Well, Philadelphia Eagles fans might be waiting a bit to see their first-round pick in action as his defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, gave a tough update on his rookie linebacker.
On Tuesday, Fangio spoke with the media with his second question on how former Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell was progressing with the team. Fangio dropped a truth bomb to the press, stating that his availability might not be available for a while.
“Well right now he’s working at IOB because there’s a lot more to learn there so that’s where we’re starting him. He won’t hit the practice field until sometime in August. So we’re doing all we can. He’s doing all he can in meetings. We’re doing all we can with him on the field. I take him to the side, doing individual drills with him that’s suited to what he can do right now. He’s working good and trying to pick it up.”
Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio speaks with the media. #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/4nU6gTzyOr
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) June 3, 2025
Concerning update about Campbell the Eagles can’t afford to have
Last year at Alabama, Campbell was a first-team All-SEC selection, leading the Crimson Tide in tackles with 117. He also added 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups, and one interception in 13 games.
Campbell was the 31st overall pick in the NFL Draft after Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made several attempts to trade up to grab the linebacker. He was originally projected to be selected in the middle of the first round.
While the talent is there, the injury portion of Campbell is an issue. He had surgery during the offseason to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Campbell participated in the NFL Combine but did not work out at Alabama’s Pro Day. That’s part of the reason he dropped in the NFL Draft in April.
Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean are expected to be the starters, but Dean is also trying to recover from the left knee injury he suffered in the NFC Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers. That leaves the inside linebacker position vulnerable with durability issues for two of their top linebackers.
It’s a gut punch to the Eagles as Campbell will be missing the beginning of training camp and could miss the first game or two in preseason. That will leave him behind in his development which could slow down his start to the regular season.
The Eagles hope to have their first-round pick on hand for the regular season as the defense needs him to be an instant contributor in their rotation.
