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Latest On Eagles’ New-Look Defense

November 8th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Connor Byrne

Now coming off their bye week, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles will have a different look on defense heading into a Monday night showdown with the Packers. Philadelphia made one of the most noteworthy moves at this year’s trade deadline, acquiring pass rusher Jaelan Phillips from Miami for a third-round pick on Monday.

With Phillips on the verge of his Eagles debut, his presence could impact linebackers Nakobe Dean and Jihaad Campbell. After suffering a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs last January, Dean opened the 2025 campaign on the physically unable to perform list. He didn’t begin seeing significant snaps until Week 7, leaving Campbell as one of the Eagles’ top two linebackers alongside Zack Baun.

Although Campbell, a first-round pick from Alabama, held his own during Dean’s absence, the latter amassed a higher number of defensive snaps in a 38-20 win over the Giants in Week 8. Despite that, Zach Berman of The Athletic expects Campbell to log the majority of playing time down the stretch.

While Campbell can also line up on the edge, there’s now less need for the rookie in that role. The Eagles are suddenly much deeper in that area with Phillips on board, Nolan Smith returning from IR, and Brandon Graham coming out of retirement. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is set to deploy “a more defined split between nickel and base,” writes Berman, which points to fewer snaps for Dean. Considering Dean’s a pending free agent, that would be a disappointing development for the 24-year-old.

The 6-2 Eagles will also enter the second half of their season with a remodeled secondary after free-wheeling general manager Howie Roseman swung a pair of cornerback trades during their bye. Roseman reeled in Michael Carter II from the Jets for a 2027 seventh-round pick and wide receiver John Metchie on Oct. 29. A few days later, he landed Jaire Alexander from the Ravens in a late-round pick swap on Nov. 1.

Carter is an established slot corner, yet the Eagles already have second-year standout Cooper DeJean in the fold. The addition of Carter could point to the Eagles moving the versatile DeJean outside on a full-time basis, but that’s unlikely to happen, according to James Palmer of The Athletic. The Eagles can continue shifting DeJean between the slot and the boundary, though, as no one has stepped up on the outside as a capable complement to No. 1 corner Quinyon Mitchell. Adoree’ Jackson and Kelee Ringo have struggled, while Jakorian Bennett went on IR on Sept. 24 with a pectoral injury.

The Eagles opened Bennett’s practice window on Oct. 22, and he has been a full participant this week. It seems he’ll be back sooner than later. At the very least, he and Alexander will give the Eagles more depth on the outside down the stretch.

Alexander was a two-time Pro Bowler during a fruitful run with Green Bay from 2018-24. However, after he underwent offseason knee surgery, the 28-year-old was unable to regain his old form in his short Baltimore stint. A healthy scratch for most of his time with the Ravens, Alexander has played just 61 defensive snaps this year.

The oft-injured Alexander, who hasn’t played more than seven games in a season since 2022, said this week (via Berman) that he’s healthy, adding that he believes he’s still in his prime. It remains to be seen how often the Eagles will use Alexander, but Roseman took a low-cost flier with the hope that he has something left in the tank.

Eagles Could Address Pass Rush Before Trade Deadline

October 31st, 2025 at 9:26pm CST by Ely Allen

Since the start of training camp, the Eagles have already made seven trades as part of their efforts to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and according to multiple NFL sources, if a front office phone is ringing, chances are high that general manager Howie Roseman is on the other end looking for more. Atop the NFC East by 2.5 games with top performers at multiple positions, there is one area at which Philadelphia could see serious improvement.

Per Zach Berman of The Athletic, “the obvious spot to watch” in Philadelphia is edge rusher. After losing top sack-getter Josh Sweat to free agency in the offseason, filling out the edge has been a focus of the front office. The Eagles didn’t sign a single multi-year deal in free agency but still added a few potential high-ceiling names in Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo. There were quite a few options in the draft, as well, and the team made an intriguing selection on Day 1, trading up a single spot to draft Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell.

