The Eagles are set to take a different approach at linebacker in Week 6, and this one is a little unusual for Vic Fangio’s defense.
Against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Philadelphia is expected to split the work between Jihaad Campbell and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. alongside All-Pro Zack Baun, with Fangio confirming earlier this week that the plan is a series-by-series rotation rather than a package-based shuffle. It was supposed to show up last Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, but that never happened after Trotter was ejected during a scuffle on the opening kickoff.
Fangio also pushed back hard on a broadcast report that said Trotter was going to start, calling it “an out and out lie,” while making clear the team did want to expand his role.
The push for more Trotter came after Week 4, when Baun was in the concussion protocol and Trotter stepped in against the Los Angeles Rams. He made the most of it, finishing with a career-high 15 tackles and a pass breakup in a 24-20 loss.
“Trot played good in the start that he had when Zack was out,” Fangio said. “It was close. I just think he deserves playing time.”
Campbell, meanwhile, remains part of the picture, even if his workload is about to change. Fangio called his performance in London “OK” when speaking with Eagles On SI and said a reduced role won’t knock the second-year linebacker off track.
The Eagles took Campbell with the No. 31 pick in the 2025 draft out of Alabama, and he opened the season as the starter opposite Baun after Nakobe Dean left in free agency for Las Vegas. Through five games, the 22-year-old has piled up 42 tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, and a quarterback hit. The production is there, but the overall picture has been messier, with Pro Football Focus grades dragging down his early-season profile and knee and wrist injuries possibly playing a part.
Trotter brings a different feel. The 2024 fifth-round pick out of Clemson doesn’t have Campbell’s athletic ceiling, but he appears to process things faster and play with a steadier rhythm. He’s mostly been a special-teams piece for Michael Clay so far, but the Eagles have clearly seen enough to give him a real shot.
In theory, the move could also let Baun slide more naturally into the Will spot, where Fangio’s scheme gives him a little more freedom. That flexibility is part of what makes this rotation interesting, especially because linebacker usually isn’t a position Fangio treats as a two-man split.
Trotter said earlier this week he’s ready for whatever comes next.
“I definitely feel good, and I’m excited to go out there and get some more opportunity. I can’t wait to utilize it,” Trotter said earlier this week.
“But at the same time, this is football. They’re calling my name, so I gotta go out there and do my job and perform.
At the end of the day, I guess it’s nothing new. I just gotta go out there and do my job.”
He said his performance against the Rams helped build trust with the staff.
“Just doing my job, showing that they can trust me to go out there and be where I need to be and make the plays that I should make. I feel like they gained trust for me during that game.”
Fangio and linebackers coach Bobby King also told him he “had a really good game, and they were super proud.”
The competition between Campbell and Trotter has been framed as healthy by both players. Campbell put it simply: “Trot’s a good player.
He’s been playing great ball too,” Campbell said. “Football is all about competition… our whole room is ready for preparation and ready for domination.”
Trotter echoed that, describing the pair’s long-running back-and-forth and the way they’ve helped sharpen each other.
“We’ve been pushing each other back and forth, just sharing knowledge, making each other better. I feel like that’s what makes great teams, when you got competition and you’re out there just pushing one another, just learning from one another. We have a really talented backer room and a really talented group in general, and we’ve got a lot of depth.”
He also called the opportunity a payoff for patience and offseason work.
“I definitely think that hard work definitely pays off, and I’m just starting to see the fruits of that labor. I just thank God that He’s allowing it to come into fruition, and I’m just really excited to go out there and do my part on the defense and help the team any way I can in my role.”
For the Eagles, the timing matters. Campbell opened the year as the clear starter, but he hasn’t fully seized the job, and Trotter’s rise has given Fangio a reason to change course. In a defense where linebacker rotation is not the norm, that says plenty about where things stand right now.
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