether the Eagles have one clear answer next to Mukuba or a package-based solution.

Tennessee’s 7th District special election will be held on Dec. 2 to fill a vacant U.S. House seat long held by Republicans.
Retired GOP Rep. Mark Green announced his resignation on June 9 and officially stepped down in July. Republican nominee Matt Van Epps and Democratic nominee Aftyn Behn will face off in the general election to fill the congressional seat.
The district race has become critical, with both parties vying for momentum ahead of next year’s Midterm elections.
As previously reported by USA TODAY, the race is a product of Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature, which drew

Tennessee congressional race becomes unlikely test of blue wave

Fresh off Democrats' domination in the off-year elections, a congressional race in Tennessee has become an unlikely test for whether a national blue wave is building that could produce a seismic shakeup in next year's midterm election.
The special election to fill the seat of retired Republican Rep. Mark Green, set for Tuesday, Dec. 2, was hardly on the national radar a month ago.
Now, the race between Democrat Aftyn Behn, a 36-year-old liberal state representative, and Republican Matt Van Epps, a combat veteran, has Democrat