In overall team rankings, Philadelphia has been pretty middle-of-the-road with its overall pass rush. Per Pro Football Reference, the Eagles’ 16 sacks are tied for 19th in the league, and the defense is 17th in overall pressures with 58. Many of these are not coming from the edge, though. Making up 10 of the team’s 16 sacks, are two defensive tackles, Moro Ojomo (4.0) and Jordan Davis (3.0), and inside linebacker Zack Baun (3.0). The team leader in quarterback hits is defensive tackle Jalen Carter (9), and Ojomo (6) is third on the team with Davis (4) and Baun (4) tying for fourth.

Second-year pass rusher Jalyx Hunt ranks second on the team in quarterback hits with eight, but he’s only amassed one sack in the first half of his sophomore campaign. Uche has spent the second-most time on the edge behind Hunt, but he, too, only has one sack to his name while only accounting for three quarterback hits. Okoronkwo suffered a triceps tear that may have ended his season after only four snaps in his only game of the year. Finally, third-year edge rusher Nolan Smith, who started three games across from Hunt to start the season, only tallied one quarterback hit while failing to notch a sack before landing on injured reserve with a pectoral injury.

The Eagles had also signed veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, who still leads the position group with 1.5 sacks despite suddenly retiring a little over two weeks ago. Retirement giveth and taketh, though, as on the heels of Smith’s retirement, long-time Eagles veteran Brandon Graham came out of retirement to sign back on with the team. Graham may be more of a culture builder or locker room presence, though, considering his final two seasons in Philadelphia paled in comparison to his career-best 2022 campaign.

The rookie Campbell is an intriguing option at the position, as well. The 21-year-old came out of high school and started his career with the Crimson Tide as an edge rusher, only moving to off-ball linebacker due to injuries at the position. He played the 2023 season almost exclusively in that role but found more versatility in where he lined up throughout his final year with the team, spending increased time in his original position.

Due to this experience, there was a good amount of speculation in how he would be used in the NFL. It seemed early on that the Eagles would be willing to entertain his usage at both positions, but they started him as an off-ball linebacker, and he earned a starting role. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Campbell has excelled in the role, ranking as the team’s second-best defender and the sixth-highest graded linebacker in the NFL, so it doesn’t appear likely he’ll be moving positions.

Hence why Berman has identified the position as one the team may target in the trade market. If they do move on a pass rusher, though, they can’t make any more small moves. They’ll need to target players who can move the needle as a consistent defensive presence. Berman is one of several reporters who have identified the Dolphins as a franchise Roseman should reach out to, along with Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports. Specifically, edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips were identified as targets in Miami.

Both player’s careers have ebbed and flowed as injuries have taken a toll on their consistent outputs. Chubb logged a career-high 12.0 sacks as a rookie in 2018 and didn’t see double digits again until he tallied 11.0 in his first full year in Miami. Chubb missed the entire 2024 campaign with a torn ACL but has looked strong this year with four sacks and seven quarterback hits. He has no guaranteed money left on his contract after this year, so he makes perfect sense as a half-year rental that may become a cap casualty after that.

After two strong seasons to start his career, Phillips was on pace for a 14.0-sack season in 2023 before tearing his Achilles tendon after eight games. Season-ending knee surgery would cut off his 2024 campaign after half as many games. Phillips has rebounded decently, as well, though, logging three sacks and seven quarterback hits so far this year. Phillips in currently playing out the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and could leave the team in free agency, with Miami getting nothing in return.

The Eagles aren’t the only ones interested in Chubb and Phillips, though. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, multiple teams have reached out with significant interest in the oft-injured pass rushing pair. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated added recently that veteran pass rusher Matt Judon, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick have also been points of order on phone calls.

