The Philadelphia Eagles knew they had something to work with when they drafted Jeremiah Trotter Jr. If nepotism alone worked out in their favor, he'd be pretty special. They also knew his path to a prominent role wouldn't necessarily be immediate. That seems prophetic now, but patience is being rewarded.
Trotter has spent training camp consistently finding his way around the football, making plays as a run defender and blitzer while showing the instincts that made him such an intriguing prospect coming out of the Clemson Tigers program. With first-round pick Jihaad Campbell alongside established starter Zack Baun, Trotter has another hurdle to clear before becoming a full-time contributor. Still, so far, he has made that decision a lot harder to stand on.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. keeps making Eagles fans take notice.
Camp has provided plenty of evidence that Trotter is ready for more responsibility. He has shown up repeatedly in run-defense periods. He has found creases as a blitzer, and he has played with the kind of downhill aggression the Eagles want from their linebackers. That production carried into Philadelphia's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. One can argue that Trotter was the best player that the Eagles put on the field.
He was especially active early, recording five tackles before halftime and delivering a delayed blitz that resulted in a sack of Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley. He didn't play the entire game, but he didn't need to. The Eagles got another valuable glimpse of what he can offer when given meaningful opportunities. What's becoming increasingly interesting is the company around him. Campbell received two early series alongside Trotter and continues to show why Philadelphia invested heavily in him.
Baun remains the veteran leader of this corps and one of the defense's most dependable players. Still, rather than allowing that depth to bury Trotter, the competition appears to be bringing out his best football. That's exactly what the Eagles should want. Trotter doesn't need to become a starter overnight to have value. A defense playing deep into the postseason needs linebackers who can step onto the field without creating a noticeable drop-off.
His ability to contribute as a run defender, blitzer, and coverage player could make him particularly useful as Philadelphia continues to figure out its linebacker rotation.
There have been mistakes, too, which is part of the process. Trotter is still developing, and the Eagles aren't going to hand him a larger role simply because he has produced some highlight plays in August. Still, there is a difference between asking a young player to earn trust and wondering whether he belongs. Trotter appears to have moved beyond the second question.
The Eagles may still be determining exactly how large his role should become. Trotter, meanwhile, continues to argue that, whatever the role is, it should probably be bigger than it was a year ago.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is forcing the Eagles to take notice