Ready For The Call

There’s no shortage of star power scattered throughout the Eagles’ roster. From All Pros and ascending talent on the cusp of a breakthrough to veteran mainstays it’s inarguably among the most complete in football.

We’re also often reminded that football is the ultimate team sport, requiring contributions from every corner of the roster. The Eagles, of course, have exemplified this point as much as any team, navigating attrition with a next-man-up mentality.

Which reserves on this year’s team find themselves in a potentially high-leverage role?

ITB PHOTO/ANDREW DICECCO: Veteran CB Jonathan Jones would give the Eagles an experienced backup if he makes the 53.

Here’s a closer look at five important depth pieces for the 2026 Eagles.

OL Drew Kendall

Kendall logged just 89 offensive snaps as a rookie, but is expected to step into a critical role as the Eagles’ top reserve interior offensive lineman. The Boston College product looks to have even bulked up a bit this offseason in anticipation of his broader job description. A center by trade, Kendall cross-trained at guard in the spring, an indication the team views him as the successor to longtime utility lineman Brett Toth, who departed in free agency.

For perspective, Toth, who last season served as a mentor of sorts for Kendall, logged a career-high 363 offensive snaps, starting games at both guard and center. The veteran proved to be a valuable temporary solution in his spot starts for center Cam Jurgens and left guard Landon Dickerson. History suggests that Kendall, lauded for his intelligence and professionalism, will be called upon this season in some capacity, amplifying the importance of his development.

OT Fred Johnson

The Eagles re-signed Johnson, 29, to a one-year deal in free agency, retaining a crucial depth piece on the offensive line. For context, Johnson combined for 14 starts over a two-year span, including eight games at right tackle in 2025 in place of an injured Lane Johnson. When he isn’t filling in for Lane Johnson or left tackle Jordan Mailata, Fred Johnson functions as the Eagles’ swing tackle. The Florida product experienced notable growth under former offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and has become one of the better backup tackles in football. Johnson isn’t without imperfections, to be sure, but whenever his number has been called he has mostly delivered. The Eagles did select an offensive tackle, Miami’s Markel Bell, in the third-round this spring, though he’ll likely need some time to develop. Johnson gives the Eagles experienced depth in the immediacy.

It was somewhat surprising that there wasn’t a team on the open market willing to offer Johnson a chance to compete for a starting spot, but the Eagles are fortunate that he’s back for another run.

DT Byron Young

When star defensive tackle Jalen Carter was sidelined for three weeks with shoulder injuries late in the season, the Eagles needed someone to assist Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo in navigating the interim. Young, 25, answered the bell, totaling 74 snaps and 2.5 sacks over that span. Naturally, his contributions were magnified in Carter’s absence, but Young had already established himself as a steady rotational piece well before that. Remember, Young outperformed rookie Ty Robinson in training camp and never relinquished his foothold in the pecking order. Young, by the way, enters the final year of his rookie deal.

Carter’s injuries last season, which also included a heel issue that kept him out of the Eagles’ Week 6 game at MetLife, affected his influence in games. And we’ll have to wait and see how his shoulders respond in training camp for an update on the recovery front. That said, it’s worth noting that Carter has accounted for 84 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in successive seasons, heightening the significance of the depth behind him. Carter, a 2024 All-Pro, is in line for a bounce-back season, to be sure. But if the team decides to lighten his workload a bit for preservation purposes – or if Carter is sidelined for any period of time – Young would be among those most impacted.

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles backup LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. plays well in practice and on special teams. He might be a starter if he was on another team.

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Second-year pro Jihaad Campbell rejoins the starting lineup, primed for a second-year surge on the heels of an encouraging rookie season. But keep in mind that Campbell, the Eagles’ 2025 first round pick, was sidelined this spring, mending from another shoulder procedure. Sure, the recovery isn’t expected to further restrict Campbell’s preparation for the 2026 season, but the common injury theme suggests it’s a storyline worth monitoring. This also feels like a good place to add that Campbell accounted for 55 snaps or more in seven of his first eight starts, the eighth start coming in a lopsided Eagles victory over the Giants.

Next up in the positional hierarchy would be Trotter Jr., a cerebral third-year pro. The Clemson product has played sparingly on defense through two seasons, combining for 192 defensive snaps, and is unlikely to see the field much in 2026, barring injury. Still, Trotter Jr. has impressed in his opportunities, specifically in training camp, showcasing instincts, sound fundamentals and attention to detail. If not for the Eagles’ abundance of talent at off-ball linebacker, Trotter Jr. is probably a starter. That embarrassment of riches is a good problem to have, though, equipping the Eagles with a more-than-capable fill-in on standby.

CB Jonathan Jones

When the Eagles inked Jones to a one-year deal back in March, it was a transaction that probably seemed like just an offseason footnote. Upon further review, you’ll find that Jones, 32, brings with him a decade of NFL experience, appearing in 144 games (78 starts). He’s versed in different defensive systems, played in eight playoff games and can essentially moonlight at any position in the secondary. In Philadelphia, Jones is expected to serve as the immediate backup to Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Riq Woolen, providing a certain level of dependability and professionalism. Jones knows his assignments and is conditioned to step in at a moment’s notice. The inclusion of Jones, provided he passes the test in training camp, also means that Fangio no longer has to settle for less established options as replacements. As the projected top reserve, Jones profiles as a “glue guy,” a necessity the Eagles were without last season.

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com