Eagles’ defensive back leaves the game with a possible concussion

UPDATE: Eagles safety Reed Blankenship has been ruled out with a concussion.

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Eagles safety Reed Blankenship is being evaluated for a concussion, the team announced. The 6-foot-1 defensive back slowly walked off the field after tackling Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson during the second quarter.

If Blankenship is ruled out with a concussion, expect rookie safety Sydney Brown to fill his role. In his first season, the Illinois product has started three games. He racked up 25 tackles and forced a fumble on 28% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps.

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Blankenship leads the Eagles with 56 solo tackles through 13 weeks. The second-year pro has developed into a full-time starter and helped replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson (Lions) and Marcus Epps (Raiders), who both signed elsewhere during free agency. As an undrafted free agent, he finished with 34 tackles and one interception last year.

The 24-year-old currently leads all NFC safeties in Pro Bowl voting. This is not the first time Blankenship’s dealt with injuries this year. He missed Weeks 2 and 7 with a rib injury.

With Blankenship sidelined, the Eagles need safety Kevin Byard to make big plays in the second half. Through two quarters, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has finished with 157 passing yards and two touchdowns. Up 24-6 at halftime, the Cowboys have taken advantage of Philadelphia’s secondary and will continue to do that with Blankenship out.

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Cayden Steele may be reached at CSteele@njadvancemedia.com