Training Camp Position Preview: Linebacker

It’s a clean slate, open to competition and, really, very difficult to predict who will come out of it earning playing time. Part of the magic that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has wrought over his storied career is merging talent and finding the best positions for players to excel. With that, he has some work to do in training camp in the linebacker room and what levels the playing field is that every player is learning the defense at an introductory level. Nakobe Dean is in his third season and has a chance to take the next step in his career after an injury-plagued sophomore year in 2023.

Ben VanSumeren is intriguing given his incredible athleticism and ability to quickly assimilate the position after limited time in college as a linebacker. He’ll be a fun player to watch this summer.

Brandon Smith was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft by Carolina and has played 14 NFL games, including two last season with the Eagles. He’s also on equal footing and has a chance to land a role on this team.

The Eagles invested in the linebacker position in free agency, signing former Pro Bowl point guard Devin White, a Super Bowl winner in all five of his seasons with Tampa Bay. Zack Baun arrived in New Orleans last year and it will be interesting to see what Fangio has in store for him. Oren Burks played in a Super Bowl with San Francisco and can fill a variety of roles, including being a key special teams player here.

How does Jeremiah Trotter Jr. fit into this system? We’ll find out. It’s a great story, but the Eagles chose Trotter for a reason and they’re eager to see him grow in Fangio’s system.

New on the Nest: White, Baun and Burks joined the Eagles as free agents and Trotter became an Eagle via the NFL Draft. Those are four new faces who can bring experience, energy and creative play to this room.

Let’s talk about birds: “It’s a winning culture and I wanted to be a part of it. Being in the big games. Watching them, they’ve played in big games, they’ve made a lot of noise in the league. When they go to other teams, you have to be ready to play them. They’re the big dogs of the NFL. I consider myself a big dog — that’s what my son always says — so I wanted to join a big dog, to help them achieve what they ultimately want, and that’s a championship and that’s what I want.” – Devin White on why he signed with the Eagles as a free agent

Notable statistic: Devin White is one of only two NFL players since 2019 to record 500-plus total tackles (566) and 20-plus sacks (23). New Orleans’ Demario Davis has recorded 565 total tackles and 24 quarterback sacks during the same span.

Under the microscope: Basically, everyone and everything, given all the potential personnel that presents itself here. Can Dean stay healthy and be the playmaker the Eagles envisioned when they selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft? Can White regain the form he showed in Tampa Bay? Is Baun ready to break out? What is the ceiling for VanSumeren? And so on. There are a lot of things to watch here.