Jihaad Campbell gave the Philadelphia Eagles plenty to build on during his rookie season, but Vic Fangio made it clear the linebacker is still a work in progress.
Fangio said Campbell is “not where we want him to be as a final product,” even while noting that the first-round pick is “getting better and better every day.”
That is a fair assessment of where Campbell stands after a promising first season. He played in 17 games as a rookie and finished with 80 tackles, three pass deflections, two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. For a player who was quickly pushed into the starting lineup early last season after Nakobe Dean suffered an injury, that is a strong foundation.
Campbell showed upside, but Fangio wants more
Fangio also pointed to what Campbell already does well. He called him good in the open field, athletic and able to run, while stressing that his expectations remain high. Fangio even referenced the Dome Patrol when explaining why he is not ready to lower the bar.
That matters because the Eagles are asking Campbell to take on a bigger role now that Nakobe Dean has left in free agency for the Las Vegas Raiders. With Dean gone, the Eagles’ linebacker group includes Zack Baun and Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and Campbell’s development becomes even more important to the depth chart.
The good news for Philadelphia is that Campbell has already shown he can handle a heavy workload and produce around the ball. The next step is consistency, and Fangio’s comments suggest the Eagles believe he is moving in the right direction while still having room to grow. For a first-round pick entering a full-time starting role, that is exactly the kind of progress the team wants to see.
For more on Fangio’s comments and Campbell’s role, see Wicks Eagles: Vic Fangio says Jihaad Campbell is still not the finished product after 80-tackle rookie season.
