Eagles Camp Competition Primer

The Eagles have a few spots up for grans. Here's where things stand entering training camp.

Eagles LB Devin White / John McMullen/Eagles SI

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles report for training camp on Tuesday as a perceived contender with few moving parts. That said, Wednesday’s first full practice will give the first look at some legitimate competitions that will be decided over the summer.

Here’s where those competitions stand heading into summer work.

WR3 - Parris Campbell vs. The Field (John Ross, Ainias Smith and Britain Covey)

Campbell, a free agent acquisition, is the favorite trying to hold off reclamation project John Ross, the unlikely rapid development of Day 3 rookie Ainias Smith or the shiftiness of punt returner Britain Covey. 

As good as the Eagles’ top dup of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are, the next names on the depth chart are uninspiring. This is a position where the Eagles may come to camp, watch what they have, and quickly ascertain more is needed.

The upside here is Ross, 28, finally tapping into the upside he has as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 draft. He showed that the traits are still in his body seven years is a long time to track back to pedigree.

BEST BET - Unless the Eagles go outside the building, Campbell holds off the competition at a low-traffic position for the Philadelphia offense.

TE2 - C.J. Uzomah vs. Grant Calcaterra

As long as Uzomah, 31, still has something left he should be the heavy favorite. A 6-foot-6, 252-pound, old-school tight end, Uzomah has played at a high level in the league and also provided an in-line presence that would enable the Eagles to play Dallas Goedert in a flex position more often, which could mitigate the WR3 issues.

Calcaterra enters his third season with plenty to prove but head coach Nick Sirianni has brought the Oklahoma/SMU product unprompted on several occasions and seems to still value Calcaterra’s upside as a receiver.

BEST BET - Uzomah shows he’s still got his legs and wins this job easily.

RG - Tyler Steen vs. The Field (Mekhi Becton, Matt Hennessy, and Max Scharping)

You get a distinct 2017 vibe with this competition. The Eagles wanted Isaac Seumalo, a third-round pick like Steen to seize the left guard position that season.

A second-year player at the time, like Steen is now, Seumalo did begin the season with the job but was ultimately benched with two veterans, Stefan Wisniewski and Chance Warmack, around to soften the blow.

BEST BET - Steen Does enough to start Week 1 and if he falters the Eagles will have veterans to fall back on to provide competency.

LBs - Devin White and Nakobe Dean vs. Everyone Else

The Eagles not only have to decide on starters at linebacker but the positions they will play. The growing sentiment is that White, a player not known for his instinctive play, being the only three-down linebacker. From there, Dean would have the leg up at the weakside spot, although Zack Baun handled that work in the spring.

BEST BET - The chalk wins but the depth chart is virtually interchangeable so mixing and matching is on the way.

CB2 - Quinyon Mitchell vs. Isaiah Rodgers and Kelee Ringo

The Eagles chose Mitchell at No. 22 overall for a reason and Rodgers and Ringo were among the two best players the Eagles had in the spring. Whatever way this shakes out, the Eagles should be getting capable play.

BEST BET - The Eagles should take a page out of Kansas City’s book in 2022 and get the start-up costs out of the way with Mitchell so he is hopefully hitting his stride in the second half of the season.

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