Moro Ojomo’s hot start to Eagles training camp suggests he’s ready for a more prominent role

For Cam Jurgens and the rest of the Eagles’ interior offensive line, Moro Ojomo has gone from being a pest to a full-blown problem.

The Eagles defensive tackle entered his third training camp expecting to take on a more prominent role with the first team and has looked the part so far. The 2023 seventh-round pick finished Monday’s practice with a “sack” and a handful of pressures during team sessions, leading Jurgens to concede that the offensive line’s matchups against Ojomo have been notably more challenging this summer.

“He works just as hard as anybody on this team and puts a lot of effort in,” Jurgens said. “He was kind of a little pest to deal with his first year here, he just worked and played so hard. And now he’s got a lot of those tools and he’s a lot stronger than he was. Just talking to [Fletcher Cox] and [Brandon Graham] and learning from those guys all of those little tips and tricks, he’s tough to go against now. Really tough.”

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Ojomo’s hot start to the summer is an encouraging sign for the Eagles. The team will likely entrust the former Texas standout to spend this season in the role occupied last year by Milton Williams, who signed a lucrative contract with the New England Patriots this offseason after capitalizing on the one-on-one opportunities afforded to whomever lines up adjacent to Eagles star Jalen Carter. Serving as a pass-rush specialist opposite Carter most often, Williams played 48% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps last season and, including playoffs, logged seven sacks and 54 total pressures according to Pro Football Focus.

So far, Ojomo looks prepared for the new gig. He got past Tyler Steen during a team session to “sack” quarterback Jalen Hurts toward the end of Monday’s practice, walked back second-team right guard Darian Kinnard for a key pressure on Tanner McKee, and even blew by starting left guard Landon Dickerson with a swim move during one-on-one pass-rushing drills earlier in the session.

At 6-foot-3, 292 pounds, Ojomo clocks in on the smaller end at his position, but he has still been able to win with power at times this summer to complement his quickness off the ball. He’s even lined up on the edge at times during team drills.

When asked about his relatively smaller frame, Ojomo said he has found ways to use it to his advantage.

“I use it in many of ways,” Ojomo said. “I think I strike like I’m big and I move like I’m small. … [I’m] just playing the game fast and understanding what the offense is giving [me.]”

Steen added, “Moro’s really explosive. I feel like he’s always been a really good player. I came in with him, so I saw it like his rookie year. I saw it last year. So I don’t think it’s really a surprise that he’s able to go out there and make plays. He’s really explosive. Really good with his hands. He’s strong. Real technical.”

The 23-year-old Ojomo’s training-camp performances come after making marked progress toward the end of last season. He played 37% of the team’s defensive snaps last year but started eating into Williams’ snaps slightly in the playoffs and logged more than 40% in both the NFC championship game and Super Bowl LIX.

According to PFF, Ojomo had eight pressures and one sack in the postseason, with seven of those pressures coming in the final two games.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said last week that Ojomo would likely take on some of the reps vacated by Williams, but he said the entire defensive-tackle rotation would likely help fill the void, with Jordan Davis, rookie defensive tackle Ty Robinson, and a handful of rotational players from last year in the mix as well.

“I’m very happy with Mo,” Fangio said. “Was happy with him last year and I expect him to play good for us.”

On Monday, Ojomo compared his chance this summer to the one Williams had to replace Javon Hargrave after the veteran defensive tackle signed a big-money deal with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.

“That’s kind of the way the Eagles have gone, right?” Ojomo said. “Hargrave was gone and Milt stepped into that. Milt is gone and now I’m getting an opportunity.”

And while Ojomo said the added workload of playing with the starters has been the biggest adjustment he’s faced this training camp, the heightened level of competition has been noticeable as well.

He finished Monday’s practice going over a few of his edge reps with Lane Johnson, hoping to find out how Johnson adjusted to stymie a pass-rush move Ojomo tried with success a few days earlier against him.

For as much of a “pest” as he’s been against the heightened competition, Ojomo said he’s expecting the games to be even easier.

“A lot of guys don’t get to ramp up into training camp and deal with this,” Ojomo said. “I know every game is going to be easy once you go vs. this offensive line.”