Over the next couple of weeks (basically whenever there isn't other news to cover), we'll take a look at every player on the Philadelphia Eagles' roster, and how they fit with the team heading into training camp. Today we'll look at the off-ball linebackers.

The depth chart:

Devin White

White was the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he had an incredible 2020 season, the year Bucs won the Super Bowl, when he had 140 tackles (15 for loss), 9 sacks, and 16 QB hits. He has outstanding speed, and can make plays sideline-to-sideline, but there are questions about his awareness and willingness to do the dirty work. He got benched during the Bucs' run to the playoffs last season, but finished with 83 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 INTs, and 6 pass breakups.

White is an undersized linebacker at 6'0, 237, but his best trait as a pro has perhaps been his ability as a blitzer, as he has 23 career sacks. It will be interesting to see if Vic Fangio can get the most of White's unique abilities. Pencil him in as a Week 1 starter.

Zack Baun

Baun, 27, was a Saints third-round pick in 2020 who appeared in 62 games over the last four seasons, starting 14. He had his most productive season in 2023, making 30 tackles (4 for loss), 2 sacks, 4 QB hits, 2 pass breakups, and 1 INT in limited action (just 247 snaps) as a sub-package player. He was also a core special teamer for the Saints.

Here he is beating First-Team All-Pro Penei Sewell for a sack last season: 

Baun was something of an edge rusher / off-ball linebacker hybrid during his time in New Orleans. It was expected that he would be playing more on the edge behind a slew of guys like Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, and Nolan Smith. Instead, he consistently lined up at first-team off-ball linebacker opposite White during spring practices, which means that he will be a player of high interest during training camp.

Nakobe Dean

After the Eagles lost T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White in 2023 free agency, Dean was poised to step into a three-down role as the clear No. 1 linebacker on the roster, despite having only played 43 snaps as a rookie in 2022. 

However, he almost immediately landed on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury Week 1 against the Patriots. He returned Week 6 and played in four games before again suffering another foot injury that ended his season. 

All told, Dean only played in 5 games, making 30 tackles, a half sack, and creating no turnovers. He was fine as a run defender and as a tackler (PFF had him down for 0 missed tackles), but he has struggled in coverage (PFF had him down for 13 completions on 14 targets for 120 yards).

Dean missed some of OTAs as he continued to recover from the foot injury suffered during the 2023 season. When he was able to participate more extensively during a June minicamp, Dean played on the second-team defense behind White and Baun. Was that a demotion, or were the Eagles easing him back in after returning from his injury? We'll get a better answer to that when training camp begins. 

Oren Burks

Burks was a Packers third-round pick in 2018 who played in Green Bay his first four years in the NFL before playing for the San Francisco 49ers the last two. He was a backup to Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, as well as a sub-package player and special teams contributor for the Niners.

Burks had his best statistical season in 2023, making 46 tackles, a sack, and an INT in 15 games (5 starts). He was a good coverage linebacker for the Niners in 2023, as opposing quarterbacks had a 68.6 passer rating when they targeted him in 2023 (25 targets), per PFF. (He did get picked on in the Super Bowl by Patrick Mahomes after Greenlaw got hurt.)

Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.

Trotter was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft. He had good productivity both in 2022 and 2023 at Clemson. His career college stats:

Trotter is an instinctive, smart, hard-nosed linebacker with obviously good bloodlines. A highlight reel: