Handicapping the Eagles' hottest training camp battles

One of the reasons Eagles training camp is so highly anticipated this summer is because there is legitimate competition at a number of important spots.

It’s unusual for a team coming off an 11-win season to have this much competition, but it wasn’t an ordinary 11-win season. Not the way it finished.

Eleven guys who started at least one game on defense are gone, as well as eight on offense. That’s a lot. Those departures – including a couple prominent retirements – mean battles all over the place for roster spots, for playing time, for starting positions.

It all starts Wednesday morning at the NovaCare Complex. 

Let’s handicap six of the most important competitions we’ll all be watching over the next few weeks at training camp and in the preseason games.

Right guard

The candidates: Tyler Steen, Matt Hennessy, Mekhi Becton, Max Scharping, Trevor Keegan

Steen gets first crack at a position that’s been in flux for the Eagles for a while. In the 13 years Jason Kelce played center, the Eagles used 19 different right guards, including such all-time greats as Jack Anderson, Andrew Gardner, Kyle DeVan and Jamon Brown. I think we all miss the Jamon Brown Era. The Eagles really want Steen to win the job. He’s a 3^rd-round pick, he just turned 24 and they believe after transitioning from college tackle to NFL guard last year, he can be a very good interior lineman. But there are options. If Steen struggles, there’s Hennessy, the former Temple and Don Bosco Prep player, who started 22 games at center and guard for the Falcons, and Becton, a former high 1^st-round pick who’s only 25 and worked at both guard and tackle after joining the Eagles in the spring. Scharping is an interesting option. He’s the most experienced of the group, having made 33 starts at guard for the Texans and Bengals over the last five years. It’s the obvious pick, but I’m going with Steen. I like his attitude, I like how accountable he was talking about last year and the work he knew he had to do this offseason, and I like how he embraced a position change. He’s a big, strong, athletic kid, and he’ll certainly be challenged this summer, but I think he ends up winning this battle.

The prediction: Steen

Third wide receiver

The candidates: Parris Campbell, John Ross, Joseph Ngata, Ainias Smith, Johnny Wilson, Britain Covey

It’s an interesting group with a bunch of guys who are trying to overcome adversity and are easy to root for, but there’s nobody in there who you have confidence in if A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith miss a few weeks or even a few series. The drop-off from WR2 to WR3 is huge. Can Campbell finally be a factor after very limited production as a 2^nd-round pick? Can Ross revive his career after not playing for two years and catching just 13 passes since 2020? Can Smith or Wilson contribute as late-round rookies? Ultimately, I expect WR3 on opening day to be someone who isn’t currently on the roster. Unless Campbell or Ross has a huge camp and really earns the confidence of Jalen Hurts and Kellen Moore, I can’t see Howie Roseman going into the season with Brown, Smith and a few huge question marks.

The prediction: Someone not currently on the roster.

Outside corner

The candidates: Quinyon Mitchell, Kelee Ringo, Isaiah Rodgers

This is the biggie. You can make a case for Mitchell, the 1^st-round rookie from Toledo. Certainly the Eagles want to get their prized rookie on the field as soon as he’s ready. You can make a case for Ringo, who showed a lot of promise once he finally got on the field late last year and looked terrific in the spring. You can make a case for Rodgers, who had 10 starts and played over 1,000 snaps at outside corner with the Colts from 2020 through 2022 before missing last year but looked like he hadn’t missed a day in OTAs. There are some long shot candidates. Eli Ricks did some good things as an undrafted rookie last year. Undrafted rookie Shon Stephens had 16 interceptions the last two years on the Division II level. Josh Jobe has been around three years now, and his special teams ability will help him snag a spot on the 53. But it’s going to come down to Mitchell, Ringo and Rodgers. Any of the three would be an upgrade over what we saw last year from aging James Bradberry, and all three are likely to get reps with the first defense at camp. This is going to be fun, and I’m sure Vic Fangio will find roles for all these guys, but when it comes to starting on opening day opposite Darius Slay, I expect Mitchell to have the edge. 

The prediction: Quinyon Mitchell

Slot

The candidates: Avonte Maddox, Zech McPhearson, Eli Ricks, Mario Goodrich, Cooper DeJean

A lot of candidates here but one who makes more sense than any of them. With Maddox’s injury history – he’s played just 13 games the last two years – I can’t imagine the Eagles counting on him as the primary slot, although when he’s healthy he’s very good. I do think he’ll be on the 53 as a backup at slot, safety and even in an emergency at outside corner – if he can stay healthy. McPhearson was in the mix before he got hurt last year and missed the entire season, and we don’t know where he is medically going into camp. Ricks played 146 of his 301 snaps last year in the slot so he’s in the equation. Then there’s DeJean. With his size, intelligence and toughness, DeJean is a prototype slot, and we saw him lining up mostly inside in spring practices. Bottom line is I don’t think the Eagles drafted DeJean to sit. I expect him to get some reps here and there outside, but the Eagles are so deep outside that slot makes perfect sense for the rookie 2^nd-round pick. If DeJean has a good camp and shows he can handle the challenges of playing inside, I think he gets the nod.

The prediction: Cooper DeJean

Off-ball linebacker

The candidates: Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Ben VanSumeren

The big question here is Dean. Baun was the surprising 1^st-team off-ball linebacker across from Devin White during spring practices, and he’s a smart veteran guy, but it’s hard to imagine the Eagles are so down on Dean that the former Georgia star won’t even have a chance to compete this summer. He was a 3^rd-round pick just two years ago and has barely played since – 216 career snaps, most of them with a foot injury. This could just be Vic Fangio making Dean work his way up, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I still think when all is said and done, Dean and White will be the Eagles’ starting linebackers. But Dean needs an active, productive training camp to separate himself from the pack.

The prediction: Nakobe Dean

Tight end 2

The candidates: Grant Calcaterra, C.J. Uzomah, Albert Okwuegbunam, E.J. Jenkins

With Jack Stoll gone and Dallas Goedert missing 15 games over the last four years, TE2 becomes a fairly important position. Tight ends not named Goedert played over 600 snaps last year but caught only nine passes for 77 yards. If defenses know one of the eligible receivers isn’t getting the ball, now you’ve become much easier to defend. Calcaterra barely played last year. Uzomah had a couple 40-catch seasons with the Bengals, but they were back in 2018 and 2021. Albert O. had a 330-yard season with the Broncos in 2021 but not much before or since. Jenkins has never played in the NFL, although he spent some time on the Eagles’ practice squad last year. No clear leader here, although you can make a case for Albert O. since the Eagles liked him enough to keep him on the roster all last year, he was once a 4^th-round pick, he’s only 26, and he probably has the most upside of a limited group. This is a position Howie Roseman could still add between now and opening day, but if any of these guys take ownership of the spot, Albert O. is most likely.

The prediction: Albert Okwuegbunam