Jihaad Campbell hits the Eagles practice field; Nakobe Dean begins camp on the PUP list

Howie Roseman took his seat next to Nick Sirianni on Wednesday morning ahead of the first Eagles training camp practice and started his interview session with reporters by providing an update.

Nakobe Dean, who broke out last season as an off-ball linebacker before tearing his left patellar tendon in a playoff win over Green Bay, began training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list.

“He’s doing a great job with his rehab,” Roseman said. “Can’t wait to get him back.”

That move wasn’t much of a surprise, but the next part was at least a bit of an eyebrow-raiser: Jihaad Campbell, the Eagles’ first-round pick, would be on the field after sitting out most of the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said in June that he wasn’t expecting Campbell back until August.

Nevertheless, Campbell practiced in what the Eagles called a limited capacity Wednesday, though he appeared to take a pretty aggressive workload with the second-team defense.

“Jihaad looks good. Really, really good,” linebacker Zack Baun said. “Obviously a physical specimen, very athletic dude. I think he missed out on some reps during the spring there that could have been beneficial to him, but he’s not far behind. He’s going to be a good player.”

How soon remains to be seen. Off-ball linebacker is one of the few positions where the Eagles have some question marks around who will start and how reps will be distributed. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. lined up next to Baun with the first team during team drills.

Dean’s status adds to the intrigue. If Dean, whose return timeline remains unclear, is placed on the reserve/PUP list, he would have to miss the first four games of the regular season. It’s a bit too early to project Dean to hit that list, but it’s a storyline worth paying close attention to as camp plays out.

So is the rep distribution next to Baun. Will Campbell force his way into early first-team reps? Will Trotter hold him off? Will Campbell stay at off-ball linebacker exclusively? Baun said Campbell did some work Wednesday with outside linebackers/edge rushers coach , in addition to his off-ball linebacking duties.

Campbell getting a bigger taste and longer look at off-ball linebacker will help him “understand coverages and responsibilities within the defense,” Baun said.

“The better our whole room gets, the better everyone gets,” he said. “I’m just trying to help everyone out. I’m watching all their reps in team periods, seven-on-seven periods, even individual, trying to help not critique them, but give them pointers all along.”

It’s a newish role for Baun, who went last year from depth signing to All-Pro and now a leadership role for a young Eagles defense.

Campbell’s positional versatility has led to some natural comparisons between he and Baun, who was used as an edge rusher earlier in his career.

“I’m going to teach him whatever I know, all the tips and tricks,” Baun said. “I’m not going to be that vet that’s holding him back because of a possibility he could take my spot. I don’t care about any of that. I’m here to help this linebacker room be the best it could be.”

While Dean was the only Eagles player officially placed on an injury list, he wasn’t the only one who missed practice.

Jalen Carter (shoulder) and offensive lineman to (knee) did not practice. Neither player’s injury is expected to be long-term.

Green — whom the Eagles acquired from Houston in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson deal — missing practice did leave less suspense as for who was lining up at first-team right guard. That spot was Tyler Steen’s.

Center Cam Jurgens was, like Campbell, also listed as a limited participant Wednesday. Jurgens had surgery in February to alleviate nerve pain in his back, and the Eagles will continue to manage his reps, like Campbell’s, as he continues progressing in his rehab.

In addition to putting Dean on the PUP list, the Eagles on Wednesday signed defensive tackle Joe Evans and waived injured guard Marcus Tate.

Evans was undrafted out of the University of Texas at San Antonio and signed briefly with the Indianapolis Colts, who waived him in May. Before UTSA, Evans began his college career at LSU. Last season at UTSA, Evans started five games before suffering a season-ending knee injury.