Six Eagles position battles to watch during Philadelphia Eagles training camp

The Super Bowl champions have their rings and will now transition back to the practice field for installs and game-like activities at the NovaCare Complex.  The Eagles made moves to strengthen some positions and fill pressing roster needs. Philadelphia added ten talented rookies on NFL draft weekend, as well as several high-profile free agents, who will enhance the competition in the coming days.

After weeks of waiting for rabid fans, the media, and the NFL, the Eagles are kicking off an urgent and exciting training camp, and we're looking at six early position battles to watch.

Backup running back

NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley logged 345 rushing attempts and 2005 yards rushing in the 2024 regular season. After helping the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl, head coach Nick Sirianni and OC Kevin Patullo could be looking to lighten Barkley's load slightly in 2025. Will Shipley produced when given opportunities as a rookie, and A.J. Dillon has always been a physical, reliable dual-threat running back. Who'll win the backup running back spot is something to watch.

3rd WR Spot

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are among the top ten at their positions, but both players missed multiple games in 2024. A reliable third option is a must for an offense that'll see teams shift towards taking away the duo on the outside. Jahan Dotson caught 19 of 33 targets for 216 yards in 17 regular-season games with the Eagles in 2024 after being acquired in a trade from Washington. Dotson's most likely competition will come from Terrace Marshall, Danny Gray, and Johnny Wilson. Wilson, whom the Eagles selected in the sixth round of last year's NFL Draft, made 16 regular-season appearances during his rookie season in Philadelphia. Wilson finished with five catches for 38 yards and a touchdown. He played on more than 50 percent of Philadelphia's offensive snaps just three times last season, and will look to carve out a role in 2025.

Right guard position

Tyler Steen lost training camp battles to Cam Jurgens in 2023 and Mekhi Becton in 2024, but has his best shot at earning the Eagles' right guard position in 2025. He'll battle former Texans first-round pick Kenyon Green, Matt Pryor, Trevor Keegan, and one of the rookies. Still just 23, Green missed two games as a rookie, the entire 2023 season, and five games last season with various injuries. Green started 14 of 15 games as a rookie but was the 77th-highest-graded guard (37.7) out of 77 players in Pro Football Focus rankings that year. Last season, Green was one of the lowest-graded offensive guards in the NFL.

Inside linebacker spot

Zack Baun is an All-Pro; he'll be the engine that drives the Eagles' defense. He'll need a running mate while Nakobe Dean works to return from a patellar tendon injury that could cost him most of the 2025 season. That leaves first-round pick Jihaad Campbell, second-year linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and fifth-round pick Smael Mondon Jr.

Campbell is recovering from shoulder surgery and will see his first action at some point in August. The 6'3", 235-pounder has sideline-to-sideline speed and impressive coverage skills. He also flourished as a quality pass rusher, registering five sacks in 2024.

Left cornerback position

The Eagles lost Darius Slay (Steelers), James Bradberry (free agent), Avonte Maddox (Lions), and Isaiah Rodgers (Vikings) in free agency and signed Adoree' Jackson. Even with those moves, Philadelphia didn't draft a cornerback until the fifth round when they selected Mac McWilliams out of UCF. Williams (5-10, 191) will add some depth on the outside and in the slot, but he was a fifth-round pick for a reason. Ringo was the biggest winner of the draft and'll have the inside track to be a starter. Jackson saw first-team snaps during OTAs and has starting experience from his time with the Titans and Giants. Eli Ricks could be a player to watch if Jackson falters.

Safety position

The Eagles traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Houston for Kenyon Green, opening up a starting role for Sydney Brown or Tristin McCollum. Brown is a physical safety who is stout on special teams but doesn't operate efficiently in space or match up against elite pass catchers. Enter Andrew Mukuba, a Swiss army knife from Texas who could keep Brown relegated to special team duties. Mukuba can play the slot, operate in space, and play with range, drawing comparisons to Gardner-Johnson.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Six biggest Eagles position battles to watch during training camp