Per Breer, Miami has been steadfast in telling the team’s inquiring about Waddle “no” in no uncertain terms. He believes the team “may be more receptive” on Fitzpatrick, though. For the pass rushers, Wolfe claims the Dolphins’ front office has been hesitant, but with the trade deadline looming, their grip may loosen a bit. The asking price for Phillips is thought to be at least a third-rounder. There was some thought that, with general manager Chris Grier parting ways with the organization this morning, a fire sale of assets may take place, but interim general manager Champ Kelly is thought to be auditioning for a full-time role, so he’ll still be fairly strategic and judicial with any trade talks that take place, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

The Eagles are eager to deal, though. With an expectation of up to three compensatory draft picks in their future, there’s a chance Philadelphia could be sitting on 10 picks for the 2026 NFL Draft. Roseman is reportedly unafraid to trade those picks, and there’s even speculation players like wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back AJ Dillon could be available in packages, as well. Even if the Dolphins are playing hard ball with their most sought-after assets, the Eagles may be willing to play ball en route to a chance at back-to-back championships.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Campbell, Cowboys, Revel, Nabers, Giants, Miller

August 7th, 2025 at 9:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles nearly pulled off a trade with the Chargers to climb 10 spots, to No. 22, in the first round. It turns out, the defending Super Bowl champions were in talks to move as high as No. 18. While it could have been interpreted as an effort to land a prospect higher on the board, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Eagles’ attempts were aimed at ensuring Jihaad Campbell became Philly-bound. Teams’ concerns about Campbell’s medicals affected his fall down the board, and the Eagles ended up moving up just one spot (via the Chiefs) to obtain Campbell.

This amounted to essentially a free fifth-round pick going to the AFC champions, who had their eyes on tackle Josh Simmons. Campbell rehabbed from shoulder surgery in time for an early-camp push to start alongside Zack Baun. Barring another setback, it would stand to reason the Alabama product will beat out Jeremiah Trotter Jr. for that role to open the season.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • In non-Micah Parsons Cowboys news, the team still is operating without two of its top three cornerbacks. While Trevon Diggs rehabs another knee injury that may lead to a delayed start to the season, Shavon Revel has yet to debut at practice because of an ACL tear suffered early during his final East Carolina season. Jerry Jones said (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) the third-rounder is making progress, but a return timeline is elusive here. Revel’s father recently weighed in on the situation, labeling (via 105.3 The Fan’s Gavin Dawson) his son roughly six to eight weeks from returning. This would put the reserve/NFI list in play; such a move would shelve Revel for at least four games. Diggs is aiming to avoid the reserve/PUP list. These developments are affecting a Cowboys secondary that also has second-year backup Caelen Carson out for at least a month with a hyperextended knee, pointing trade pickup Kaiir Elam toward an expanded role.
  • Malik Nabers has been dealing with a toe issue since his LSU days. It caused him to miss the Giants‘ offseason program. No surgery has addressed this problem yet, but the team has not ruled that out. The murky situation is now leading to reduced practice time at training camp, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. Nabers, who also dealt with a shoulder issue during camp, frequently can be seen tending to his toe during practices; Giants trainers are helping him along as well. For his part, Nabers said he is “feeling great” and ready to build on last year’s impressive rookie season. With this being more of a management issue, the second-year wideout’s toe looks appears likely to continue as a talking point moving forward.
  • The Commanders‘ $6.1MM Von Miller contract includes $4.4MM in incentives. Sack-based bumps are present here, as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes those start at the seven-sack threshold. Seven sacks lands Miller $500K, while another $500K would come his way by reaching nine. A total of $2.5MM is available through sacks. A Pro Bowl nod would bring another $500K, Florio adds. If Miller reaches 11 sacks and Washington wins its first NFC championship since 1991, Miller would receive another $700K. A Super Bowl win following an 11-sack Miller season would net the future Hall of Famer another $700K.
  • Jake Ferguson‘s four-year, $50MM Cowboys extension includes $30MM in total guarantees and ties him for the NFL’s seventh-highest-paid tight end; Florio confirms the full guarantee number is $21.41MM. Ferguson’s 2025 and ’26 base salaries are guaranteed at signing; his 2027 base ($6.25MM) shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March 2027. The contract includes a $9.75MM 2028 option bonus, which is nonguaranteed, though Florio adds $1.59MM of Ferguson’s $2MM 2028 base salary is guaranteed for injury at signing. The deal includes another $9.75MM option bonus in 2029, with a $2MM base salary for that year as well. Neither 2029 figure is guaranteed. The Cowboys could cut Ferguson in 2027 with a $7.2MM dead money charge.

