Eagles Add Another DT, Bring in Ndamukong Suh a Day After Linval Joseph
PHILADELPHIA – Think Howie Roseman is concerned about the run defense or is this more of a knee-jerk reaction to the Eagles’ first loss of the season?
It could be a little of both, but whatever it is, the Eagles’ GM signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh on Thursday afternoon, a day after signing nose tackle Linval Joseph. Both players got contracts through the rest of the season.
That’s 645 pounds of made-to-order beef for a defensive line that was overworked in Monday night’s loss, with Fletcher Cox playing 70 of 83 snaps and Javon Hargrave playing 66.
The last five Eagles’ opponents have run for at least 120 yards against them.
Joseph and Suh, even at advanced ages, should help, even though neither one has played a game this season.
Joseph is 34. This will be his 13th season.
Suh, who has 70.5 career sacks, will turn 36 in early January, before the end of the regular season, and will also play in his 13th season.
He won a Super Bowl in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was waiting for an opportunity to sign with a Super Bowl contender after his contract expired after last season.
Suddenly, this Eagles team has a ‘Dream Team’ vibe to it.
Who’s next for Roseman?
Rob Gronkowski after the Eagles put Dallas Goedert on IR earlier in the week?
Maybe Odell Beckham, Jr., to join an offense that needs to reallocate targets with Goedert out?
The Eagles have prided themselves on their culture of being a welcoming locker room, a room that values hard practices and connecting.
Bringing in Joseph and Suh on consecutive days at this point in the season will put that to the test.
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon coached Joseph when they were together with the Minnesota Vikings.
“He's a really good player against the run,” said the DC on Thursday morning. “Then with Marlon (Tuipulotu) getting hurt we needed to add another piece there. I was with Linval for four years.
"He's a really good player. His attitude is right. His character is great. He practices extremely hard. He is diligent. He kind of fits right into what we do and how he wants to play and what he wants to do, and I think it'll help us.”
Gannon expects there will be some kind of role for Joseph when the team plays the Colts on Sunday in Indianapolis.
Jason Kelce has played against Joseph plenty of times in his career, including twice a year when Joseph was with the Giants, then with the Vikings, and last year when Joseph was with the Chargers.
“He’s a tough matchup for me, for sure,” said Kelce on Thursday afternoon. “Not only is he a very large human being, he’s very smart. That’s evident when I’ve played him before. He picks up on things quickly, formations, where the back’s at, he’s good at reading the offensive linemen.
“I think he’ll obviously be a good addition to the defense. I’ve played him a lot. … we’ve had our battles, for sure.”
As for Suh, how much he will be able to play against the Colts will be determined over the next couple of days.
If he is able to arrive and get some practice time on Friday, there’s a chance he sees some reps.
The Eagles can use all the help they can get to try to stop Indy RB Jonathan Taylor from running wild and allowing the Colts to control the clock and keep the Eagles’ offense off the field the way Washington did when it owned the ball for 40-plus minutes on Monday night.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
