Jaquiski Tartt has worked as a starter for most of his career, lining up as a 49ers first-stringer 64 times since being taken in the 2015 second round. The veteran defender, however, has not shown enough to be an Eagles roster lock yet. The other Eagles veteran safety, Anthony Harris, may not be locked in as a starter. The team appears on the lookout for more help.
Marcus Epps looks to be the only Eagles safety who has secured a roster spot, Geoff Mosher of InsidetheBirds.com notes. Epps, 26, stands in front of Harris and Tartt (both 30), but the Eagles should be expected to seek a starter upgrade alongside the fourth-year player. This would be the one starting spot the Eagles try to upgrade between now and Week 1, Zach Berman of The Athletic offers.
Harris and Tartt each signed one-year deals with Philadelphia this offseason, the former doing so to stay with the team. Harris worked as a full-time starter last season for the Eagles, but Mosher adds the team’s lack of speed at this position is viewed as a concern. Pro Football Focus graded Harris just outside the top 50 at safety last season; Tartt slotted outside the top 70.
Once attached to the franchise tag in Minnesota, Harris re-signed with Philadelphia on a lower-cost deal (one year, $2.5MM; $1MM guaranteed) compared to his 2021 contract. Tartt signed a one-year, $1.12MM pact with no guarantees. The longtime San Francisco starter is on the outside looking in right now, Berman adds in a roster prediction that has former UDFAs K’Von Wallace, Josiah Scott and Andre Chachere cracking Philly’s 53-man squad instead of Tartt.
Epps has missed time recently because of a back issue as well. The former Vikings sixth-round pick has also never been a full-time starter, seeing just eight such opportunities in three seasons. The Eagles used Harris and Rodney McLeod as their back-line tandem last season; McLeod is now with the Colts. Epps rising to a starting role has been in the works for a bit now.
The Eagles exited the draft with safety as a position of need, but Tartt joining Harris and Epps quieted that noise. Training camp, however, has reignited the push for an otherwise-strong Philly roster to have more help at the position. The Eagles should be expected to make another move here, per InsidetheBirds.com’s Adam Caplan.
Should’ve brought Rodney back.
Make a deal for Jesse Bates.
Bates just resigned with the Bengals
No, Bates signed his franchise tag. Still doesn’t have a big deal from them.
Jesse Bates OR chuck Clark please. Clark will cost you a lot less then Bates.
The Ravens would likely be eager to get a deal for one of their safeties, though I thoroughly believe that they’d miss Clark more than they realize.
Thing is, Clark would likely play closer to the box than either Tartt or Harris was expected to. Bates is likely closer to a rang-y safety and that’s what Philadelphia thought it was getting in Harris. It’s doubtful that Cincy wants to let Bates go, but I think that would be a smart deal to make, despite the Bengals’ subsequent need to replace him.
I love this Blankenship kid. Good tackler, and always around the ball
Yeah, he should’ve been mentioned with the other UDFAs above, especially since Wallace wasn’t one as he was drafted in the 4th round.
Andre Dillard and Jalen Reagor for Chuck Clark and a 6th round pick
We get a safety upgrade and a pick, Ravens get help and depth at OL and WR two areas they could do with adding young players in
But the Ravens need neither. Clark is their defensive play caller while he’s still there. And they’d definitely play him, Hamilton and Williams at the same time.
Dillard not Reagor upgrades either position. Reagor is basically the same as the other guys outside of Bateman. Pretty much no need for them to make that particular trade.
Jalen Reagor isn’t worth anything, but Andre Dillard is more valuable than Chuck Clark. Dillard is a starting quality LT. That’s worth more than a box Safety.
If Mailata goes down for a couple games, and you replace him with Jack Driscoll, thar would sink the Eagles.
They can have Jamal Adams for anything please god
Should be looking for qb help instead