This is too good of a story to stop telling, the one of Reed Blankenship in his rookie season of 2022 after five years at Middle Tennessee State and how he signed with the Eagles following the NFL Draft in the spring and made it all the way to the third and final preseason game as an under-the-radar candidate to make the 53-man roster.

In that preseason game, largely forgettable from an Eagles' standpoint given the 48-10 beating Miami administered, Blankenship continued to impress with five total tackles, physical play, and a command of coordinator Jonathan Gannon's defense.

And then, he sweated through the next 48 hours as Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman reduced the roster to 53 players.

"I remember it just like it was yesterday. I felt like I played every snap and by the end of the game, I was like, 'If they don't like me, I'm sure somebody will. I left it all out there.' I played every snap like it was my last snap," Blankenship said the other day after Training Camp practice at the NovaCare Complex. "If they didn't like me, then it wasn't meant to be. As it turned out, they liked me and here I am."

Here he is, a three-year starter who has played in two Super Bowls with one World Championship. Blankenship is a huge part of the Eagles' defense from the safety position, an extremely popular player with the fans, and an example of why every preseason game matters.

"Absolutely, they do. Players are out there trying to earn jobs. This is how we make our profession," Blankenship said. "All you want is to get a fair chance, an opportunity, and then the rest is up to you. That's how I have always looked at it and that's the advice I have for the players who are on the so-called bubble. It's tough. It's stressful and it can impact you if you allow it to happen.

"You have to stay healthy, put yourself in the best position you can to succeed, and then go out and give it everything you have on every play and see what happens after that."

Friday's preseason finale at the New York Jets (7:30 PM, NBC10 and SportsRadio 94WIP in Philadelphia) is going to feature a lot of players on that "so-called bubble." Cuts are coming soon – Tuesday at 4 PM is the deadline – and the intensity level is off the charts for a lot of these young men who have worked so hard since becoming members of this football team.

"I've been through it and you just have to learn to control what you can control," said cornerback Parry Nickerson, who has played in 30 games in five NFL seasons with the Jets, Jaguars, Packers, Vikings, and Dolphins and who last year helped the Eagles on the practice squad. "Lay it all on the line. You know you are playing for every team in the league and you never know what is going to happen. Just prepare the right way, go out and have fun, and play your best ball."

That's the mission for the Eagles who are playing. Be the best they can be and play hard, clean football. There are still roster spots up for grabs, so let's take a look what is on the line for those on the field in this preseason's finale.

1. Who is the No. 3 quarterback?

Kyle McCord and Dorian Thompson-Robinson figure to get the reps at quarterback once again and the offense will look for some consistency after last week's tough outing. Is this still a wide-open competition? Have the Eagles already made up their minds? Are the Eagles keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster? All legitimate questions and games like this help answer those questions.

2. John Metchie III makes his Eagles debut at WR

Acquired in a trade earlier in the week, Metchie has practiced for only two days, so it is asking a lot for him to develop timing and chemistry in the offense and with the quarterbacks. It's not an easy thing, but that's how it is. So Metchie should get a decent number of reps and hopefully a good amount of targets as the Eagles sort out who makes the team at wide receiver. After A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jahan Dotson, are there any players who for sure are making it? It sure seems wide open.

3. What is Jeff Stoutland looking at for depth along the O-line?

The best offensive line coach in the NFL wants as many top-level players as possible to develop and build for the long, long season ahead. So he wants to find out as much as he can about the players who are likely to play here.

4. The defensive secondary has some questions

Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio keeps his thoughts private, so we don't know what he is thinking about the secondary. But the questions are still obvious: Who is the second cornerback? Who is the starter at safety next to Blankenship? Who makes the team as valued depth talent? Big game for some young defensive backs against the Jets.

5. Is there a special teams ace who steps up?

Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay basically learns who makes the 53-man roster and then puts together his return and coverage units. Oh, he has some definitive ideas, but he is powerless for the most part until the roster is established. But what happens if a player just dominates in coverage, or with a big return? We've seen Ainias Smith make it happen with his big punt return against Cincinnati in the preseason opener. It is something to watch in this game.

6. Will a Game 3 preseason star emerge?

You may not remember this, but defensive back Cooper DeJean made his preseason debut in the finale last summer and then continued to work on his preparation and finally earned the starting nickel job in Week 5 of the 2024 regular season and starred after that. So, you figure that some player is going to gain some notice here. And if that happens, it will give the Eagles more hard thoughts and difficult decisions.

Every game matters. Every snap matters. Just heed the Legend of Reed Blankenship before you dismiss the importance of this game to the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles.