The Philadelphia Eagles have extended the contract of safety Reed Blankenship through the 2025 season, officially announcing the move via their social media accounts on Monday. The extension adds one year to Blankenship’s current deal and restructures his financial terms going forward. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the two-year extension pays Blankenship $3.935 million in fully guaranteed money. The deal also includes incentive clauses based on Pro Bowl selections and playing time that could raise the total value by an additional $1.375 million.
Blankenship became eligible for an extension after just two seasons because he joined the league as an undrafted rookie. He signed with the Eagles in 2022. Before this extension, the team already controlled his contract through 2025, but he would have become a restricted free agent after the 2024 season. Now, with the new deal in place, Blankenship is set to become an unrestricted free agent after 2025.
When Blankenship signed with the Eagles, his rookie deal was close to the league minimum – a three-year contract worth about $2.57 million, including a $5,000 signing bonus. In 2023, he had a base salary of $870,000. He earned another $923,059 in performance-based pay, which more than doubled his yearly earnings.
Blankenship made the Eagles’ roster as a rookie in 2022. That season, he started four games while filling in for injured safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. During that time, Blankenship recorded an interception against Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The pick came on his ninth career defensive snap, and he remains the only undrafted rookie to ever intercept Rodgers.
Following the 2022 season, both Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps left the Eagles in free agency. This gave Blankenship the chance to become a full-time starter in 2023. He finished the season with three interceptions, the most of any player on the team. This was also the highest total by a homegrown undrafted Eagles player since 2010 when Dimitri Patterson had four and Quintin Mikell had three.
Although Blankenship had a strong start to the 2023 season, his performance dipped in the second half. This was true for many players on the team, not just him. Still, he is expected to start in 2024, likely next to Gardner-Johnson, who returned to the team this offseason. However, it’s possible the Eagles may bring in another safety before the season starts.
Blankenship turned 25 years old in early March. He is the first Eagles player since linebacker Jordan Hicks to have four interceptions in his first 25 games. Hicks had seven across the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The last undrafted Eagles player to do that was Brenard Wilson, who had eight interceptions during the 1979 and 1980 seasons.
Now, with this new deal signed, the Eagles have seven veteran defensive backs under contract through 2025. That group includes cornerbacks James Bradberry and Darius Slay, safeties Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship, and 2023 rookies Eli Ricks, Kelee Ringo, and Sydney Brown.
The Athletic reported earlier this month that Blankenship, who is entering the final year of his original contract, was a candidate for a summer extension. The new agreement confirms the Eagles’ interest in keeping him as part of their long-term defensive plans.
Blankenship now serves as the longest-tenured player in the Eagles’ secondary. With Darius Slay and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson no longer on the roster earlier this offseason, the team became much younger in the defensive backfield. That group now includes rookies Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and second-year player Kelee Ringo.
In his four seasons with the Eagles, Blankenship has recorded eight interceptions, with a career-high four coming in the most recent season. Despite his relatively young age, he is now regarded as a veteran presence in the room. According to a report from Bleeding Green Nation citing Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Blankenship is responsible for coordinating the secondary and handling communication with the linebackers, underlining his leadership role.
