Eagles may rely on rookie linebackers for depth

The Eagles linebackers on the practice field Wednesday were a collection of unheralded rookies who even the most devoted fan would need to research for trivia. But when studying the Eagles' depth chart, those rookies could become more relevant than their name recognition suggests.

Nigel Bradham's arrest this week unearthed a dilemma that was already fermenting throughout the offseason: To whom would the Eagles turn if something happened to one of their starting linebackers?

Bradham, Jordan Hicks, and Mychal Kendricks appear entrenched as the starters, but all three missed time because of injuries last season. Veteran Najee Goode, who is entering his fifth NFL season, is the lone backup with…