Reed Blankenship says Eagles will maintain the swagger that C.J. Gardner-Johnson provided

25-07-2025

The Eagles traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans, but his presence in the locker room will be felt for years to come. Following Thursday's practice at the NovaCare Complex, star safety Reed Blankenship told the media that the "swagger and aggressiveness' Gardner-Johnson brought to the defense will be maintained.
One of the youngest rosters in the NFL, the Eagles need to free up as much money as possible to keep their foundation together, and Gardner-Johnson was a casualty of that process. Roseman admittedly was too sentimental with players following their Super Bowl LII victory, and he isn't making that mistake this time around.
Roseman likely wanted to avoid a potential contract dispute with Gardner-Johnson in preparation for paying his younger players. Cam Jurgens, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean are all on rookie contracts, with Carter projected to reset the defensive tackle market next year.
Andrew Mukuba, Tristin McColum, Sydney Brown, and Andre Sam will compete for the shot at replacing Gardner-Johnson, while DeJean will also see snaps at safety in base looks.
A retooled defense would normally face some reservations about taking a step back in production, but most defensive units don't employ a coordinator like Vic Fangio. In his first season with the Eagles, Philadelphia (278.4 ypg) led the league in total defense for the seventh time in team history, having previously accomplished the feat in 1991, 1981, 1953, 1949, 1945, and 1944 (excludes the 1943 Steagles). Philadelphia ranked first in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (174.2) for the second consecutive year, following its 2022 performance (179.8). Furthermore, the Eagles finished with the NFL lead in defensive points allowed per game (16.9 — their best figure since 15.8 in 2008), opponent three-and-out percentage (39.0%), and FFs (18, tied).
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Reed Blankenship says Eagles defense will not lose their swagger

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Fans Worried As Caleb Williams Practice Footage Goes Viral

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Fans Worried As Caleb Williams Practice Footage Goes Viral

Fans Worried As Caleb Williams Practice Footage Goes Viral originally appeared on The Spun. All eyes are on Caleb Williams heading into Year 2 after what could be described as a "shaky" rookie year to say the least. The Bears took Williams with the first overall pick following a decorated college career but Caleb and the team struggled under head coach Matt Eberflus — losing 10 straight games at one point before closing the regular season out with a win on the road at Lambeau Field. Since then Chicago has retooled its offensive line, hired former Ben Johnson as its HC and added more weapons on Caleb's side of the ball. But none of that will matter if the former Heisman Trophy winner throws balls like he did at Saturday's practice... In a viral clip from Bears training camp this weekend, Williams was spotted missing every target in what looked to be an accuracy drill as fans watched in horror. "Jesus," Jim Murray replied. "The bears will never have a 4k yard passer lmfao," a user laughed. "'What did I miss?' In the background too ironic 😂" another cried. "I truly think I could do better than this," a fan commented. "this is one of the funniest clips i've ever seen," Zach Jacobson posted. "I feel bad for him tbh," another person admitted. "Looks like a dude 6 beers deep at the Six Flags." "PACKERS FANS, LET'S LAUGH TOGETHER," another user exclaimed. "I have a feeling Caleb has never truly been coached in his life," Eric Nathan said. "He was always much better than everyone else and got by on raw talent and athleticism alone and in the NFL you get exposed if that is the case. The Bears drafted him for his potential but man, they have work to do." According to reports, Williams redeemed himself his next time through the drill which had to be a welcome sight for those in attendance. And while one small moment in training camp practice is far from the end of the world, the optics of it are less than ideal — especially given how last year went. Hopefully Caleb is able to become the player many of us imagined he could be with a stronger showing in 2025. The hopes of an entire franchise hinge upon Worried As Caleb Williams Practice Footage Goes Viral first appeared on The Spun on Aug 3, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.