The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of roster questions heading into training camp, but the one that should concern fans the most has nothing to do with the offensive line. It’s the safety position. Philadelphia didn’t go out and add a significant piece this offseason. The Eagles didn’t bring anybody back. They signed a couple of bodies a few months ago that most people probably couldn’t even name. And now they’re banking on second-year safety Andrew Mukuba to bounce back from a season-ending ankle injury and become the anchor of the secondary.

I think it’s fair to say Mukuba will be penciled in as one of the most important Eagles players this upcoming season in a boom-or-bust kind of way. He needs to have a great sophomore campaign, and he needs to pick up right where he left off before the injury. Simple as that.

Vic Fangio’s tough love with Mukuba

What caught my eye this week was a story where Mukuba opened up about his rookie year and the relationship he built with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. During Week 6, that ugly “Thursday Night Football” loss to the New York Giants, Mukuba had a rough night. He whiffed on a tackle against Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson that went for a touchdown, and his overall performance was shaky. Fangio let him hear it.

Mukuba didn’t sugarcoat the experience. He talked about how Fangio was on him hard for about three weeks straight after that game until he got it right. That’s old-school accountability, and honestly, that kind of tough love might be exactly what a young safety needs in this defense.

What really opened my eyes, though, was a follow-up from Fangio himself during the offseason. He acknowledged Mukuba’s training camp was disrupted by a couple of injuries that kept him out for two separate stretches. He said Mukuba started the season up and down with some shaky plays, but over the last five or six games before the ankle injury, he was coming on. Fangio noted that Mukuba has had a rehab-dominated offseason but has been out there the last couple of weeks, adding that he’s not 100% yet but will be soon.

So Fangio is clearly banking on those flashes. And if you go back and watch Mukuba’s rookie tape, the flashes were real. It was very high and low, no question about it. But it’s not like the Eagles drafted him in the second round and he showed zero capability of playing at this level. You saw moments you could build on. The problem is the season-ending ankle injury cut everything short, and we never got to see the full trajectory.

Cooper DeJean’s move to safety adds a wrinkle

According to a report on EaglesWire.com, the battle next to Mukuba will be one of the most important competitions of camp. Cooper DeJean is expected to play safety in base packages, giving Philadelphia another versatile defensive back who can move around the formation. Marcus Epps is projected to handle safety responsibilities when the Eagles shift into sub packages, and Michael Carter II gives them a nickel/safety hybrid who can factor into the rotation.

That’s the plan on paper. But when you look at the depth chart and the lack of proven options, it becomes clear that Fangio is building this thing around Mukuba being the guy. Not a complementary piece, not a rotation player. The guy. The leader at the position.

And look, I think the Eagles have done a tremendous job addressing needs across this roster over the last few years. But this one feels like a gamble. If Mukuba can’t step up and be that player, Philadelphia is going to have major issues at safety. Maybe they pick up another body before camp or before the regular season begins, but as of right now, the margin for error is razor thin.

This is the position to watch

Everybody wants to talk about the offensive line, and I get it. Landon Dickerson’s retirement scare, the injury-prone perception around some of those guys. Those are legitimate concerns. But personally, I’m more worried about the secondary. The offensive line at least has established starters and a track record. The safety room is asking a second-year player coming off a significant injury to carry the load with a patchwork group behind him.

Mukuba has the talent. Fangio clearly believes in him. But belief and production are two different things, and we won’t know which version of Mukuba shows up until the pads come on. This is the position to keep your eyes on all summer. If he hits, the Eagles defense could take another step forward. If he doesn’t, Howie Roseman might have to scramble for a solution nobody saw coming.