Jihaad Campbell Progressing, Working With Eagles’ First Team; Latest On OLB, S Situations

July 30th, 2025 at 5:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Viewed as an upper-crust talent in the first-round mix this year, Jihaad Campbell fell to No. 31 largely because of injury concerns. The rookie linebacker missed the Eagles’ offseason program, but his climb toward the expected starting role is underway.

Although Campbell was not expected to be at full speed yet, PHLY.com’s Zach Berman notes is already mixing into first-string work. The Eagles are listing the Alabama product as limited, but the Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski indicates little about his workload suggests a limited tag is necessary. That certainly represents good news for the Eagles, as Berman points to a Week 1 lineup configuration including Campbell alongside Zack Baun at linebacker.

[RELATED: Assessing Eagles’ 2025 Offseason Work]

Campbell having dealt with trouble involving both shoulders, undergoing surgery on one in March, scared some teams during the pre-draft process. But he avoided the active/NFI list to open Eagles camp. A dynamic player who only slid to linebacker (from the edge) due to the Crimson Tide being deeper there during his college career, Campbell has already come up as a player with an edge-rushing future.

For now, the Eagles have their top prospect stationed at off-ball linebacker. Campbell is competing with Jeremiah Trotter Jr. for the job alongside Baun, Kempski adds. While noting the second-generation Eagles LB has started off camp well, Campbell being ready to roll would seemingly make this a non-competition. Campbell’s rookie contract aligns with Baun’s $17MM-per-year deal, giving the Eagles good balance once they have the rookie up to speed.

Shifting to the edge, the Eagles have two experienced options as apparent insurance policies behind hopeful starter Jalyx Hunt. Josh Sweat‘s free agency defection and Brandon Graham‘s retirement leave the Eagles with OLB questions, and they took fliers on supplementary rushers Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche. Thus far, the two vets are working almost exclusively with the second team, the Philly Voice’s Geoff Mosher adds, while Hunt plays opposite locked-in starter Nolan Smith.

Padded work in practice, along with the defending Super Bowl champs’ preseason games, could change this equation. For now, though, the Eagles are not mixing their low-cost FAs into first-string work much — to the point Kempski indicates Ojulari has not shown much early in camp. The four-year Giants contributor drew extensive trade interest before last year’s deadline but only fetched a one-year, $3MM Eagles deal in free agency. Uche is on a one-year, $1.92MM pact. A 2024 third-rounder, Hunt played 241 defensive snaps as a rookie; he tallied 1.5 sacks and three QB hits before matching each total during Philadelphia’s playoff slate.

As expected, Sydney Brown represents second-round pick Andrew Mukuba‘s primary competition at safety. The two split reps early, per 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks. Mukuba, who goes just 186 pounds, has missed early-camp time with a shoulder injury. The Eagles could also limit their non-Reed Blankenship safety’s usage by giving Cooper DeJean safety time in base sets, which was an offseason talking point. Brown lost his job to C.J. Gardner-Johnson last year, as the 2023 second-round pick was rehabbing an ACL tear sustained late in his rookie season. With Gardner-Johnson traded to Houston, Brown has another chance to start. Two years remain on Brown’s rookie contract.

