Philadelphia Eagles training camp is starting to separate the fast risers from the players still searching for answers, and the edge rusher competition has become one of the clearest examples.
Jalyx Hunt has been the louder story so far. Day after day, he’s turned in standout moments and kept flashing in a way that has pushed him to the center of the conversation. Nolan Smith Jr., meanwhile, has been fine - but fine is not the same thing as taking over a camp battle.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro put Hunt on his stock-up list, pointing to the way he has outplayed Smith while both have been working with the first team after Jonathan Greenard opened camp on the PUP list. Zangaro wrote: "Hunt and Nolan Smith entered this camp competing for the starting job opposite Jonathan Greenard.
But because Greenard began camp on the PUP list, both have been working with the first team. While Smith has been solid, Hunt has flashed way more.
He seems to make big plays every day."
That gap matters because the expectations around the two players are not the same. Smith was a first-round pick.
Hunt went in the third round. Yet the production and momentum are tilting toward Hunt, and that’s been a concern because this isn’t a brand-new issue.
Smith’s 2025 season was uneven. He missed four games with a triceps injury, then sat out the final game when the starters were benched.
In 12 games, he posted 31 tackles, 11 quarterback hits, three sacks, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble. He also logged 33 pressures and 24 hurries.
Pro Football Focus graded him at 67.7 overall, which ranked him 55th among 115 NFL edge rushers. His pass-rush grade was 67.3, and his run-defense grade came in at 66.9.
That season followed a much bigger one in 2024, when Smith played a major role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl title run and set a career high with 6.5 sacks. That’s the version people keep waiting to see again.
Hunt, though, is the one making the stronger case right now. He led the Eagles last season with 6.5 sacks and three interceptions, the first time that has ever happened in franchise history. He has also looked stronger in camp, and the sense is that he’s still climbing toward the prime of his NFL career.
The Eagles still have faith in Smith, at least for now, after picking up his fifth-year option. But that patience only goes so far if he can’t separate himself in camp. If Hunt keeps this up and Smith stays stuck in neutral, the starting job could shift - and Smith’s long-term future in Philadelphia would suddenly look a lot murkier.
In Other News...
Eagles Suddenly Have An Edge Rusher Fans Need To Watch
With Jonathan Greenard sidelined early in camp, the Eagles have been forced to shuffle the edge-rusher rotation and see who can make the most of the extra snaps. That has opened the door for free agent Arnold Ebiketie, along with Jalyx Hunt and A.J. Epenesa, to get a longer look in Vic Fangios defense, and the early returns have at least given the coaching staff something to monitor beyond the obvious concerns about depth.
Fangio has already pointed to Ebiketie as a player trending in the right direction, and that matters for a unit that is still waiting on Greenards debut. The more comfortable Ebiketie becomes in the scheme, the more interesting this camp battle gets, because the Eagles could end up finding a useful piece in a spot where they needed someone to step forward fast. [Read more 🡒]
Howie Roseman Just Put The Eagles Roster On Notice
Howie Roseman left little doubt that the Eagles are not treating the rest of the preseason as a waiting period. In a recent interview, the general manager said he is always looking for ways to improve the roster through trades or other moves, and he pointed to the flurry of activity the team has already had, both in adding players and moving others out.
For Eagles fans, the message is familiar but still worth noting this time of year: roster construction is not finished just because camp is winding down. Roseman said the team will keep evaluating every avenue before the season starts, including cut-down candidates and potential trades, while stressing that any future addition would be about making the team better rather than casting doubt on the players already in place. [Read more 🡒]