The Philadelphia Eagles are really going through it with all the injuries the franchise is going through, with the latest Zack Baun update showing that it could very well be Jihaad Campbell and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in the starting lineup for their Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Baun is still in concussion protocol and hasn't practiced, but the Eagles are getting burned by this injury happening during a short week coming off the 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday night. This might not give Baun time to pass concussion protocol on time, leaving the possibility of him being out for the Rams game on the strong side.
That would leave Campbell and Trotter to get the start at linebacker. While this feels like a nightmare scenario for the Eagles, this might oddly be an interesting pairing that could work.
Staying optimistic with Jihaad Campbell & Jeremiah Trotter Jr. potentially starting for the Eagles
Look, we at Inside the Iggles have been very critical of Campbell's coverage skills. The numbers don't lie: he allowed 10 of 12 passes to be completed for 128 yards and one touchdown, with a passer rating of 138.9, according to Eagles On SI's Jeff Kerr.
Those aren't great numbers for an inside linebacker, but Campbell isn't completely bad on defense. He's been a tackling machine through three games, leading the team with 28 tackles. Campbell is showing good instincts for finding the ball carrier and making those kinds of plays.
Trotter could be the right partner in crime for Campbell in the starting lineup. During the preseason, Trotter showed many of the same instincts as Campbell and was arguably the Eagles' best defensive player in August.
The question is whether Trotter can handle the coverage responsibilities on defense. He is a smart player who's worked his way up the lineup over the years, so if he stays focused this week, he could do just fine filling in for Baun for one week.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will also find ways to avoid exposing his linebackers in coverage. Fangio will work on getting Cooper DeJean to help in the slot or having his safeties help out. And yes, we know how bad the safeties have been through three weeks, but with Kenny Moore in the picture now, Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, and Michael Carter II have more pressure to play well, so the improvements should start to show.
This Rams team is an incredibly tough opponent and one of the best in the NFL despite what the 1-2 record shows. It will be a good challenge to see where Campbell and Trotter stand within the defense. This is even bigger for Trotter, as he tries to prove that he belongs more time in the lineup.
Read more: Former Eagles post-Week 3 check-in: Jaelan Phillips silenced, Reed Blankenship shines
Eagles fans shouldn't expect perfection from these guys, but they have enough good traits to work off each other. Expect mistakes, but this combo could work out nicely.
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