Rounding out late-July Eagles matters, Jordan Davis said (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane) he has dropped 26 pounds to weigh in at 330. The imposing D-tackle is now extension-eligible, but the 2022 first-rounder’s part-time usage (down to 37% in 2024) connected him to the bottom rung on the option ladder. Davis is now tied to a fully guaranteed $12.94MM in 2026; the substantial weight loss could help him stay on the field more en route as an extension case builds.

Eagles Sign First-Round LB Jihaad Campbell

June 11th, 2025 at 8:26pm CST by Ely Allen

One of the last seven unsigned first-round picks of the 2025 NFL Draft put pen to paper today. Alabama defender Jihaad Campbell signed his rookie contract with the Eagles today, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The four-year deal with a fifth-year option is reportedly worth $14.90MM. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 adds that Campbell’s deal includes a signing bonus of $7.48MM.

Campbell comes out of Alabama, where he originally committed to the Crimson Tide as a five-star edge rushing prospect out of IMG Academy (FL). Injuries to the team’s defense forced Campbell out of his natural spot as he filled in as an off-ball linebacker and excelled there. He spent the team’s 2023 campaign almost exclusively playing linebacker but was able to get some playing time back at his old position last year as Alabama utilized his versatility.

There were rumors in the weeks after the draft that Campbell could be the latest in the mold of former Penn State linebackers Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter, who both became eventual pass rushers in the NFL, with thoughts that Campbell could have a chance to return to his old position after all. It doesn’t quite look like that will come to pass, though. Campbell hasn’t been working out, as he continues to rehab a shoulder injury from his last season with the Tide, but defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told the media last week that, once he returned to the field, Campbell would be working out with the linebackers.

Part of his current assignment could be due to the assumption that Nakobe Dean will start the 2025 NFL season on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from a torn patellar tendon suffered late last season. With only last year’s fifth-round linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. to fill in if Dean and Campbell aren’t there, Campbell’s talents are likely needed more at linebacker to start his career. There’s always a chance, though, that Philadelphia ends up cross training him and giving him more freedom and flexibility across the defense.

With Campbell signing his name on the dotted line, the Eagles only have one more rookie to sign to finish up their class. Second-round Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is the lone remaining un-signed rookie in Philadelphia. Here’s a look at the Eagles’ rookie class:

Early Look At Eagles’ Position Battles

June 3rd, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Ely Allen

JUNE 3: When speaking to the media on Tuesday, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said (via EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer) Campbell will begin working with off-ball linebackers when he is healthy. That time will likely not come until August, however, as he continues to rehab his shoulder. Once he does take the field, Campbell will face a steep learning curve in advance of a notable role of some kind during his rookie season.

MAY 31: The defending Super Bowl champions experienced what many winners tend to see in the offseason, losing several key pieces like defensive tackle Milton Williams, pass rusher Josh Sweat, offensive guard Mekhi Becton, linebacker Oren Burks, running back Kenneth Gainwell, and cornerbacks Darius Slay, Isaiah Rodgers, and Avonte Maddox.

For some of these positions, the Eagles were well-prepared with recently drafted players or designed trades addressing the new vacancies. Some positions, though, are still up in the air, with camp battles likely on the horizon, as highlighted by Jimmy Kempski of the PhillyVoice.

Replacing Becton is going to be a challenge at the forefront of the team’s position decisions. Tyler Steen, a third-year guard out of Alabama, was in competition with Becton for the starting job at right guard last year. An injury in the preseason knocked him out of the running, but Becton had been running away with the job already at the time of the injury. Steen has three starts in his two years of play. To push Steen, Philadelphia traded for Kenyon Green, sending C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Houston in exchange.

Green has started the majority of games in two of his three seasons — he missed the 2023 campaign with a shoulder injury. In 2022, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as the worst guard (with enough qualifying snaps) in the NFL, ranking 77th of 77. Last year, Green improved, but only slightly, coming into the rankings at 76th of 77. Luckily for Green, though, Steen did register enough snaps last year to qualify for the rankings and came in just one slot higher at 75th. While a few other players from the field of backups could also be in consideration for the job, the team hopes that they will be able to develop better results out of Steen or Green in a similar fashion to how they helped turn Becton’s career around in 2024.

