Starting safety opposite Reed Blankenship

Pre-camp analysis: The Eagles opened up a hole at safety after trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans this offseason. 

Brown was the third pick of the third round (66th overall) in the 2023 draft. He is fast, strong, explosive, and he can hit. His physical traits are very appealing, but he plays a little out of control and doesn't always see the field well.

In the 2025 draft, the Eagles selected another safety with a second-round pick in Mukuba, who does not have Brown's bulk or explosiveness but displayed much better awareness in college than Brown ever has. 

Vic Fangio was also sure to remind us not to forget about McCollum during a spring interview session when he was asked about a battle between Brown and Mukuba.

There's also the possibility that the Eagles could sign one of the available veteran safeties, say, like, Justin Simmons?

• 7/23: It's not great for any of the safeties competing for a starting spot that Cooper DeJean played safety in base defense. Mukuba and Brown split snaps when the defense was in nickel.

• 7/24: Once again, DeJean got safety reps in base. Mukuba got first-team reps in nickel. It's a bad sign for Brown that a late second-round rookie is getting first-team reps this early, even if they're splitting them.

• 7/26: Nothing particularly noteworthy from the safeties today, other than that Mukuba got some slot reps in dime.

• 7/28: Mukuba missed practice with a shoulder injury. He went down late in practice on Saturday. Mukuba can't afford to miss too much time as a rookie battling for a starting job.

• 7/29: Mukuba missed his second straight practice. The Eagles have a day off on Wednesday, so he'll have an extra day to heal up.

Fangio had perhaps his kindest words yet for Brown during a pre-practice presser.

"Yeah, he's finally getting to start in the OTAs, training camp to learn his way through the system and learn how we expect him to play, and he had no chance of that last year, so I see him getting better," Fangio said.

McCollum had a forced fumble. He hit Darius Cooper after a catch over the middle.

• 7/31: Mukuba missed his third day of practice.

It's probably also worth mentioning that although Brown hasn't made any splash plays yet, he also hasn't been obviously out of position yet either, which is his biggest concern. That maybe deserves a ✔️ after 6 practices.

• 8/1: Mukuba didn't participate in team drills for the fourth straight day. His limited status at least confirms that he's likely to return to the field soon.

• 8/3: Mukuba didn't participate in team drills for the fifth straight day. McCollum had a nice pass breakup near the sideline. Brown continues to solid-but-unspectacular.

• 8/4: Make it six for Mukuba, who is also unlikely to play in the first preseason game, per Fangio.

• 8/5: Mukuba participated in team drills for the first time since 7/26, though it was a non-padded practice. He was beaten on a contested catch by Dallas Goedert.

There's just not much to say about the safeties otherwise.

• 8/7 (Bengals at Eagles): I thought Brown looked good. He played under control, but also flew around the field and got to the ball quickly when he needed to. He did go to the medical to be evaluated for a stinger, but should be fine.

• 8/9: Mukuba is now a full go. He is no longer listed on the injury report.

• 8/10: Brown had a nice pass breakup on a pass to the front corner of the end zone intended for Dallas Goedert. Brown hasn't made a ton of plays this camp, but he has made more than he has given up. 

• 8/12: Mukuba got some first-team reps for the first time since the first week of camp, before he got hurt.

• 8/13 (joint practice with the Browns): Nothing notable from the safeties today.

• 8/14 (joint practice with the Browns): Brown apparently had a big decleater hit on Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin. (I didn't see it, but I have a point about it.)

We've said throughout camp that Brown hasn't made many plays, but also hasn't had egregious errors. He's not going to light up his teammates in practice, but he's happy to lay the wood a little to an opponent, whether that's in preseason games or joint practices.

If he can just be a steady safety who doesn't play out of control and occasionally has a big hit, putting some fear into opposing receivers, I think that's good enough for him to start.

• 8/16 (Browns at Eagles): Mukuba was the story of the game, as he had a 75-yard pick-6, and a recovered fumble. It was looking like Brown was close to landing the starting safety spot, but Mukuba's performance may have flipped the odds in his favor. We're going double rocket ships for Mukuba.

• 8/18: I would estimate that Mukuba got about 90 percent of the first-team reps, with Brown getting the others.

