Eagles Rookie Shakes Off Collision, Impressing Vic Fangio

The Philadelphia Eagles wore full pads for first time in training camp, and there was one scary collision.

Eagles first-round rookie pick Jihaad Campbell (No. 30) wamrs up for a training camp practice. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – Collisions were happening over and over, the sounds of pads popping, reverberating through the stifling humidity and across the field.

The Eagles were in full pads on Tuesday, and it was a good chance to do some one-on-one work. Except that the usual fill of offensive and defensive linemen going head-to-head never materialized. This involved running backs working on pass protection against blitzing linebackers, one-on-one, like car accidents on the Schuylkill as linebackers got running starts.

Perhaps there was a hint that this was coming a day earlier when running backs coach Jemal Singleton was talking about his running backs.

“Pass protection is something we have to do on every down,” he said. “That’s gotta be something the entire group has to be better at. Saquon’s (Barkley) gotta work at it. AJ (Dillon’s) gotta work at it. Will’s (Shipley) gotta work at it.”

So, they were working on it, and there was nearly a casualty of a colossal hit. When it was over, when running back Montrell Johnson absorbed a mighty shot by a hard-charging Jihaad Campbell, Campbell immediately bent over, elbows on knees.

The thought from those watching was, uh-oh, is it the shoulder he had repaired in March? Campbell is listed as limited the first five days or practice, but there was nothing limiting about this hit. He remained bent over like that for several seconds before rising, and trotting very slowly towards the neighboring field, where 11-on-11 drills were about to commence.

Cambell didn’t miss a beat. He was back on the field for the second snap in that drill, and he was Dallas Goedert’s shadow on a pass that Goedert caught for a shot gain after being tackled immediately by Campbell – the shoulder was fine.

“I do see him making small strides every day,” said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “Again, it may not be noticeable to the average eye, but he's making good strides, and if he can keep making those strides, I think he'll be what we had hoped he would be.”

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