The Philadelphia Eagles own the best record in the NFC at 8-2, and they’ve done so while navigating a minefield of issues. While the offense has generated most of the headlines, the defense has had its own problems as the secondary has been shuffled like a deck of cards.
Most of the changes occurred at the cornerback position, where the Eagles acquired Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander at the trade deadline. But the safety position has also become a fluid spot on the roster due to the rollercoaster of a season from Andrew Mukuba.
Mukuba had high expectations coming in as a second-round pick, but defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has made him earn his spot by being critical of his performance. While the comments could be dismissed as Fangio’s aggressive style with young players, it could be why Mukuba hasn’t been able to win him over.
But Mukuba is starting to make Fangio come around, and if he can play better down the stretch, it could be a huge development for the Eagles' secondary moving forward.
Andrew Mukuba’s Rise Could Be the End for Reed Blankenship with Eagles
Mukuba is starting to gain momentum, according to Fangio’s comments made on Tuesday afternoon. While talking to reporters, including Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Fangio commented on Mukuba’s rookie season thus far and also hinted that he could be turning a corner.
“That’s a part of us playing better, too,” Fangio said. “Early in the year, he had some bad plays that led to big plays for the opponent, and we haven’t had that lately.”
The comments are a different tone than the one Fangio had last month. Following a performance against the Minnesota Vikings where the rookie had three tackles and an interception, Fangio called Mukuba’s performance “uneven” and praised veteran safety Reed Blankenship despite “the challenge of playing next to a rookie.”
Those comments could have frustrated Mukuba, but it appears he has answered the bell. In the past two games, Mukuba has six total tackles but had his best game as a pro with a 79.4 overall grade and 71.7 grade in coverage during a Week 10 win over the Green Bay Packers, according to Pro Football Focus. While his overall grade dropped to 57.5 and his coverage grade sank to 53.7 in last week’s win over the Detroit Lions, he avoided the catastrophic plays that have made his rookie season such a roller coaster.
If Mukuba has gained Fangio’s trust, it could be the beginning of the end for Blankenship. The 26-year-old’s 43.2 overall grade this season ranks 91st among 95 qualifying safeties per PFF this season. Blankenship’s 34.8 grade in coverage is also a low bar to clear, causing many to cast Fangio as the old man screaming at clouds.
Fangio hasn’t completely endorsed Mukuba, citing a story from former Vikings head coach Bud Grant that said to add a loss for each rookie you play. But he also admitted that Mukuba is “not a rookie anymore,” citing the experience he’s gained in the first 10 games. With Blankenship set to become a free agent next season, Mukuba can make a bid to be his full-time replacement and begin that push with a strong final stretch of the season.