• 8/19: Mukuba left practice early with an apparent leg injury. That's terrible timing for Mukuba, who had seemed to have taken the lead.

• 8/22: Brown didn't suit up in the final preseason game. While Mukuba may eventually become the starter at safety this season, it feels like it'll be Brown Week 1. So let's call it.

Starting linebacker opposite Zack Baun

The combatants: Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter, Smael Mondon

Pre-camp favorite: Campbell

Pre-camp analysis: Zack Baun will start at one linebacker spot, and Nakobe Dean will almost certainly begin the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from a torn patellar tendon suffered in the playoffs. That leaves an open starting spot.

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. 

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Last season, the Eagles were ready to have Trotter and Oren Burks split snaps in the playoffs after Dean went down, but when Burks immediately played well, Fangio decided to just stick with him. 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.

And finally, there's Mondon, a rookie fifth-round pick, but one who played in huge games in college at Georgia, and who has obviously played with many of the Eagles' starters, also from Georgia. He's a longshot to start, but he has talent, so we'll see.

• 7/23: Trotter got first-team reps on Day 1, but the fact that Campbell is a lot further along in his rehab than was anticipated has to make him the clear favorite to win the starting job.

• 7/24: Fangio had a press conference this morning and said that the trainers told him for most of the offseason that August was the timetable for Campbell’s return. He was surprised that Campbell was good to go, like us. He joked that trainers "understate and overachieve so they look good.” 

Campbell's athleticism is pretty obvious through these first two days of camp.

• 7/26: Campbell got first-team reps for the first time today. I think this battle has a good chance of being the first one called.

• 7/28: Trotter did some nice things today. He had a pass breakup in the middle of the field, and a nice pop on a run stop of his former Clemson teammate Will Shipley.

In RB vs. LB 1-on-1's, it was a tough session for Campbell, who went 0 for 5, getting beaten by A.J. Dillon, Will Shipley twice, and Keilan Robinson twice. After the drill, Campbell gave himself some penalty pushups. (I'll note here that this is a very hard drill for the linebackers.)

Mondon missed practice with an illness.

• 7/29: Though we have assumed that Campbell will be the starter Week 1, Trotter has had a good start to camp. Today he had a nice pop on a Will Shipley run. He also had tight coverage on a corner route by Dallas Goedert, and caused an incomplete pass. He always seems to be in the right spot, and has made plays all over the field.

Campbell made some plays as well. He had a few run stops, and he had close coverage on Goedert, knocking him to the ground as he caught a pass for a short gain. 

We haven't mentioned Mondon much here, but he looks tough and athletic. However, there's no real path to him starting unless the Eagles suffer some injuries, so we can probably eliminate him from the competition.

• 7/31: Campbell had a rep in which he laid out FB Ben VanSumeren, who looked like he didn't know what hit him. VanSumeren went to the ground and was shaken up on the play. Campbell also got some opportunities to rush the passer from the edge today, but was shut down by rookie OT Myles Hinton. Still, it's a positive sign that the Eagles continue to put more on Campbell's plate.

• 8/1: Campbell has been fast and physical against the run and at times in zone coverage, but he struggled today in man coverage. At one point in practice it almost looked like Hurts was picking on him, because he was targeted three or four times on one drive, and he gave up a long TD to Will Shipley on a wheel route.

• 8/3: Trotter sidestepped a Steen block and made a "tackle." And again, Mondon isn't likely to start, but it's pretty clear that he can play. He seems to make our practice notes every day.

• 8/4: Fangio lamented the short amount of time the coaching staff has to get Campbell ready for the regular season, which is interesting. Trotter will no doubt be more mentally ready Week 1. Could they start Trotter early on and ease Campbell in?

• 8/5: Every day, Mondon does something impressive. Today, he had blanket coverage on Saquon Barkley, who looked like the primary receiver on the play. Jalen Hurts waited a bit for Barkley to break free from Mondon's coverage, but Mondon suffocated him and Hurts was forced to look elsewhere.

If I had no idea about draft statuses or the backgrounds of of these players and I were asked who the best linebacker has been this summer, for me it would be Mondon. He's athletic, he can cover, he's physical against the run, and he seems willing to do the dirty work stuff. He can play.

