What's Next For An Eagles Secondary That Hasn't Had The Same Stability As Last Year

PHILADELPHIA – Another week, another story on the Eagles’ secondary. Anyone miss the good old days of last year when the same four players ran out there and stayed out there game after game, play after play, and in the process, became the league’s top-ranked pass defense on the way to a Super Bowl?

Yes, it was only a year ago when safeties Reed Blankenship and C.J. Gardner-Johnson played more than 90 percent of the snaps and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell played close to 100 percent of them and Darius Slay 81 percent.

This year, it’s been a revolving door at cornerback, prompting the very real possibility that cornerback will be addressed in next spring’s draft on the first two days.

Mitchell has been the mainstay at one cornerback spot again. The other one has been in flux, with Cooper DeJean playing there in base then yielding to either Adoree Jackson or Kelee Ringo in the nickel.

Michael Carter Likely To Have Role In Slot Vs. Bears

Jackson is in concussion protocol and won’t play against the Bears on Friday. When he left Sunday’s game, the Eagles used Cooper DeJean full-time on the outside with Michael Carter getting his first extended snaps with the Eagles since they traded for him on Nov. 3. Carter played 25 snaps in the slot. That is likely what defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will do again on Friday.

“I think he's a good player, good natural football player,” said the DC about Carter. “(He) understands the game. He's got good instincts, got good technique to his game, he's quick. We're pleased to have him.”

At safety, Fangio said he expects Reed Blankenship to play after leaving last Sunday’s game in Dallas early with a quad injury.

There will be a different safety with him after Drew Mukuba broke his ankle against the Cowboys and will likely be placed on injured reserve. That could open the door for Andre Sam to be added from the practice squad or at least elevated for Friday’ game against the Bears.

Sam, who is 26, has played in one NFL game, getting 12 snaps on special teams in that game with the Eagles last year.

It’s likely going to be Sydney Brown who replaces Mukuba, which is ironic, because it was Brown who collided with Mukuba that caused the injury.

Fangio nodded his head yes when asked if Brown would be the next man up, then added, “I think he's been doing a good job in practice with the reps that he does get. He's done a good job staying in tune in the meetings and the walkthroughs, and I'm excited to see how he does.”

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