Tyler Steen at RG? Who's the WR3? 5 Eagles position battles to watch in 2024 training camp
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Philadelphia Eagles will return to NovaCare Complex Tuesday for training camp ahead of the fourth season of the Nick Sirianni era. They'll hold their first practice on Wednesday.
The offseason brought plenty of changes to Philadelphia's roster through free agency, trades and losing Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox to retirement.
Here are five position battles to watch during Eagles training camp.
Eagles training camp battle: RG
Cam Jurgens replacing Kelce as the Eagles' starting center will be paramount to the team's success, but the battle for the starting right guard position will also be massive heading into training camp. Tyler Steen, the Eagles' 2023 third-round pick out of the University of Alabama, appears to be the favorite.
Steen will have competition from some veterans, though. The Eagles brought in former Temple University offensive lineman Matt Hennessy, who has experience playing guard and center. They also signed Mekhi Becton, a former first-round pick by the New York Jets.
Becton only has experience playing tackle in the NFL, but he got time at guard alongside Lane Johnson earlier in the offseason. Becton will likely be Philadelphia's swing tackle, but maybe he will push Steen for playing time in camp in the battle for the starting right guard spot.
Eagles training camp battle: CB2
Darius Slay is locked into the Eagles' No. 1 cornerback spot, but who will start alongside him remains an unknown as camp begins.
James Bradberry has started for the past two seasons, but he might not even be on the team by the time camp ends after his underwhelming 2023 season.
Luckily for the Eagles, they have plenty of options who could start alongside Slay. The team drafted Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean with their two first picks in the 2024 NFL draft, and Isaiah Rodgers has reportedly had strong performances throughout the offseason. Kelee Ringo, who flashed at times last season, could also be in the mix for the starting No. 2 cornerback spot alongside Slay.
Eagles training camp battle: Slot cornerback
The outside cornerback spot alongside Slay isn't the only position battle in the secondary to watch heading into camp. The Eagles will also be looking for a slot cornerback to emerge in the 2024 season.
The Eagles used several different players in the slot last season, including Bradberry, Avonte Maddox and veteran Bradley Roby. But Bradberry didn't have much success, Maddox got injured once again and Roby isn't back with the team after joining midway through the 2023 season.
Maddox has plenty of experience starting in the slot, but DeJean will likely give him competition for the job, however. ESPN reported on Tuesday that DeJean will miss three weeks with a hamstring injury and begin training camp on the non-football injury list.
The Eagles had a first-round grade on DeJean, and Vic Fangio has played him in the slot in practice since he joined the team. But missing time in training camp will hurt his chances of competing for a starting role in his rookie season.
Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson will also likely get reps at slot corner throughout the season.
Eagles training camp battle: WR3
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are Philadelphia's top two wideouts, but the team's third wide receiver remains a mystery.
The Eagles tried to fill out its receiver depth with veteran DeVante Parker, but he retired. Parris Campbell could be the third wideout, but he hasn't been healthy since he was drafted in 2019. John Ross is another speedy receiver who can't stay healthy and came out of retirement, so he's not a lock. Britain Covey will be back to compete for a spot, but he only has four catches over two seasons.
Rookies Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson, both Day 3 picks in the 2024 NFL draft, could fill out the bottom half of the wideout depth chart. But the track record of Day 3 picks making an impact in their rookie season isn't something to bank on.
The Eagles tried a cast of third wideouts in 2023 — Quez Watkins, Olamide Zaccheaus and Julio Jones — but they didn't muster much success.
Eagles training camp battle: LB
Last season, Philadelphia's play at linebacker left much to be desired. But entering training camp, the linebackers who played the most snaps on the team last season — Nicholas Morrow, Zach Cunningham and Shaquille Leonard — are no longer on the team.
The Eagles' linebacker position will mostly be a clean slate, with some new faces and other players returning, so Fangio will have options.
Devin White, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl-winning linebacker, joined Philadelphia on a one-year deal this offseason. He's looking forward to a fresh start after an up-and-down 2023 where he was accused of quitting on his team. The Eagles also added Zack Baun and Oren Burks in free agency — two players who could play roles in Fangio's defense.
Nakobe Dean and Ben VanSumeren are the two linebackers who played for Philadelphia in 2023. Dean, who the Eagles selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft, was supposed to be the team's starting linebacker last year, but foot injuries derailed his season. VanSumeren joined the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and recorded nine tackles in nine games.
The Eagles made a legacy pick in the 2024 NFL draft and selected Jeremiah Trotter Jr., the son of former Birds great Jeremiah Trotter. Trotter Jr. was a Day 3 pick from Clemson University. Usually, Day 3 picks have a tough time making an immediate impact as rookies, but it will be interesting to see how Trotter Jr. fares throughout camp.
Brandon Smith Jr., a former fourth-round pick out of Penn State in the 2022 NFL draft, will have a chance to compete for a spot on the roster.