And that's not even an indictment on Campbell or Trotter, who have both done their share of positive things this summer. Mondon has just been that good.

Could Mondon start? I think it's unlikely. If a rookie fifth-round linebacker in Mondon were to start over a first-round rookie at the same position in Campbell, I think that would bring a lot of unfair scrutiny on Campbell, who would be unfairly judged for not performing, when in reality he looks good too. Campbell also probably has a significantly higher ceiling than Mondon, and the more he plays the quicker he'll reach that ceiling. But with Fangio, you never know. If he thinks Mondon is currently the better player and puts the Eagles in a better position to win games, maybe he just plays the guy who is playing better right now. 

But Mondon has done enough that I'm adding him back into the competition.

• 8/7 (Bengals at Eagles): I've been talking up Mondon for weeks now, and then he missed like three tackles. Ugh. (We don't get to see these guys tackle in practice.)

Trotter had 6 tackles; Campbell had a near-INT.

• 8/9: Trotter did a nice job of getting into Hurts' passing lane on a blitz, causing an incomplete pass during a session in which the offense was backed up at their own 1 yard line.

• 8/10: Trotter and Campbell both had sacks on blitzes. They both got into the backfield and then sidestepped Saquon Barkley, who completely whiffed on his blocks.

• 8/12: Nothing notable from the linebackers today.

• 8/13 (joint practices with the Browns): Nothing super notable from the linebackers today.

• 8/14 (joint practices with the Browns): I exclusively watched the Eagles' O vs. the Browns' D today. Sorry.

• 8/16 (Browns at Eagles): Campbell looked explosive on his blitz that resulted in a sack of Dillon Gabriel.

Mondon had a bounce-back game of sorts after a poor tackling day Week 1. Trotter had 7 tackles, but also squandered opportunities for other plays that were there to be made.

We're this close 🤏 to calling Campbell the starter.

• 8/18: Campbell had a batted pass, a pass breakup on a ball intended for Dallas Goedert, and he was right there to stop Saquon Barkley on a swing pass. Campbell is beginning to play faster as he learns Vic Fangio's defense.

• 8/19: Trotter blew up a shovel pass to Saquon Barkley. He saw it the whole way and met Barkley as he was making the catch for a tackle for loss.

No obvious highlights from Campbell, but man, does he look fast flying around the field, and he got the majority of the fist team reps new to Zack Baun, who has returned to the lineup. I've seen enough.

Swing tackle

The combatants: Kendall Lamm, Matt Pryor, Darian Kinnard, Myles Hinton, Cameron Williams

Pre-camp favorite: Lamm

Pre-camp analysis: Here's how I'd rank the combatants, pre-camp: 

1) Kendall Lamm: Lamm is a career backup who has stuck in the NFL for 10 years, playing for the Texans, Browns, Titans, and most recently, the Dolphins. He has appeared in 119 games, with 44 starts, and has experience playing both tackle spots. He has played 973 snaps at LT and 1,611 snaps at RT. He started 15 games over the last two seasons combined for Miami.

2) Matt Pryor: Pryor has played four positions along the offensive line, which is something the Eagles value. He has 427 career snaps played at LT, 718 at RT. The bulk of his work in the NFL has come at RG, where he has played 1,645 career snaps, hence his inclusion in the starting RG discussion above. He started 15 games for the Bears in 2024.

3) Darian Kinnard: Kinnard has experience playing at LT and RT in college at Kentucky. He has only played 71 career snaps in the NFL, 68 of which came at RT against the Giants in a meaningless Week 18 game last season. Kinnard has been in the league three seasons, and he has three Super Bowl rings, having played for Kansas City in his first two. So, you know, he's also a good luck charm.

4) Myles Hinton: Hinton, a sixth-round rookie, will make the 53-man roster as long as he shows something in camp, but he'll have to be really good to be immediately trusted as a swing tackle. He has experience playing both sides in collage at Michigan and Stanford.

5) Cameron Williams: Williams is yet another sixth-round rookie, who again will make the roster as long as he shows something, but I less like his potential as a swing tackle in the short term than Hinton, because Williams only played RT at Texas.

