4 storylines to look for at Eagles' Training Camp

Football is one step closer to returning. The Eagles reported to Training Camp Tuesday as they gear up for the season ahead. There's still 45 days until their season-opener versus the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4. Although that might feel like torture, the NFL season will be here in no time. 

Last time the Eagles defended a Super Bowl crown, they endured an up-and-down season, but it ended with an appearance in the NFC Divisional Round. The Eagles' results for the upcoming season, obviously, are to be determined.  

Here are some storylines to look out for in Training Camp. 

Do any of the veteran edge rushers make a difference?

Nolan Smith is a lock to start at one of the edge rusher spots this season. Who will line up across from him is less certain. 

Josh Sweat left in free agency after nearly winning Super Bowl MVP, and losing him could prove costly. The Eagles will probably entrust Jalyx Hunt to make a leap after showing flashes as a rookie, or they can rely on one of their veterans that they signed in free agency. 

Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche are both players who've had good individual seasons, but have lacked consistency in their careers and struggled to stay healthy. The Eagles signed both to one-year deals, hoping to revive their careers, but relying on either for consistent pass rush production is a risk. 

Uche had 11.5 sacks two seasons ago, but has recorded just five since. After being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in the middle of last season, his impact was minimal. Meanwhile, Ojulari hasn't stayed healthy, missing at least five games the past three years. 

Tuesday, the Eagles signed Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to give them more experience and another option off the edge, signaling they still might not know who the second starting defensive end will be.

Who starts at right guard? 

This likely wouldn't be a storyline if the Eagles didn't acquire Kenyon Green when they traded away C.J. Gardner-Johnson in March. Tyler Steen was Mekhi Becton's understudy last season and Cam Jurgens' before that, meaning he was next in line for the spot. 

Though Steen is still the likely candidate to start, having spent a couple years under Jeff Stoutland's tutelage, Green does provide some competition. He is a former first-round pick, so he definitely has some talent. However, he led all guards in pressures allowed last season with 36. With that lack of production, Green is probably a project, while Steen is more stable. 

Adoree Jackson or Kelee Ringo?

The biggest questions for the Eagles come on defense after losing four starters on that side of the ball from last season. One of those was Darius Slay, and the Eagles have to decide who will replace him. That's between the veteran Adoree Jackson or Kelee Ringo, who's entering his third season. 

Jackson has 82 career starts, as opposed to Ringo's five, although Jackson is 29 and cornerbacks tend to not age well. Unlike at right guard, this will be a true competition throughout camp. 

Considering the Eagles spent a fourth-round pick on Ringo a couple years ago, having him develop into a starter would be a positive. Though if he's not ready to step up, Jackson is waiting in the wings. 

No matter who it is, there will be plenty of pressure on them to perform. With Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean providing shutdown coverage as rookies, quarterbacks are going to have to look for a weak spot to attack when throwing the ball. That could mean wherever Jackson or Ringo are. 

What rookies make the most impact? 

The Eagles' goal during the draft in April was clear: get as many defensive guys as they could. Their first five selections were defenders as they try to continue to build a young nucleus. 

First-round pick Jihaad Campbell probably won't be available until August after having shoulder surgery in March, but with Nakobe Dean out with a torn patellar tendon, he'll have a chance to play a lot of snaps when he returns. He could have a similar arc to DeJean, who missed part of Training Camp last season and didn't start until Week 5.

The rookie with the biggest chance to start is second-round pick Andrew Mukuba. The safety out of Texas is competing with Sydney Brown and Tristan McCollum for the spot next to Reed Blankenship in the secondary. After having an SEC-leading five interceptions last season, Mukuba is a viable candidate. 

With Milton Williams gone, it could open some playing time for Ty Robinson from Nebraska. Robinson is already 24 and doesn't come with a lengthy collegiate track record of production. But he had seven sacks in 2024 after just five in his previous three seasons. If Moro Ojomo doesn't perform, Robinson could step up to the plate.