Philadelphia’s top two cornerbacks are pretty set with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell solidly in place. DeJean is likely to be the primary option to fill the slot in nickel packages, so the question of who will step up as CB3 has been a point of focus early in the offseason. At the moment, Kelee Ringo is looking like the favorite to land the job. Ringo had a decent rookie campaign but saw a demotion to CB5 or 6 with the arrivals of Mitchell and DeJean. Ringo’s biggest competition for the position is likely veteran Adoree’ Jackson, though rookie fifth-round pick Mac McWilliams and reserve corner Eli Ricks could be longshots for the role.

The team’s first-round pick this year, Jihaad Campbell, will be an interesting name to watch in the preseason. Campbell was drafted as a linebacker but split his time at Alabama between the off-ball position and an edge rushing role. Because of this, Campbell could step in as a starter next to Zack Baun as an off-ball linebacker or compete for a role in a pass rushing group that doesn’t return many sacks from last year. Campbell is still recovering from a March shoulder surgery, but according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, he’s expected to be able to practice “in some form” by training camp.

At linebacker, it’s assumed that Nakobe Dean will have to start the season on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from a torn patellar tendon suffered late last season. If neither Dean nor Campbell are healthy enough to step in, second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would likely step in until someone is healthy.

Campbell may be needed on the edge, though. Nolan Smith returns as the top sack getter with 6.5, and Bryce Huff (2.5) and Jalyx Hunt (1.5) are the only other two returners at the position with sacks. The team did sign free agent Azeez Ojulari, who had six sacks with the Giants last year, but they’re also in the process of sending Huff to San Francisco, which would thin the position out even more. Kempski doesn’t mention Campbell’s potential impact on the edge, but that situation will evolve more once he can participate at training camp.

At safety and running back, the team is looking to two younger candidates to beat out their older counterparts. Second-round rookie Andrew Mukuba‘s ability to split time between safety and nickel make him uniquely appropriate to fill Gardner-Johnson’s vacancy as the starter next to Reed Blankenship. Kempski sees Sydney Brown as Mukuba’s main competition but believes that the team will sign a veteran that could end up splitting time with Mukuba.

Obviously, nobody is beating out Saquon Barkley for a starting job, but the Eagles feel confident that second-year back Will Shipley can adequately fill the role left vacant by Gainwell’s departure, based on what they saw from him in practice and games as a rookie. The only other experienced back on the roster is veteran AJ Dillon, who’s 40 pounds heavier than Shipley and plays a very different style of ball.

To wrap things up, Kempski mentions that five players — Kendall Lamm, Matt Pryor, Darian Kinnard, and six-round rookies Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams — will all be competing for the swing tackle role that has been heavily utilized by the team in recent years. He also adds that Tanner McKee likely showed enough last year to secure the QB2 role over sixth-round rookie Kyle McCord.

The Eagles finish up their Organized Team Activities with three practices over the next week and will hold mandatory minicamp on June 10, giving players plenty of opportunities to jockey for position before training camp. When training camp does role around, many of these battles will likely start to become clearer.

Eagles Rookie Jihaad Campbell Could End Up At Edge

May 17th, 2025 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

When the Eagles made their pick that they traded up a spot for in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, they announced him as “linebacker” Jihaad Campbell, marking the first time the franchise used a first-round pick on the position in 46 years. Per Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, though, Campbell may find himself playing more on the edge than off-ball in the NFL.

Four years ago, the Eagles watched Dallas take Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, whom they would eventually shift into a pass rusher. Philadelphia had needed to add to their pass rush but hadn’t evaluated Parsons as a pass rusher. If they had, they could have selected him two spots before the Cowboys ended up landing him, and according to McLane, they might have.