• 7/23: Lamm got second-team reps at LT, and Kinnard got second-team reps at RT. Pryor got reps at guard. We'll give checks to Lamm and Kinnard.

Hinton got third-team reps at LT, with Cameron Williams at RT.

• 7/24: Nothing much to say here until we see these guys with pads on and/or in 1-on-1's.

• 7/26: First padded practice will be 7/29.

• 7/28: Williams had a really tough day, particularly in 1-on-1's. On Williams' first rep, recently signed edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo just ran right around him. On the next rep, Williams false started (they let it go), and Okoronkwo tried an inside move with Williams ending up on the ground. Williams is going to be a long work in progress. I'm already ready to eliminate him from swing tackle consideration. He also feels like a strong candidate for a redshirt IR season.

• 7/29: Kinnard struggled. He gave up a few pressures -- and at least one sack -- to Josh Uche.

• 7/31: With Lane Johnson getting a rest day, Pryor got first-team reps at RT.

• 8/1: Lamm had a positive day as well. He made a heady play to come across the formation and pick up an unblocked blitzing Campbell. He also had a nice red zone block on edge rusher Ochaun Mathis.

Hinton had a loss in 1-on-1's against Gabe Hall, and he got beaten for a sack in 11-on-11's by Ochaun Mathis.

• 8/3: Lamm had a bad day. He got bullied on a run play by Moro Ojomo and Smael Mondon, and he got ran over by Josh Uche when he was off balance on his kick slide.

The best rookie offensive lineman so far has been Hinton, in my opinion. He drove a lineman (I think it was Byron Young?) five yards down the field on a run block today, and just generally speaking looks the part of an athletic, moldable player. 

• 8/4: Pryor was up and down in 1-on-1's, but he had a big block on Patrick Johnson on a trap play.

• 8/5: For a while Pryor was the second-team RG and Kinnard was the second-team RT. But over the last few practices, they have flip-flopped. Why? My guess is that Tyler Steen has secured the starting RG job, so Pryor is no longer competing for that, so they're getting looks at him at RT. I think that means that the team has Pryor higher on the backup OL totem pole than Kinnard. (I think we can eliminate Kinnard from the swing tackle discussion.)

• 8/7 (Bengals at Eagles): Lamm started and only played 14 snaps, which bodes well for him.

• 8/9: During 1-on-1's, Ogbo Okoronkwo absolutely smoked Lamm on an inside spin, and then beat him to the outside on the next rep. Tough session for Lamm.

The Eagles may not have a swing tackle this season. It might be Lamm as the backup LT, Pryor as the backup RT, as well as at some other spots.

• 8/10: Landon Dickerson got hurt, though his prognosis was not as bad as it could have been. He could be ready for Week 1. His injury could affect the swing tackle job if Pryor starts picking up more reps at guard as a result of Dickerson's injury.

• 8/12: The belief here is that if Dickerson misses any game, Pryor will start at one of the guard spots. However, in the first practice that Dickerson was out, Brett Toth got first-team reps at LG. 

• 8/13 (joint practice with the Browns): Lamm had a tough rep in which he got bull rushed by former Eagles camp cut Julian Okwara. He has had his share of bad moments in camp.

• 8/14 (joint practice with the Browns): Pryor filled in for Lane Johnson at first-team RT, which is notable enough, but also, he had an outstanding seal block on the edge. He pinned his man inside (didn't see who it was), and there was nobody outside to tackle A.J. Dillon.

• 8/16 (Browns at Eagles): Lamm, Pryor, and Hinton all gave up pressures that got Eagles quarterbacks hit, to varying degrees of consequence.

• 8/18: Nothing super noteworthy today.

• 8/19: Jeff Stoutland mixed things up on Tuesday.

With Jordan Mailata out, Pryor got first-team reps at LT. Lamm had previously been the next guy up at LT. Instead, Lamm was the second-team RT, and Myles Hinton was the second-team LT.

Pryor got beaten by Jalyx Hunt for two sacks. On one of the sacks, the team played out the rep anyway, and a flustered Jalen Hurts threw it right to Nolan Smith for an INT.

