Eagles safety Reed Blankenship after training camp practice at the NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023.33 minutes agoGoing into the first of two joint practices against the Cleveland Browns on Monday, thedefensive coordinator said he wouldn’t need to identify starters at the up-for-grabs safety and linebacker spots until Week 1 against the New England Patriots on Sept. 10.
Whether Desai is ready to crown him or not, Reed Blankenship is putting together the type of summer that will force the new defensive coordinator’s hand. The second-year safety, who watched Saturday’s preseason opener with the rest of the Eagles’ defensive starters and has worked exclusively with the first team so far, was a standout during Monday’s practice against the Browns starting offense.
“I think one thing we’ll get a really great grasp of as a staff, as a team on defense is how strongly can we rely on our techniques and fundamentals,” Desai said. “This is great because it’s an un-scouted opponent. You’re not really preparing for them, you’re still in training-camp mode, but it’s a different team than the one you’ve been facing for the last three weeks. So you get to really test out your rules and see who’s really mastering it, and that’s what I’m really excited about.