Eagles Continue to Tie Up Loose Ends with Signings of Parris Campbell, Tyler Hall
PHILADELPHIA - Less than 24 hours after writing that Howie Roseman still had some loose ends to tie up when it came to draft-proofing his offseason roster, the Philadelphia Eagles veteran GM was thinking the same way.
Roseman and the Eagles bolstered two of the three positions mentioned - slot cornerback, wide receiver 3, and swing tackle – by signing former Las Vegas corner Tyler Hall and ex-New York Giants receiver Parris Campbell, a player the organization has significant interest during the 2019 draft process.
Campbell was the latest to agree to terms on Thursday, first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and later confirmed by an NFL source.
Team sources confirmed to SI.com’s Eagles Today that the consideration was J.J. Arcega-Whiteside vs. Campbell with the 57th overall pick in the 2019 draft. Ultimately Philadelphia, pushed by owner Jeffrey Lurie, went with JJAW and his perceived difference-making catching radius, over Campbell, whom the scouting staff preferred, and went two spots later to the Indianapolis Colts.
The Eagles debated Parris Campbell vs. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside back in 2019.
USA Today
Neither player lived up to their draft status with Arcega-Whiteside snaring just 16 receptions for 290 yards and a touchdown over three seasons and 40 games with the Eagles. The Stanford product tried to catch on with Seattle and Atlanta after leaving Philadelphia while toggling between receiver and TE before hedging north to the CFL and the Toronto Argonauts.
Campbell has been slightly better but battled injuries for most of his rookie contract with the Colts, finishing his stint in Indy with a career-best 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns in 2022.
The former Ohio State star signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the New York Giants last season but wasn’t given much of an opportunity due to injuries to quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor and ineffective play by third-stringer Tommy DeVito.
The Eagles again figure to be an offense that is 11 personnel heavy, something preferred by head coach Nick Sirianni and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
In 2023, Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus weren’t able to provide the production the Eagles hoped for behind stars A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith. Both remain free agents.
Campbell, 26, hasn’t been very explosive during his six-year career, snaring a total of 117 receptions for 1,087 yards, just 9.3 yards per reception but he does provide a veteran presence in the slot that would be closer to what Zaccheaus offered last season than the speedy Watkins.
Hall, 25, brings youth and some experience to a slot position that was a revolving door last season after a preseason torn Achilles to Zech McPhearson predated Avonte Maddox’s torn pec early in the regular season.
Hall, who played with former Eagles safety Marcus Epps at Wyoming and still works out with Epps at the former Philadelphia starter’s gym in Los Angeles, has over 300 NFL reps and six starts under his belt at slot CB for the Raiders.
The Eagles released Maddox, who has struggled with multiple injuries in recent seasons, and the veteran remains a free agent while McPhearson will be back to compete as will Isaiah Rodgers, a 2023 signing who was suspended last season for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.
Rodgers has yet to be reinstated by the league but the expectation is that he will be barring any further problems.
Neither Campbell nor Hall is guaranteed anything in Philadelphia moving forward, however. This is Roseman's attempt to finish up his pre-draft work with targeted additions to better prepare his staff for the selection meeting.