Pryor is probably in the lead here, but he also hasn't looked very good. We'll give him a ✔️ for getting first-team reps at LT, but also a 🚨 for not playing well.

• 8/22: Lamm isn't likely to even make the team, while Pryor got the night off. Pryor is the backup RT, and a minimum, and likely also the backup LT. Pray that Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson don't get hurt.

UPDATE: Oops, nevermind! The Eagles traded for Fred Johnson, who will be the Eagles' swing tackle in 2025. 

RB2, behind Saquon Barkley

Pre-camp analysis: I really don't think this is much of a camp battle, as the team likes Shipley, who will be given every opportunity to be the RB2 / two-minute offense back. We'll just include it here for the fantasy football community.

• 7/23: Dillon got reps before Shipley, but it felt like Shipley got more reps overall. Shipley had an impressive run, exploding through the right side of the line.

• 7/24: It felt like Shipley and Dillon got a similar number of reps. Nothing much in the way of highlights or lowlights.

• 7/26: Dillon and Shipley were quiet today. I did like what I saw from rookie UDFA Montrell Johnson, who has caught my eye early in camp.

• 7/28: Montrell Johnson had an explosive run after a nice jump cut on Saturday. He had another explosive run today that got the attention of Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts, who both went out of their way to give Johnson kudos after the run. Johnson isn't a realistic candidate to be the RB2, but he's making a case for himself to make the team.

I thought Dillon and Shipley both caught the ball well in 1-on-1's.

• 7/29: Shipley had a standout day. He made a bunch of catches, including a TD on a nice Texas route. He also had a shifty run in the red zone. His best trait is cutting in the open field while continuing to run forward, almost sort of slalom style.

• 7/31: LB Lance Dixon came free through the line on a blitz, and Shipley wiped him out with a great block in pass pro. Shipley can catch the ball, and he has some big play explosiveness, but can he pass protect? If not, it'll be hard to trust him in a passing down role. He looked good in that area today.

Dillon was a limited participant, and did not play at all in team drills.

• 8/1: Shipley had a very good day. He smoked Jihaad Campbell on a wheel route that went for a touchdown. That was Jalen Hurts' easiest downfield throw of the day because of how open Shipley got. And for the second straight day Shipley had a nice blitz pickup, this time on a corner coming off the edge (I didn't see who). He also had a nice TD run in a red zone session. Shipley can play. To be determined if he can be consistent in pass protection, but I'm pretty confident that he will be an upgrade on Kenny Gainwell as a runner and receiver. 

• 8/3: Dillon made a nice jump cut on one of his carries before getting to the outside. When he gets to top speed he looks like a scary player to have to tackle, but it takes him a bit to accelerate.

• 8/4: Quiet day from the backup RBs.

• 8/5: Both backup running backs did nice things today in the passing game. Shipley had a pair of catches in the flat in which he caught the ball and turned upfield without ever breaking stride. That might not sound like much, but he looked smooth and efficient, with no wasted steps, putting himself in the best position possible to get yards after the catch. Not every running back does that well.

Dillon had a nice run after the catch on a screen play. He too has caught the ball well all camp.

• 8/7 (Bengals at Eagles): Shipley had a 38-yard run through a hole that ESP could have run through. Dillon looked like a serviceable backup, rushing 5 times for 27 yards. No separation here, in my opinion.

• 8/9: Nothing notable from the backs today.

• 8/10: Nothing notable from the backs today.

• 8/12: Dillon caught a handful of passes. I've been surprised by the ease with which he catches the ball.

• 8/13 (joint practices with the Browns): Shipley had a nice run through a gaping hole. But more importantly, Shipley had a great block in pass pro against a blitzing Jerome Baker.

• 8/14 (joint practice with the Browns): A.J. Dillon had a roughly 20-yard TD run on a play in which the Eagles' O-line opened up a gigantic hole. 

Shipley made a nice block in pass protection, sending LB Carson Schwesinger to the ground.

• 8/16 (Browns at Eagles): Shipley got the day off, a clear indication that he's the RB2, while Dillon made a boneheaded play in the game. This competition is over.

Other positions that I don't think are legitimate camp battles, but are on watch and could be added later

1. QB2 / QB3
2. WR3
3. EDGE 3/4