The Philadelphia Eagles are less than one week away from officially kicking off the defense of their Super Bowl championship.
Eagles fans will enjoy raising another banner at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night before the celebration comes to an end and Philadelphia sets its sights on the 2025 campaign when they square off against the now Micah Parsons-less Dallas Cowboys.
This season will be an important one for several reasons. However, one veteran defender on the Eagles is playing for more than just the opportunity to earn another Super Bowl ring. Starting strong safety Reed Blankenship is also playing for a major pay raise as he seeks a contract extension that will keep him in the City of Brotherly Love for years to come at a significantly higher average annual salary.
Eagles SS Reed Blankenship Has 1 Month to Prove He’s Worth Extending
There have been rumors concerning a potential contract extension for Blankenship in Philadelphia throughout the offseason. While some reporting indicated the two sides could be close to an agreement, other outlets have disputed that fact. Keeping track of what is factual and what isn't when it comes to contract negotiations can be difficult, which is why Eagles on SI provided a breakdown of where things stand with Blankenship and the Eagles entering Week 1.
"A source told me just now that Reed Blankenship is getting an extension," Stiefel said. "Reed will be staying in Philly past 2025. Source does not know contract details, but it's getting finalized very soon. (First time I ever got to legit say this)."
"As of writing, this cannot be confirmed. Anthony DiBona of ThePhillySpecialShow.com responded and said: "Last I heard several weeks ago is that the Eagles and Reed Blankenship did not have any contract extension talks at that point," DiBona said. "But Blankenship did quietly change agents."
Again, what is real and what isn't is tough to decipher in this day and age. Outlets make their own determinations regarding just what credible sources are, and that leads to disinformation spreading like wildfire.
This brings us back to what Blankenship must do to have whatever conversations about a contract extension that may or may not be happening. The best way for the veteran safety to ensure he not only remains in Philadelphia beyond this season but also receives the pay raise that comes with it is to get off to a hot start to the 2025 season.
The better Blankenship performs during September, the more leverage he will have in these negotiations. If he were to have an underwhelming start to the regular season, Howie Roseman and the front office would have no reason to entertain the thought.