Eagles training camp preview: Defensive depth chart full of uncertainty, especially at outside corner and safety

While the Eagles’ offensive starters are nearly set heading into training camp, the top of the depth chart on defense is littered with question marks.

Several starting gigs haven’t been filled, whether those positions were vacated by veterans in the offseason (cornerback, edge rusher, and safety) or by players who sustained long-term injuries (inside linebacker). With a new crop of defensive rookies in the fold — including five players taken in the first five rounds of the draft — training camp will provide the backdrop for competition across every level of Vic Fangio’s unit.

» READ MORE: Eagles training camp preview: Sizing up the depth chart on offense

Ahead of Wednesday’s first training-camp practice, here’s where the defensive depth chart stands (rookies are in bold; asterisk indicates an injury):

With Milton Williams now a New England Patriot, Jordan Davis may be tasked with picking up some of the pass-rushing slack. The 6-foot-6, 336-pound nose tackle “got better” as a pass rusher toward the end of the season, according to Fangio, an improvement that the defensive coordinator said carried over into the offseason program.

Moro Ojomo could be poised to take on a greater workload, too. The 2023 seventh-round pick out of Texas started alongside Davis in place of Carter, who was sidelined, during 11-on-11 drills. He ended the 2024 postseason on a high note, generating pressure on 21.1% of his rushes in the Super Bowl, according to Next Gen Stats, which was the highest rate among the Eagles defensive line.

Ty Robinson, the Eagles’ fourth-rounder out of Nebraska, could also make an impact in his rookie season. The 6-5, 288-pound defensive tackle made a splash in a minicamp seven-on-seven drill, swatting a Dorian Thompson-Robinson pass at the line of scrimmage.

The offseason ushered in the departures of two veteran members of the edge rusher corps — Josh Sweat, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, and Brandon Graham, who retired after 15 seasons with the Eagles. Additionally, Bryce Huff, the team’s most expensive defensive free-agent signing of the 2024 offseason, was traded to the San Francisco 49ers after a lackluster season in Philadelphia.

The Eagles are counting on a pair of returning youngsters — Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt — and a couple of veterans on prove-it deals — Azeez Ojulari and Joshua Uche — to lead the edge-rusher rotation. Smith, 24, had a breakout sophomore season and notched a career-best 6½ sacks. Hunt, 24, saw his snaps increase throughout his rookie season, which culminated in him combining for a sack of Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.

Consistency has evaded Ojulari, 25, and Uche, 26, throughout their respective careers, but they both possess the upside to become situational pass rushers. While the Eagles haven’t added a proven veteran or a high-end prospect at the position this offseason, Fangio said in June that he thinks the team will be “fine” with the existing group.

Nakobe Dean, who sustained a knee injury in the wild-card round against the Green Bay Packers, likely isn’t going to be ready for the start of the season. Fangio said in June that the 24-year-old linebacker “won’t be back for a while” as he recovers from surgery that repaired his torn left patellar tendon.

With Dean sidelined, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. filled in alongside Zack Baun with the starting defense during organized team activities (Baun rested during team drills in mandatory minicamp, so rookie Smael Mondon took his place). The second-year linebacker said during OTAs that he was “blessed” to have the opportunity despite the injury-related circumstances.

For now, it seems as though Trotter Jr. is in the pole position to start once the season begins. Jihaad Campbell, the Eagles’ first-round pick out of Alabama, sat out from drills during the offseason program while he heals a shoulder injury. Last month, Fangio said Campbell won’t return to the practice field until “sometime in August.” While Campbell has some college experience as an edge defender, Fangio said that he will work in at off-ball linebacker because “there’s a lot more to learn there.”

All eyes are on the first-string outside cornerback spot vacated by Darius Slay this offseason. The team has a couple of realistic options to replace him for the majority of the defensive snaps — Kelee Ringo or Adoree’ Jackson.

At this way-too-early juncture, Ringo could be the one to beat. He took the initial first-team reps in team drills during mandatory minicamp opposite Quinyon Mitchell, although Jackson worked in with the starters throughout practice, too. Still, the 6-2, 207-pound Ringo made the most of those snaps, posting a pair of pass breakups against receivers Danny Gray and Terrace Marshall in situational drills. His intriguing blend of size and speed will, at the very least, earn him a long look in the role come training camp.

» READ MORE: Eagles film review: Is Kelee Ringo ready to seize a leading role in Vic Fangio’s secondary?

The Eagles may opt to use Cooper DeJean on the outside in base defense (which wouldn’t be very often given their track record last year), slide him inside in nickel packages, and bring in Ringo (or Jackson) to take his spot on the boundary. Fangio said in June that he would like to keep DeJean at nickel, then in base, find a spot for him either at cornerback or at safety.

DeJean didn’t take any reps at safety during the team drills open to the media during the offseason program, though. Instead, Sydney Brown took many of the initial starting reps alongside Reed Blankenship during team drills. Still, Andrew Mukuba, the Eagles’ second-rounder out of Texas, got plenty of first-string action throughout OTAs and minicamp.

It’s too early to anoint Brown the starter, especially given his injury history and his lack of defensive snaps going into his third NFL season. At the same time, draft pedigree alone isn’t going to win Mukuba the job. They aren’t the only ones in competition for the gig — Fangio acknowledged in June that Tristin McCollum, a 2022 undrafted free agent out of Sam Houston State, is in the mix, too.

If Mukuba doesn’t start at safety in Week 1, he could still carve out a role in the defense. The versatile rookie has three years of college experience playing slot cornerback. During a team drill in minicamp, Mukuba was an inside defender in the dime package.