Should Eagles Bench LB Jihaad Campbell?

Coming into 2026, the Philadelphia Eagles defense was expected to be one of the top five defensive units in all of pro football.

So far, the Eagles have not even come close to resembling a top-tier defense through three games. A measly three sacks and no turnovers only begin to describe how futile Philadelphia’s defense has fared.

Highly paid defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter have not made an impact either as pass rushers or as run stuffers. Cooper DeJean, after being named First Team All-Pro in 2025, has already allowed two touchdowns through three games. Edge rusher Johnathan Greenard just got back into the lineup after missing the first two games of the year due to injury.

Perhaps the most concerning thing has to do with shoddy tackling at all levels of the defense. The most glaringly bad display of tackling came on Luther Burden’s first quarter Monday night touchdown catch for Chicago. The play can only be described as a rugby scrum. Burden was seemingly engulfed by Philadelphia defenders but kept his legs churning and burrowed into the end zone for the score.

It is unfair to pin Philadelphia’s tackling struggles on one person. However, the inconsistent play of former first-round draft pick Jihaad Campbell could open the door for the Eagles to explore other options. Though he has great physical traits, Campbell does not appear to be a very instinctive player. Too often, he has been out of position in coverage and against the run. Making matters worse, Campbell also does not play with the necessary violence at the point of attack.

Pro Football Focus ranks Campbell 27th out of 71 qualified linebackers through three games. By no means terrible, but not what Philadelphia expected from the second-year defender from NFL factory Alabama. On Wednesday, Campbell was a limited participant in practice due to a knee injury. He is listed as questionable heading into Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams.

Though Campbell does not deserve a permanent benching, I think it is time to work Jeremiah Trotter Jr. into the lineup and see if he can produce in a larger role. The third-year man from Clemson has logged only six defensive snaps this year and is primarily used on special teams. Trotter does not possess the elite physical tools of Campbell, but he may be able to make an impact based on his high football IQ and more instinctive style of play. This week could be Trotter’s chance to open some eyes with Campbell not at full strength.