The Philadelphia Eagles knew they had something to work with when they drafted Jeremiah Trotter Jr. If nepotism alone worked out in their favor, he'd be pretty special. They also knew his path to a prominent role wouldn't necessarily be immediate. That seems prophetic now, but patience is being rewarded.
Trotter has spent training camp consistently finding his way around the football, making plays as a run defender and blitzer while showing the instincts that made him such an intriguing prospect coming out of the Clemson Tigers program. With first-round pick Jihaad Campbell alongside established starter Zack Baun, Trotter has another hurdle to clear before becoming a full-time contributor. Still, so far, he has made that decision a lot harder to stand on.
Camp has provided plenty of evidence that Trotter is ready for more responsibility. He has shown up repeatedly in run-defense periods. He has found creases as a blitzer, and he has played with the kind of downhill aggression the Eagles want from their linebackers. That production carried into Philadelphia's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. One can argue that Trotter was the best player that the Eagles put on the field.
He was especially active early, recording five tackles before halftime and delivering a delayed blitz that resulted in a sack of Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley. He didn't play the entire game, but he didn't need to. The Eagles got another valuable glimpse of what he can offer when given meaningful opportunities. What's becoming increasingly interesting is the company around him. Campbell received two early series alongside Trotter and continues to show why Philadelphia invested heavily in him.
Baun remains the veteran leader of this corps and one of the defense's most dependable players. Still, rather than allowing that depth to bury Trotter, the competition appears to be bringing out his best football. That's exactly what the Eagles should want. Trotter doesn't need to become a starter overnight to have value. A defense playing deep into the postseason needs linebackers who can step onto the field without creating a noticeable drop-off.
#Eagles #still #around
Trotter has spent training camp consistently finding his way around the football, making plays as a run defender and blitzer while showing the instincts that made him such an intriguing prospect coming out of the Clemson Tigers program. With first-round pick Jihaad Campbell alongside established starter Zack Baun, Trotter has another hurdle to clear before becoming a full-time contributor. Still, so far, he has made that decision a lot harder to stand on.
Camp has provided plenty of evidence that Trotter is ready for more responsibility. He has shown up repeatedly in run-defense periods. He has found creases as a blitzer, and he has played with the kind of downhill aggression the Eagles want from their linebackers. That production carried into Philadelphia's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. One can argue that Trotter was the best player that the Eagles put on the field.
He was especially active early, recording five tackles before halftime and delivering a delayed blitz that resulted in a sack of Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley. He didn't play the entire game, but he didn't need to. The Eagles got another valuable glimpse of what he can offer when given meaningful opportunities. What's becoming increasingly interesting is the company around him. Campbell received two early series alongside Trotter and continues to show why Philadelphia invested heavily in him.
Baun remains the veteran leader of this corps and one of the defense's most dependable players. Still, rather than allowing that depth to bury Trotter, the competition appears to be bringing out his best football. That's exactly what the Eagles should want. Trotter doesn't need to become a starter overnight to have value. A defense playing deep into the postseason needs linebackers who can step onto the field without creating a noticeable drop-off.
#Eagles #still #around
2 months ago
