PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles put full pads on for the first time in training camp Tuesday and it didn't take long for rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell to make use of them.
The Alabama product quickly closed on tight end Dallas Goedert as he moved into the flat and popped him to the ground just as Goedert hauled in a short pass from Jalen Hurts.
It was a flash of the instincts, speed and physicality that helped convince the Eagles to draft a linebacker in the first round for the first time since 1979.
"I do see him making small strides every day ... and if he can keep making those strides," said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, "I think he'll be what we had hoped he would be."
It is in those moments where you can see a piece of Fangio's reworked defense taking form.
But other areas have yet to come into focus, creating intrigue as the defending champs inch closer to their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4 (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock).
The No. 1 defense in 2024 lost a number of key contributors this offseason, including edge rushers Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat, defensive tackle Milton Williams, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Darius Slay.
The secondary in particular needs some sorting out. Fangio has rotated rookie Andrew Mukuba and third-year player Sydney Brown into the starting spot opposite Reed Blankenship. But Mukuba, arguably the favorite to land the gig coming into the summer, is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. Fangio has also been experimenting with standout nickel corner Cooper DeJean at safety in base packages and plans on giving him some reps at outside corner.
"I love a challenge," DeJean said. "I did it a little bit in college, switching back and forth. The coaches are going to do what's best and put me where they think I fit best within the defense, and I trust them in doing that."
Slay's old spot on the outside remains very much up for grabs. Kelee Ringo, an Eagles 2023 fourth-round pick, has been splitting reps with Adoree' Jackson, who was signed to a one-year free agent deal back in March. Ringo gave up some big plays early in camp -- mostly while going against the almost unguardable A.J. Brown -- but has come on of late. Jackson has been pretty solid throughout.
Fangio seemed to publicly challenge Jackson to reach his potential this season when recently discussing the nine-year veteran.
"In Tennessee, when it came time to re-sign him after his contract was up, they didn't," he said. "The Giants, his contract was up, they didn't. It's time to show who he is or who he isn't."
Depth along the edge behind Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt is a question mark. Joshua Uche and Azeez Ojulari were both brought in on one-year deals to solidify the position but, as Fangio noted, "nobody's really truly surfaced yet [behind Hunt and Smith]. Good or bad."
Meanwhile, Williams' projected replacement at defensive tackle, Moro Ojomo, has only heightened the buzz around him entering camp by consistently piercing into the backfield. Left tackle Jordan Mailata is his biggest hype man, likening his ability to cut to Micah Parsons and predicting Ojomo is "going to be special."
His emergence, as well as the expected leveled-up play of guys such as Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell and DeJean -- or "All-Pro Coop" as Brown calls him -- bodes well for a unit that finished tops in passing yards allowed per game (174.2) and second in points per game (17.8) a year ago.
But there are several posts that need to be locked down before we can say with certainty that this defense is fully ready to run it back.