Often, opportunity is everything with young players in the NFL.
Few want their chance to come at the expense of another due to injury, but in a sport as violent and as dangerous as professional football, that path to playing time is going to exist.
In Philadelphia, with a defense amid great turnover, in many ways, this is the offseason of Jeremiah Trotter Jr., the second-year legacy player out of Clemson.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio explained why when admitting that first-round pick Jihaad Campbell isn’t expected to practice until sometime in August after March labrum surgery, and veteran starter Nakobe Dean’s timetable after a torn patellar tendon against Green Bay in January is even more uncertain.
“He won’t be back for a while,” Fangio said of Dean.
There are open spots on the edge, at cornerback and at safety on the Eagles’ defense, and Fangio has rotated liberally during OTAs as the veteran coach attempts to decipher what he has at each position.
However, at off-ball LB opposite All-Pro Zack Baun, Trotter has gotten every first-team rep in the two OTAs open to reporters. That’s expected to continue at mandatory minicamp next week, and into late July when training camp begins.
“Because of the circumstances, you don’t want to see guys injured, but with that happening my reps have gone up. I’m blessed to still be able to have that opportunity, continuing to gain the trust of my coaches and go out there and just continue to get better and continue to improve on my game,” Trotter told Eagles On SI.
The depth behind Baun and Trotter has been lengthy fifth-round pick Smael Mondon, with Dallas Gant, who spent the final 13 games (including the playoffs) in the Eagles’ practice squad last year, or rookie undrafted free agent Lance Dixon out of Toledo.
If you can find the prop bet on Trotter being an Eagles defensive starter on Sept. 4 against Dallas, take it. As to who plays Mike and Will that’s still up in the air.
“Zack can play either spot, just like with Cooper [DeJean in the secondary], wherever we need him the most, what’s best for the team, which will be determined some by who the next guy is until Nakobe comes back,” Fangio said. “… That’ll be TBD. That’ll be a good question after two preseason games.”
The real question is whether Trotter is just a placeholder you are trying to persevere with until Dean is back or Campbell is ready, vs. a legitimate player who can help Fangio’s defense win.
“I probably say just the whole system in general,” Trotter said when asked where he has improved the most. “Last year was just kind of going into a new system and just the whole defense was a new system with Vic coming in and having a whole year under my belt and continue to watch the guys, watch Zack Baun, Nakobe, watching Oren [Burks], seeing how they played the game and different techniques on our defense.
“I feel that really helped me learn and continue to develop in the scheme.”
Ironically, Trotter’s father, the legendary Eagles’ “Axe Man” Jeremiah Trotter Sr., had his career take off in Year 2.
Could history repeat itself?
“Just keep doing what you’re doing your rookie year, which is working every day, trying to make the most of any opportunity you get and just grinding and try to continue to improve,” the younger Trotter said when asked what advice his father has shared. “That’s really all you can do and I’m gonna just try to put my best foot forward.”
The luxury of any NFL “opp” is the blank canvas it provides to paint one’s story.
If you play well, no one is taking you off the field.
