The Philadelphia Eagles have made a handful of moves in the final weeks of camp and the preseason, including bringing back a familiar face. Marcus Epps spent the 2019-2022 seasons with the franchise, helping develop members of its secondary. While Epps is far from a star player, it doesn't always take an established veteran to be able to help guide younger pieces.
This was the case with Reed Blankenship, who went out of his way to recruit and talk about how much of a positive impact Epps had on him. It is the type of comment a star player only makes when he is attempting to send a message. One Philly obviously heard loud and clear, bringing Epps back to the franchise. When asked about the situation, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni made the following comments:
""When we were talking about bringing Marcus back, Reed Blankenship went and talked to us about how much Marcus helped Reed develop as a player and helped him learn the scheme. He's really sharp, and he's got great leadership qualities. It’s awesome that that's the memory that Reed has of Marcus, that he introduced him into this thing while Reed was a rookie. Marcus was in his fourth or fifth year, and he helped him grow.""Eagles HC Nick Sirianni
Nick Sirianni on if Marcus Epps can get up to speed in one week: "We'll see. He is a really sharp guy. I've always thought that of Marcus. He'll do everything he can do, and we’ve got great coaches with Christian Parker and Joe Kasper to help him get caught up. We'll see where he…
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 31, 2025
Zach Berman reported Sirianni's comments with the coach going on to explain that the impact Epps had on Blankenship will be expected to continue while also influencing Philly's new secondary pieces. It is the biggest question mark remaining on the roster with the franchise parting ways with C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Darius Slay.
Having Epps in the building offers experience, and some younger players can easily lean on without the threat of having their jobs taken away. It is the perfect final piece to what is an incredibly talented roster. For Epps, it is a great chance to continue his career after an uneven path after parting ways with the Eagles.
Spending time with both the Raiders and Patriots in the past three years, Epps will have a special appreciation for the talent Philly offers. While there will be less playing time, it will be in a role that is actively helping grow a young defensive core and pushing the defending Super Bowl champs to defend their title.
There is no question it is a huge upgrade while also being a win for Blankenship, who pushed the move over the finish line. Having a defender who is willing to go to the coaching staff or front office and actively push for the future of another player speaks to the culture that has been built in Philly.
One that is founded on mutual respect and a willingness to fight for the guy beside you. Whether it is A.J. Brown buying in and blocking with full effort for Saquon Barkley, or Blankenship fighting for Epps' roster spot. This is a group that fully believes in its potential and is a rare example of a defending champion that remains underrated. Bringing back Epps is an example of this and continues to push Philly in the right direction.