Eagles' Cooper DeJean Bids Farewell as Teammate Reed Blankenship Joins Texans

The two defensive backs had formed a close friendship during their time together in Philadelphia.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Free agent safety Reed Blankenship is leaving the Philadelphia Eagles to join the Houston Texans on a three-year, $24.75 million contract. Blankenship's former teammate, cornerback Cooper DeJean, expressed sadness over the departure, calling Blankenship his "dawg" and saying he'll "miss" him. DeJean and Blankenship had become known as the "Exciting Whites" during their two seasons together in Philadelphia.

Why it matters

Blankenship was a key contributor in the Eagles' secondary over the past four seasons, starting 50 games and recording 308 tackles, 23 passes defended, and 9 interceptions. His departure is a significant loss for the Eagles' defense, though he will now join a Texans team that had the league's best defense in 2025.

The details

Blankenship signed a three-year, $24.75 million contract with the Texans, with $16.5 million guaranteed. Despite a somewhat rocky 2025 campaign, the 27-year-old safety will now be an important part of the Texans' defensive unit. DeJean and Blankenship had developed a close friendship during their time as teammates, with the two defensive backs becoming known as the "Exciting Whites" due to an online meme and the name of their podcast.

  • Blankenship signed with the Texans in March 2026.

The players

Reed Blankenship

A 27-year-old safety who spent the past four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, starting 50 games and recording 308 tackles, 23 passes defended, and 9 interceptions.

Cooper DeJean

A cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles who became close friends with Blankenship during their two seasons as teammates.

Houston Texans

An NFL team that had the league's best defense in 2025 and has now signed Blankenship to a three-year, $24.75 million contract.

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What they’re saying

“Damn, gonna miss my dawg. Go be great brotha”

— Cooper DeJean, Cornerback (Instagram)

“It's going to be a little different if he's not back. Obviously just a guy I've spent a lot of time with. We've got a great connection on and off the field. But he's gotta do what's best for him and his family and his people around him. I know he'll do that. I obviously hope it's back in Philly. I'm sure everybody would love to have him back. But he's played well over the past however many years he's been in the league and he deserves to get paid. I hope it's in Philly, for sure.”

— Cooper DeJean, Cornerback (Sports Illustrated)

What’s next

It remains to be seen how Blankenship's departure will impact the Exciting Mics podcast he co-hosted with DeJean.

The takeaway

Blankenship's move to the Texans marks the end of a successful four-year run with the Eagles, where he and DeJean formed a close friendship and became known as the "Exciting Whites." While the loss of Blankenship is a significant one for the Eagles' defense, his new contract with the Texans shows he has earned a lucrative payday after proving himself in the league.