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Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles more or less have their depth chart locked.
Returning 10 of their 11 offensive starters from their 2024 Super Bowl run, both their kicker and punter, and a deep defensive depth chart groomed to take on bigger roles this fall, the Eagles have a few interesting positional battles heading into the fall, but for the most part, their final depth chart shouldn't have too many surprises.
But what happens if one of the Eagles' expected starters ends up faltering, or another player beats expectations and forces their way into the starting lineup? Are there any expected Week 1 starters who could be in danger of losing their job?
Well, until the final 53-man depth chart is finalized by Howie Roseman, Nick Sirianni, and company, there is still room for Eagles players to rise, fall, or do something in between before Week 1, including a few who should be considered anything but locks to start versus the Dallas Cowboys.
2. Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Technically, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is a first-string starter in name only, as if Nakobe Dean didn't suffer a season-ending injury in the playoffs that will undoubtedly creep into the fall, he would still be a reserve, competing for second-string units and hoping to earn some run in defensive subpackages this fall.
Instead, “Axman Jr.” has been putting in work alongside Zach Baun in the starting lineup of Vic Fangio's defense, learning how to play alongside one of the most impressive off-ball linebackers in the business, all the while soaking in what it means to be in the middle of a Super Bowl-winning defense.
And yet, while Trotter Jr. starting in Week 1 would be the ultimate feel-good story for Eagles fans, as it would truly represent a full-circle moment two decades in the making, he might not have an iron grip on the spot even as Dean recovers. Why? Because Jihad Campbell is officially on the scene, and looks like he might just push Baun not just for a starting spot, but for the title of best off-ball linebacker in the business.
But what about playing Campbell in a hybrid role, allowing him to play as many snaps as an edge rusher as an off-ball coverage player, as some, including Howie Roseman, hinted at heading into the summer? Well, according to Fangio during his Monday media session, Campbell is likely closer to playing inside linebacker than out, as he doesn't want to overload the rookie.
“Yeah, that's a good question, and it's a harder question with the practice time and reps not being way up there. It's a fine line that we're trying to manage. We're probably a little guilty of putting too much on his plate, but time is coming, days are disappearing. You see scenario inside linebacker playing inside linebacker,” Fangio explained to reporters.
“Yeah, he needs a lot of work at it. Again… that's adding things to his plate right now, and in defense of him, he hadn't been coached up enough to be on the edge and play the way we want to play. So part of that's him being overloaded, part of that's us not getting him ready, which is just a product of lack of time and lack of reps.”
Could Campbell get hot on a few rushes at some point this season and transition into more of a hybrid role? Potentially so, but for now, it appears that the Eagles are looking to play the rookie first-round pick on the inside, which puts Trotter Jr. firmly on notice moving forward.
1. Kelee Ringo
At this point, what else is there to say about Kelee Ringo and his rough start to training camp?
Once considered the heavy favorite to win the outside cornerback spot vacated by Darius Slay when he was released earlier in the offseason, apparently, no one told that to Adoree' Smith, who joined the Eagles as a potential inside-out reserve but has since forced his way into the CB2 conversation as a potential starter.
One player is young, the other is old. One player is an elite athlete, the other is at the end of his athletic prime. And one is incredibly raw, having only played 311 defensive snaps in the NFL, while the other has been in the NFL since 2017, with 5294 snaps and counting on his defensive resume.
If the Eagles' coaches were handed truth serum, they would absolutely say that the best possible outcome of this summer would be for Ringo to win the job, as that would lock up a 22-year-old starter with one more year of team control in 2026. But what if neither player is good enough to play at the level Fangio needs for his defense to succeed this fall? Roseman just traded for former Las Vegas Raiders starter Jakorian Bennett, which may be more about adding another name to the competition than simply padding out depth, where the team already has five viable cornerbacks, excluding Cooper DeJean.
Discussing the competition on Tuesday, Sirianni explained what he's seen from his cornerbacks and why he's actually excited to have competition in camp.
“Again, just adding depth to that position. I think both of those guys have done an outstanding job, and I know [Defensive Coordinator] Vic [Fangio] talked about that yesterday. That's a battle,” Sirianni noted. “You love having battles, and I think you can look out there and see Adoree' make a play and you see Kelee make a play, and you guys have seen it. They're doing a really nice job and [we're] excited about how they worked and how they worked all offseason, how they worked all summer and came in here ready to compete.”
Will the cream ultimately rise to the top like “Macho Man” Randy Savage used to say? Or will opposing quarterbacks have a clear target every single snap they drop back to throw this fall? While only time will tell, this will unquestionably be a position to watch moving forward.
Eagles' honorable mentions – Elijah Cooks
Though not a starter, if there's one player on the Eagles roster who could go on a dark horse run to become a legit player this fall, it's probably Elijah Cooks, the former Jacksonville Jaguars receiver who joined the Birds earlier this summer.
A former UDFA out of San Jose State, Cooks has consistently impressed fans, reporters, and his coaches alike with to his impressive body control, turning 50-50 balls into 70-30 balls, as he explained to Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“I always looked at that as a strength,” Cooks said. “I used to play basketball, so going up and getting them 50-50 balls is kind of just my specialty. That's what I've always loved to do. I did it in college, tried to transition it into the league.”
Will Cooks beat out AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith for a starting spot? No. But is there a world where he goes on an absolute tear and not only makes the final 53-man roster, likely over a player like Ainias Smith, but actually overtake Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson as WR3? That would certainly be a sight to see.
