
June 12, 2025
New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley (57) looks up at the scoreboard from the bench against the Tennessee Titans during the second half during the second half at Nissan Stadium.
As he typically does each offseason, Eagles personnel chief Howie Roseman filled many roster holes through veteran free-agent signings and draft picks, which should help alleviate the truckload of departures from free agency and trades, especially on defense.
Because of Roseman’s signings, the Eagles have good competition this summer at nearly every position, including cornerback (to replace Darius Slay), safety (to replace C.J. Gardner Johnson), defensive tackle (to replace Milton Williams), EDGE (to replace Josh Sweat) and backup running back (to replace Kenneth Gainwell).
But one position that Roseman, the team’s longtime executive vice president of football operations, should be still trying to repair and replenish is inside linebacker. The Eagles are razor-thin at that position, not because of veteran Oren Burks’ departure but because Nakobe Dean and Jihaad Campbell are both out indefinitely with injuries, and because the team converted Ben VanSumeren into a fullback.
As they wrapped up their spring activities Tuesday with a mandatory minicamp, the Eagles showcased just how vulnerable they are in the middle of Vic Fangio’s defense. All-Pro Zack Baun took the day off because of “general soreness,” relegating second-year pro Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and rookie fifth-rounder Smael Mondon Jr. as the starting ILB tandem.
The only healthy bodies remaining were Dallas Gant, a 2024 undrafted rookie who appeared in two games for the Eagles last year as a practice-squad elevation, and Lance Dixon, one of this year’s rookie free agents. (Of interest to maybe only me: Gant and Dixon both played college ball at Toledo, giving the Eagles four total Toledo alums including Quinyon Mitchell and Maxen Hook).
Here's a look at the current, healthy Eagles depth chart at ILB (rookies are bolded):
1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team |
Zack Baun | Smael Mondon Jr. | Lance Dixon |
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. | Dallas Gant | ???? |
Anyway, when camp begins next month, the Eagles will need way more than five healthy bodies at ILB just to to carry out practices with first, second and third strings, along with special teams groups. The Birds could probably use two more ILBs on the 90-man roster as the position generally tends to see injuries pile up during camp.
At the start of free agency, NFL.com’s Greg Rosenthal compiled his list of the top 101 free agents, but nine of the 10 already have signed.
It’s still at buyer’s market at ILB for teams that could use veteran depth. Let’s check out some free agents who’d make sense for Fangio’s rebuilt defense:
Easily one of the most accomplished inside linebackers on the open market. The 11-year veteran and 17th overall pick from 2017 was once a tackling machine and four-time Pro Bowler for the Ravens before signing a major free-agent deal with the Jets, for whom he played six seasons – five, really, since he sat out 2020 because of Covid – and made his fifth Pro Bowl. Some freak injuries last year – to his toe and another to his neck during a warmup – limited him to just four games, and it’s unclear what Mosley's intentions are for 2024. He’s known as a great leader, smart player, and has enjoyed an awesome career – but he hasn’t won a ring, so maybe the Eagles can charm him? By the way, that landmark deal he signed with the Jets in 2019 came from GM Joe Douglas, who’s back with the Eagles in a front-office role, so the familiarity could help. Biggest question: Is Mosley, who turns 33 this month, OK with a backup role at this stage of his career? He might be able to find a starting job elsewhere when injuries start to pile up around the league during camp.
We’re only two full seasons removed from White starting eight games for an Eagles defense that set a franchise record for sacks en route to the Super Bowl. The speedy, rangy White, 29, is undersized and has some deficiencies, but the Eagles don’t need a savior here, just a reliable backup who could also help special teams if needed. White followed former Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon to Arizona in 2023 and started 28 games there over the past two seasons, totaling 18 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. Gannon’s scheme is a knock-off of Fangio’s, so the fit makes sense. The 29-year-old from Plainfield, N.J., would surely find some time on the field as a backup and help special teams.
The younger brother of former Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks, the 10-year veteran has been a starter every year since he entered the league in 2015 as a second-round pick of the Vikings. He’s another tackling machine who has averaged more than 100 tackles per season over the course of his career. But he’s also 33 and will be on his fourth team in four years if he signs with any team other than Minnesota, Dallas or the Los Angeles Chargers, so teams clearly see him as a replaceable commodity who’s best days are behind. Like Mosley, Kendricks might have to look in the mirror and decide if he’s OK being a backup. If so, he’d be no worse than the Eagles’ third-best healthy linebacker. Roseman sales pitch: Your older bro won a ring with us in 2017, wouldn't it be cool if you did, too?
This guy looked like an emerging star for the Browns in 2020, when he picked off Carson Wentz and returned it 50 yards for his first career TD and then a few weeks later sacked Lamar Jackson on Monday Night Football. In the playoffs that season, he intercepted Ben Roethlisberger to cement Cleveland’s 48-37 win over the Steelers in an AFC Wild Card game. But Takitaki has since dealt with injuries, including a torn ACL in 2022, and has started just 11 games over the past two seasons. The Patriots released him in February one year into a two-year deal. The 30-year-old could be worth taking a flier on but the Eagles don’t have to be in any rush to sign him.
A seven-year pro with 68 career starts in 83 games, Bentley turns 29 in August, giving him another under-30 season. He is coming off a major injury, a torn pectoral muscle from Week 2 that forced him out of the rest of the season. the Patriots released him in the offseason. The 2018 fifth-round pick played more than 70 percent of defensive snaps for New England from 2020-2023, when Bill Belichick was defensive coordinator, so Fangio's approach shouldn't faze him. Bentley has two seasons of 100-plus tackles.
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