Vic Fangio made one thing clear on Thursday: Jihaad Campbell’s work on the edge is basically done.
Speaking after the Eagles’ second training camp practice, the defensive coordinator said Campbell won’t be getting the same outside reps he saw last season. Fangio said those snaps on the edge had a mixed impact on Campbell’s development as an inside linebacker, and while the team may still ask him to kick outside on occasion, it won’t be a long-term plan.
Campbell’s overall progress is still tough to judge, Fangio said, because the linebacker missed the entire offseason and had only one training camp practice under his belt before Thursday. For now, Fangio said he’s doing fine, but it’s too early to draw any big conclusions. He added that the staff is still figuring out how much more they can pile onto Campbell, though they believe he’ll be able to handle it.
The safety battle is still open, but Fangio made it sound like Marcus Epps has gotten a real foothold. He stopped short of saying the job is Epps’ to lose, but noted the veteran has been working with the first team in the nickel package, while Cooper DeJean has been in the base defense. Michael Carter, Fangio added, is still right in the mix.
“But, [Michael] Carter’s doing fine too. It’s competition.”
Up front, Fangio expects Jonathan Greenard to miss most of camp because of a pec strain, and that matters because the Eagles are asking him to do some unfamiliar things, including dropping into coverage. Fangio said Greenard has been sharp in meetings and can handle the assignment, but there’s no substitute for actual reps.
AJ Epenesa is helping cover that absence, and Fangio gave him a strong nod for a player being pushed into new territory.
“I told AJ [Epenesa] this - I told it to him in front of the whole team, too - for a guy that’s being asked to do a few things that he’s never done before, I thought he did a nice job yesterday with it.”
Asked whether Greenard’s injury could create an opening for Brandon Graham to come back onto the roster, Fangio deferred to Howie Roseman.
He also sounded upbeat about the rest of the edge group. Jalyx Hunt, heading into his third year, drew a big endorsement from Fangio, who said the defender is capable of becoming an exceptional player.
Nolan Smith, meanwhile, is being watched closely from a health standpoint after a season Fangio described as choppy because of injuries and missed time. Even so, Fangio said he believes in Smith and noted that both Smith and Hunt had good first days of camp.
There was also praise for Quinyon Mitchell, who Fangio said has kept the same edge and approach that showed up last season.
“He’s got a great work ethic, demeanor, and he just picked up yesterday where he left off last year.”
Fangio said facing a different offense this year is helping the defense because there are more moving parts to sort through. He also joked that he’s on the PP plan with Uar Bernard - lots of patience, and lots of persistence. Bernard, Fangio noted, didn’t even put on a helmet until the first day of spring practice, so the move to pads will be another step in a long process.
At linebacker, Zack Baun is set to wear the green dot and handle the main communication duties this season. Fangio said Baun already had experience doing that during the first half of last year, when Nakobe Dean was injured, and added that if the Eagles ever ask Baun to do something unfamiliar, he’ll keep grinding until he gets it right.
In Other News...
Eagles Offense Is Already Hinting At A Major Shift For Hurts
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Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley both sounded encouraged by what they saw, and Barkleys fit may be one of the more interesting parts of this shift. The scheme appears to give him a chance to do more as both a runner and a receiver, which matters for an offense trying to stay multiple without becoming complicated for its own players. If the Eagles keep stacking clean execution on top of those early concepts, this could become one of the more important adjustments of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Defense Has 3 Lingering Flaws Fangio Must Fix In 2026
Vic Fangios third season in Philadelphia arrives with the defense in a much better place than it was when he first took over, but not quite where the Eagles want it to be. The unit has taken clear steps forward over the past two years, and the front office has kept working to support that progress, including a move to bolster the pass rush and a new deal that keeps Jalen Carter in place for the long haul.
Still, the Eagles know the defense has a few stubborn issues that can show up in the biggest moments. Run defense and third-down stops remain the most obvious pressure points, and Fangios challenge now is turning a good defense into one that can hold up against the leagues best offenses when the games get tight. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Day 1 Put Jalen Hurts And The Edge Depth Under Pressure
The Eagles opened training camp with the usual first-day mix of optimism and evaluation, but Jalen Hurts immediately drew attention for the kind of throws Philadelphia has wanted to see more often. Between the hashmarks, he looked comfortable and decisive, a promising sign as the offense begins sorting out timing and rhythm after a long offseason.
On the other side of the ball, the edge group already has a different feel because of Jonathan Greenard's absence, and that has pushed Josh Hunt into work on the right side of the line for now. Boogie Epenesa also stood out with a busy day and should keep seeing more chances as camp unfolds, giving the Eagles an early look at how much depth they really have when the rotations start to matter. [Read more 🡒]