While the NFL went to pre-determined contract amounts for first round picks many years ago, there are always a few weird situations each year where said first rounders don’t sign their contracts right away.
Even for the last few players to sign, there’s hardly headline-grabbing drama, but being one of the last to sign is notable. That’s even more pronounced in 2025, after Cincinnati Bengals first round pick Shemar Stewart decided to declare out-and-out war over the wording in his contract.
That’s why it was such a relief for the Philadelphia Eagles to finally sign first round pick Jihaad Campbell on June 11, when he inked his 4-year, $14.9 million rookie contract — all fully guaranteed.
“Campbell signed a four-year deal worth more than $14.9 million in guaranteed money,” Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper wrote on June 11. “The Eagles will also hold the option for a fifth season. The Eagles re-signed Zack Baun this offseason and Campbell will join him and Nakobe Dean at linebacker. Dean is recovering from a knee injury that could keep him out into the regular season. Second-round safety Andrew Mukuba is the only Eagles draft pick who has not agreed to a deal.”
The Eagles traded up one spot with the Kansas City Chiefs to obtain Campbell with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
“The Eagles tried to trade up earlier in the draft to get Campbell but it didn’t take,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during the draft broadcast. ” … He did have surgery on one shoulder and will need surgery on the other shoulder and there’s an issue with a knee as well.”
Campbell Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
On June 3, the Eagles announced Campbell won’t take the field until August, at the earliest, as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.
It’s the first of 2 shoulder surgeries the Eagles knew Campbell would need, although it’s likely he will wait until after his rookie season to have the other shoulder repaired.
Campbell, 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, was an All-SEC pick for the Crimson Tide in 2024 after he led the team with 117 tackles to go with 11.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception. He’s already projected as a starter alongside Baun, an NFL All-Pro pick in 2024, as he recovers from a torn patellar tendon in the NFC Wild Card Round against the Green Bay Packers.
“(Campbell) won’t hit the practice field until sometime in August,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on August 3. “We’re doing all we can, he’s doing all he can in meetings. We’re doing all we can with him on the field. I take him to the side and do an individual drill with him that’s suited to what he can do right now. He’s working good and trying to pick it up.”
Eagles Had NFL’s Best Defense in 2024
The Eagles are coming off a season in which they were the NFL’s best defense and capped the year with a dominant, 40-22 win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. The Eagles were up 34-0 and had the game in hand before they allowed a point.
It speaks to the esteem Campbell is already held in within the organization that he’s being tabbed to start already. It’s also the fourth consecutive season the Eagles have selected a defensive player in the first round.
