Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp: 5 Early Storylines to Watch

Philadelphia Eagles training camp doesn't open for another two weeks, but whether you've been living under a rock or on the beach the past few months, you can get caught up with the Birds right here.

The following slides should serve as a primer on the anticipated top stories to emerge from the first few days of camp this summer. We've been talking about many of these items ad nauseum for a while now, but when the team reconvenes on August 2, the hot topic in Delaware Valley will be the latest developments on many of the very same issues.

You can be sure these are the issues everybody will be talking about. The only real question is how they are all going to play out.

Sam Bradford’s Recovery

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

As of now, there's still some doubt as to whether Sam Bradford will be ready to take the field for the Eagles in Week 1, September 14. And why not? As of the last round of practices, Bradford still wasn't a full participant.

By now, everybody is probably aware Bradford suffered a torn ACL in back-to-back seasons and hasn't played pro football in close to a year. The Eagles, perhaps wisely, appear to be working their newfound asset back slowly.

That being said, head coach Chip Kelly is never one to shy away from competition, and the quarterback position is no different. Forget the fact that the Eagles traded Nick Foles and draft compensation to the St. Louis Rams, or that Bradford is set to earn nearly $13 million in 2015, according to Spotrac—if he doesn't prove he's healthy and the best option this summer, Mark Sanchez could very well wind up under center.

Only time will tell, but the very first thing reporters will look for at the onset of camp is whether the Eagles were simply being cautious or if Bradford is still far away from playing. My gut tells me it's the former, but I must admit, I'll be watching closely, too.

Nelson Agholor

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Welcome to the NFL, rookie.

Everybody wants to get the first glimpse at a potential star in the making, and that's tenfold when the subject is a first-round draft pick. Needless to say, all eyes are going to be on Nelson Agholor when the Eagles finally open camp.

It doesn't help matters that Agholor has larger than normal shoes to fill. Philadelphia has watched two No. 1 wide receivers depart over the past two offseasons—DeSean Jackson via release in 2014 and Jeremy Maclin just this year, each coming off of Pro Bowl campaigns. Naturally, people are wondering whether Agholor can take on that role.

Fair or unfair, the USC product will be saddled with expectations, perhaps unrealistically so. Even ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has placed Agholor on the proverbial pedestal, predicting the wideout will go on to win Rookie of the Year.

It all starts on a practice field in August, where the 20th-overall pick will immediately fall under intense scrutiny.

Cornerback Competition

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Agholor isn't the only rookie who will draw attention, and quarterback is far from the only competition observers will be watching closely. Second-round selection Eric Rowe arrived in Philly to some hype as well, and many are anxiously waiting to see whether he can win a starting job at cornerback this summer.

A widely-held assumption after Rowe was drafted is that he might be the probable No. 2 corner in 2015. However, veteran Nolan Carroll ran with the first-team defense this spring, and some would suggest he's the front-runner now.

In all fairness, that remains to be seen. Kelly isn't the type to just hand rookies big roles, as we've seen in the past. The head coach prefers young players earn their spot on the depth chart, and Rowe is no different. And let's face it, a starting cornerback job is a lot for any rookie to handle, particularly one who lined up at safety for three of his four seasons at Utah.

None of which is to say Rowe can't overtake Carroll in camp. In fact, this is a battle that's likely to last right up to September, which means both men better be gearing up for the long haul.

The Rotation at Interior Linebacker

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The Eagles traded All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills for Kiko Alonso. They extended 31-year-old DeMeco Ryans' contract coming off of an Achilles injury. Mychal Kendricks is still on the roster.

3-4 defenses traditionally deploy two interior linebackers at most. Philadelphia currently has three starters there.

Figuring out playing time for everybody may not be quite as difficult as people think. Alonso, the PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year for 2013, has the potential to become a star as a three-down linebacker. Ryans is best used on running downs at this stage of his career, while Kendricks—a dynamic pass-rusher who is able to drop into coverage—could excel in obvious passing situations.

That being said, until the Eagles show their hand, there's no telling how Alonso, Ryans and Kendricks will all be deployed. The specifics of the rotation will be monitored closely from the onset of camp all the way into the regular season.

The Offensive Line Shuffle

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Say what you want about the Eagles' decisions to release Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans this offseason. Justified or not, the club is left to replace two veterans—one an All-Pro—largely from the depth of its own roster, depth that has been challenged when called upon the past three seasons.

Journeyman Allen Barbre is currently penciled in at left guard, Mathis' old spot. Barbre has exactly as many starts as years he's been hanging around the NFL (eight), so who knows how that will turn out, although probably not in back-to-back Pro Bowls like Mathis produced.

Right guard is up for grabs. As long as we're being honest, Herremans was playing at a replacement level last season, but the choice between backups Andrew Garnder and Matt Tobin, or recently signed out of retirement John Moffitt isn't very promising, either.

At least the other three positions along the offensive line are settled. Regardless, there's a lot of doubt and confusion over the other two spots and no real evidence the Eagles have anybody who can fill the voids effectively.