PHILADELPHIA – Vic Fangio was expecting him in August, so when Jihaad Campbell showed up for the first day of training camp ready to be involved in some team drills, well, it was like Christmas in in July for the Eagles’ defensive coordinator.
“It was good to see him out there,” said Fangio. “I wasn't expecting him out there. The trainers had been telling me all spring that it would be at some point in August when he'd be out there.
“It was good to get him out there ... it was just an hour of practice (on Wednesday) but no earth-shattering news to report yet other than it was good that he was out there and he's progressing.”
What did the DC learn about Campbell’s situation?
“I'm learning that our trainers like to understate and overachieve so they look good,” Fangio joked.
That old axiom - fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me – probably won’t apply to Nakobe Dean, though. The linebacker was placed on PUP the day camp opened as his knee rehab continues. Fangio still isn’t expecting Dean for the start of the season.
Campbell being available after shoulder surgery in March, though, should tide him and the defense over until Dean can return. The first-round pick has already been pretty active in camp, knocking a ball away from a receiver in one 7-on-7 drill in the first two days of camp.
“Jihaad looks good, really, really good,” said linebacker Zack Baun. “Obviously a physical specimen, very athletic dude. I think he missed out on some reps during the spring there that could have been beneficial to him, but he's not far behind. He's gonna be a good player.”
He projects to be a good player sooner rather than later. The Eagles will likely use him in some sub-packages initially, but should he excel so much over the next several weeks, Fangio might not be able to stop himself from inserting Campbell into the starting lineup when the Cowboys visit for the opener on Sept. 4.
The hype train, at least, has already left the station with his teammates on board.
"Man, he’s electrifying, he’s electrifying,” said edge rusher Nolan Smith. “He really reminds me of myself if I play inside linebacker. But he's just electrifying and, man, he's got a quick step, he's got good jabs, he's got good hands. Typical SEC inside linebackers, man, we blitzed them guys, and I watched him play, and I was 100 percent happy with him when he came here.”
