Eagles open 2024 training camp with Nakobe Dean on the PUP list. See how rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Zack Baun are stepping up in his absence on July 25.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
The confetti has been swept, the rings have been sized, and the Lombardi Trophy has found its new home. But in the world of the NFL, yesterday's celebration is today's target. The Philadelphia Eagles officially began their Super Bowl title defense on Friday, opening training camp with a mix of palpable energy, brewing position battles, and crucial questions about the health of the roster. The road to a repeat is long, and the first steps were taken today at the NovaCare Complex.
The practice squad is made for a guy like Gabe...we're anxious to see what he can and can't do.
The biggest question mark entering camp was the linebacker position, and Day 1 only amplified the drama. Nakobe Dean, the expected defensive signal-caller, began camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he recovers from a torn patellar tendon. His absence thrusts free agent signee Zack Baun and rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. into the starting roles. While it's a dream scenario for the hometown kid Trotter Jr., it's a trial by fire. There was some good news, however, as first-round pick Jihaad Campbell, recovering from shoulder surgery, was a limited participant, putting him ahead of schedule. The team is also exercising caution with DT Jalen Carter (shoulder) and G Kenyon Green (knee), who both sat out, though their issues aren't considered long-term.
Vic Fangio's influence is already being felt on the defensive side of the ball. The secondary saw plenty of movement, with Kelee Ringo taking the majority of first-team reps at the outside corner spot opposite Darius Slay, putting him in direct competition with veteran Adoree' Jackson. A.J. Brown promptly welcomed Ringo to camp with a spectacular sideline catch, a 'welcome to the league' moment for the second-year corner. Perhaps more intriguing was the deployment of rookie Cooper DeJean, who saw snaps at safety in base packages, hinting at the versatile, positionless defense Fangio is known for. Fangio himself was cautiously optimistic in his presser, noting it's too early for evaluations but singling out defensive lineman Gabe Hall as a 'guy the practice squad is made for,' praising his potential.
If fans are still basking in the glow of a Super Bowl victory, the players are not. Key offensive leaders spoke to the media with a unified message: 2024 is over. 'We have to evolve,' said running back Saquon Barkley, emphasizing his desire to lead and stay healthy. A.J. Brown echoed the sentiment, stressing the importance of continuing to build chemistry with Jalen Hurts. The message from veterans like Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson was the same. The focus is singular, the hunger is real, and the goal isn't to defend a title, but to win a new one.
As if the internal pressure wasn't enough, the NFL has laid out a brutal path for the Birds in 2025. The season will kick off in primetime on Thursday, September 4, with a home game against the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys. That's just the start. The Eagles' schedule is one of the league's toughest, featuring five primetime contests, a Black Friday game, and a highly anticipated Super Bowl LIX rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs. The target on their back is massive, and the journey begins with their biggest rival under the brightest lights.
It's only Day 1. Pads haven't even come on yet. But the storylines for the 2025 season are already taking shape. From the health of the linebacker corps to the competition in the secondary and the immense challenge of their schedule, the Eagles' path back to the Super Bowl is fraught with obstacles. For now, the work begins, the battles commence, and Philadelphia holds its breath, ready for the hunt to begin all over again.
