The Philadelphia Eagles have used the last couple of months to fine-tune the roster. It's impossible for an NFL team to be the same year over year, and the Eagles are no different. Despite winning Super Bowl 59, they had to make some changes to the team this offseason.
Linebacker is one position that saw some movement, and heading into the last preseason game, it looks like Jihaad Campbell has locked down the starting spot across from Zack Baun.
According to Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice, Campbell has been on the field all summer after it was initially reported that he would miss time at the start of camp. And that hasn't boded well for Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
Kempski wrote, "Campbell was the Eagles' first round selection this year, and he is a physical specimen, with an outstanding blend of size and athleticism. Vic Fangio indicated that Campbell wouldn't be a full participant in practice until sometime in August. But surprisingly, he was a full go on Day 1."
We've made another call in our Eagles 2025 training camp battle tracker ✅
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) August 20, 2025
3 camp battles down, 3 still to be decided...https://t.co/ZHOzMoIXv6
Eagles Jihaad Campbell Leading the Way in LB Competition
He added, "When it was assumed that Campbell would miss a chunk of camp, Trotter was seemingly in a great position to be the short-term starter. But Campbell's availability probably changes that dynamic."
Campbell tore his labrum and underwent surgery in March that forced him to stay on the sideline throughout the spring. That's why it was believed that Trotter Jr. would step in and be a force on the second level.
Last season as a rookie, Trotter Jr. racked up 25 total tackles and 0.5 sacks. Despite logging just 108 total snaps, he finished with an 85.1 overall grade (8th among 189 graded linebackers), 64.2 run-defense grade (93rd among 189 graded linebackers), and a 90 coverage grade (2nd among 189 graded linebackers) on PFF.
While he was a fifth-round pick, Trotter Jr. hasn't been able to beat out Campbell. There's a reason the Eagles used a first-round selection on Campbell, and it's already showing. Last season for the Crimson Tide, he had 117 total tackles, 12 TFLs, five sacks, and one pick.
Just last week against the Cleveland Browns, he played in 29 total snaps, logging an 85 overall grade and 78.2 coverage grade per PFF.
His athleticism, speed, and awareness have been evident on the field, and it looks like he's set to lock down the starting spot across from Baun. And he didn't need the final preseason game against the New York Jets to do so.