Nick Sirianni
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Pro Football Focus's Daire Carragher proposed the Philadelphia Eagles trade up for safety Dillon Thieneman in his newest 2026 NFL mock draft.
General manager Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles have the reputation of finding great value in the NFL Draft. Pro Football Focus’s Daire Carragher sees the Eagles accomplishing that again during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Interestingly, Carragher predicted the team to find draft value this year through a trade up in the first round to grab Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.
In his newest mock draft released Monday, Carragher predicted the Eagles to move up to No. 17 overall with a trade involving the Detroit Lions.
With the jump from No. 23 to 17, the Eagles then filled a hole at safety in the mock draft
“Never a team to miss out on good value, the Eagles leapfrog the Minnesota Vikings by one pick to draft the last remaining player from PFF’s top 15 prospects,” wrote Carragher.
“Thieneman is much more than a plug-and-play replacement for Reed Blankenship. While that may appear to be the case here, the Oregon prospect brings significant experience closer to the line of scrimmage as a hole coverage defender and in man coverage against tight ends and slot receivers.”
Former Eagles starting safety Reed Blankenship departed for the Houston Texans in 2026 NFL free agency. But with Thieneman, Philadelphia could immediately replace the departed starting safety.
Carragher even seemed to imply the Oregon product could be a better fit in Philadelphia.
Thieneman is a consensus top safety in the 2026 draft class. In 15 games last season, he posted 96 combined tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. Thieneman also had five pass defenses, two interceptions and one sack.
Why Dillon Thieneman Could Fit With the Eagles
Dillon Thieneman
GettyPro Football Focus predicted the Philadelphia Eagles to target Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman in a trade up during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Carragher didn’t specify the trade value the Eagles would have to send to the Lions to move up six spots. Typically, though, NFL teams don’t find value through trades ups.
Still, it’s hard to not like a potential trade that gives the Eagles a top safety in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In addition to Blankenship, the Eagles also lost veteran safety Sidney Brown through a trade this offseason.
Both ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah rated Thieneman a top three safety in the 2026 draft class. Jeremiah ranked the Oregon safety the No. 17 prospect in the entire draft.
“Thieneman was a versatile chess piece in Oregon’s defense,” wrote Jeremiah. “He lined up in the box, in the deep half and over the slot.
“Overall, Thieneman does a lot of different tasks at a very high level. His skill set is highly coveted around the NFL.”
Could Philadelphia Move Up the 2026 NFL Draft Board?
Nick Sirianni
GettyPro Football Focus’s Daire Carragher proposed the Philadelphia Eagles trade up for safety Dillon Thieneman in his newest 2026 NFL mock draft.
With roughly two weeks until the 2026 NFL Draft, pundits are exploring all kinds of possible draft scenarios. But the Eagles moving up the first-round board doesn’t seem like just a potential hypothetical.
Roseman is one of the most active NFL general managers during the draft. In 2024, he made eight draft trades, which is tied for the most since 1990.
In 2023, the Eagles moved up in the first round to select defensive lineman Jalen Carter.
That was a move up only one spot. But if the Eagles identify Thieneman as their ideal target, a trade to get ahead of the Minnesota Vikings would be smart.
The Vikings have significant secondary needs, especially at safety. Thieneman going to Minnesota at No. 18 is a popular prediction in NFL mock drafts.
A deal to get the No. 17 pick is the minimal move up the Eagles could execute to get in front of Minnesota’s first-round selection.