Parsons had started his career off-ball for the Nittany Lions, shifting to the edge for a season before moving back to linebacker and getting drafted. New Giants pass rusher Abdul Carter also played almost entirely off-ball for the Nittany Lions two years ago before moving exclusively to the edge in 2024.

Perhaps, seeing two such players in their division, the Eagles wanted to stay ahead of the curve and saw similar abilities in Campbell. When Campbell committed to Alabama out of IMG Academy (FL), he was a five-star edge prospect. Injuries to the Crimson Tide defense necessitated that Campbell fill in at linebacker, and he excelled at the position. After a season playing almost exclusively at linebacker in 2023, Campbell was utilized around the defense last year with a bit more versatility.

Philadelphia wasn’t going to make the same mistake they had with Parsons and made sure to evaluate his potential at both positions. In fact, they may have focused even more on his pass rushing potential, considering Campbell mentioned to the media that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and outside linebackers/defensive end coach Jeremiah Washburn were the coaches most involved in his pre-draft process.

Looking at the roster, there’s room for Campbell at both positions. The Eagles already took an underutilized defender in free agency in Zack Baun and made him a productive off-ball linebacker last year. Baun, a former pass rusher at Wisconsin, also holds the versatility to play at both spots, so Campbell may fit in right alongside him as a second versatile weapon that can move across the front seven. Nakobe Dean is still working his way back from last year’s season-ending injury and may not be ready to open the season, and second-year backer Jeremiah Trotter and rookie Smael Mondon Jr. may not be ready to step up as starters just yet.

If the team does feel comfortable with the makeup of their off-ball group for 2025, then there’s no reason Campbell can’t work in immediately in the pass rush. With the offseason departures of Josh Sweat (free agency) and Brandon Graham (retirement), there are plenty of passing rushing snaps and a starting spot across from Nolan Smith up for grabs. Bryce Huff, Jalyx Hunt, Azeez Ojulari, and Josh Uche should all contribute and compete for the open starting job, but none of them have anything secured at the moment.

The Eagles claim that they have not decided where Campbell will work as a rookie, and though the team has cross-trained players before, they seem to be under the impression that Campbell will need to stick with a single position group to start his career. Campbell is currently recovering from an in-season shoulder injury from last year after getting surgery in March. Additional medical red flags about his other shoulder and potentially his knee kept the Buccaneers and several other teams from taking a chance from him in the first round, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Without any prognosis on his full recovery, the Eagles should have some time before they need to make this call.

Draft Trade Notes: Chargers, Campbell, Loveland, Cowboys, Ravens, Conerly

April 25th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles wound up moving one spot up the first-round order last night. The move ensured the Super Bowl champions were able to select Jihaad Campbell, but that was not the only effort made to trade up the board.

Philadelphia negotiated with the Chargers about acquiring the No. 22 pick, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports. He adds Los Angeles was in conversation with multiple teams while on the clock, but the proposed deal with the Eagles may very well have fallen through due to an “issue” communicating it to the league.

By rule, both teams must contact the NFL separately to report the terms of a trade agreement. Since that did not take place in time, the Bolts retained their pick and drafted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton. The Eagles still wound up acquiring Campbell – the target of the attempted Chargers trade, per Florio – at No. 31. The Alabama product will look to make an immediate impact at the second level and/or on the edge during his rookie season.

Here are some other draft-related notes from last night’s opening round:

  • Colston Loveland was the first tight end to hear his name called on Thursday night. The Michigan alum went 10th overall to the Bears, a team which received interest for their top selection. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Loveland was the subject of trade calls leading up to Chicago’s pick. Movement on the trade front only took place much later in the round after the Bears committed to staying put. When speaking to the media on Friday, Loveland revealed (via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports) he is halfway through his shoulder rehab; with progress continuing to be made, he will aim to return to full health in time for the start of his rookie campaign.
  • For the third time in the past four years, the Cowboys looked to the offensive line during the first round of the draft. Alabama Guard Tyler Booker went 12th overall, a move which came as no surprise considering where the team’s board stood at the time. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports Booker was the highest-rated player available at that point out of the remaining prospects. Moore adds the Cowboys had 12 prospects with a first-round grade, which helps explain the decision to remain in place instead of trading down.
  • When speaking to the media, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) opportunities were presented to move down the order. Instead, Baltimore stayed put at No. 27 and took Georgia safety Malaki Starks. DeCosta said the team’s strong Starks evaluation allowed for the potential of a trade-down move to be outweighed by the upside of selecting him.
  •  The Browns and Texans own the top two selections in the second round, and to no surprise both teams are receiving calls. Last night, though, Cleveland and Houston showed interest in acquiring a late Day 1 selection; Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports the target in both cases was Josh Conerly Jr. The Oregon tackle came off the board at No. 29 (Commanders), which put an end to those efforts. Of course, that suggests help along the O-line will be a priority tonight for those teams.

Eagles Acquire No. 31, Draft Jihaad Campbell

April 24th, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles have pulled off a one-pick swap at the back of the first round. Philadelphia has acquired No. 31 from the Chiefs, sending Kansas City Nos. 32 and 164 (h/t ESPN’s Adam Schefter).

With the pick, the Eagles have selected Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Lingering as one of the best available prospects for an extended stretch tonight, Campbell will join the defending Super Bowl champions — after their trade with the team they walloped in February. As the Chiefs moved to draft tackle Josh Simmons at No. 32, the Eagles bolstered their linebacking corps with a rookie-scale asset.

Campbell established himself as a late-Day 1 or early-Day 2 pick following a strong showing in 2024. The Alabama linebacker finished the season with 117 tackles, five sacks, and 12 tackles for loss, a performance that earned him All-SEC honors.

Campbell drew praise for his coverage ability thanks to his athleticism and acceleration. Scouts weren’t as high on his run-stopping ability, although he lands in a good spot for his development in Philly. The prospect ultimately profiles as more of a middle linebacker, although he possesses the versatility and pass-rush prowess to also play on the edge.

The Eagles are apparently enamored with Campbell’s ability, as the team reportedly tried to trade up earlier in the first round to select the Alabama product. The player’s recovery from a shoulder injury may have slightly hurt his draft stock, a development that ended up working in Philly’s favor.

As Nakobe Dean recovers from a torn patellar tendon, Campbell could be called on to start at middle linebacker to begin the 2025 campaign. When the whole grouping is entirely healthy, Campbell may find himself in a rotational role playing behind Dean and Zack Baun. Campbell’s contract becomes critical now that the Eagles have paid Baun, who has gone from a one-year, $3.5MM deal to a three-year, $51MM pact after his first-team All-Pro season. With injuries marring Dean’s rookie contract, the Eagles paid up to make a more significant investment in a position they had recently devoted minimal resources to stocking.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

NFL Announces 17 Prospects Attending NFL Draft

April 14th, 2025 at 6:30pm CST by Ben Levine

There will be 17 draft prospects waiting in the green room to hear their name announced next week. The NFL announced the players who will attend the first round next Thursday night in Green Bay:

When players commit to attending the first round of the draft, their respective camps have often been given some kind of assurance that they’ll be selected within the top-32 picks. Of course, that’s not a prerequisite, and as we’ve seen many times, there are some overly-confident prospects who subsequently endure the very-public waiting game.

Per usual, the most notable inclusions surround the QB position. Cam Ward is the favorite to go first-overall, and Shedeur Sanders (who is absent from this list) is also expected to be selected at some point in the first round. After that, the position is pretty uncertain, and that could lead to some awkward moments for the other QBs who decided to attend.

Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe have firmly established themselves in that next tier of QB prospects, and recent reports have indicated that they should be at least Day 2 picks. There haven’t been any definitive reports about their Day 1 candidacy, and while we shouldn’t read too much into the list of attendees, it is notable that both prospects believe they have a shot of going in the top-32 selections.

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