The Philadelphia Eagles have done a masterful job in recent years of using their practice squad roster to develop players into contributors.
Based on the commentary from some of the team's biggest stars, it appears as though Howie Roseman and company have done it again with one of the veterans they snuck onto the taxi squad for the 2025 season. With that comes plenty of reason to hope he will be the next rotation piece to emerge as a "homegrown" contributor through that path to the 53-man roster.
With Nick Sirianni electing to rest several starters for the team's Week 18 contest against the Washington Commanders, the players typically peppered with questions concerning that week's opponent were able to offer their own insight into players who fans and pundits are not as familiar with.
“I think the scout team is what makes this team really good,” Zack Baun said this season, via Zach Berman of The Athletic. “It’s been the best scout team I’ve been around.”
Eagles Stars Single Out Practice Squad LB Chance Campbell
Chance Campbell entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2022. After a standout collegiate career for the University of Maryland and Ole Miss, Campbell was considered one of the more productive players coming out of the college ranks after exhausting his eligibility. In 38 career games, Campbell recorded 216 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for a loss, and 7.5 QB sacks. He really broke out onto the scene in his lone season in the SEC, however, as Campbell racked up 110 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss, and 6.5 QB sacks during his senior year with the Rebels.
It did not work out for him in Tennessee, though, as he only appeared in four games for the Titans before ultimately leaving the team via free agency in March of 2025. Campbell didn't join the Eagles until Aug. 20 before being waived on Aug. 26, then ultimately re-signing with the team's practice squad a day later. Judging from the comments from Saquon Barkley and Brett Toth regarding Campbell's play, the Eagles may have found the spark that made Campbell so impactful in college.
Saquon Barkley: (Pointing to linebacker Chance Campbell’s locker) “See this m------—-- right there? Really good. Like, probably one of the best scout team players I’ve ever gone against in my life.”
Brett Toth: “I’ll come and show you. (Walks over to Campbell’s locker.) This m------—-- right here has given us stomach ulcers. There’s different ways, like there are guys that play out of scheme, and it’s frustrating. And it’s frustrating for the individual, because I’ve been on (the scout team) for so long, you get caught in between as a guy that’s on the show team, in between trying to show your ability and trying to give the other side a good look. But for him, he’s done it. It’s not like he’s shooting, it’s not like he’s not playing the scheme that they’re telling (him to play). He’s just relentless and fast as hell. During the weeks, if you can catch him, you can catch the guy (in games).”
Jordan Mailata and Cam Jurgens also gave props to Campbell for his impact in practice this season.
As Berman noted in his piece for The Athletic, Jalyx Hunt and Moro Ojomo are recent examples of players navigating a similar path to Campbell before establishing themselves as key pieces of the puzzle in the City of Brotherly Love. Should Philadelphia have hit the jackpot again with Campbell, it would be another feather in the cap of Roseman as he continues to cement himself as one of the league's premier front office executives.