Howie Roseman SZN: The Edge Rushers
A franchise record of 70 sacks is all you need to know about the Eagles’ pass rush in the 2022-23 season and the key component to that was an edge-rushing group that produced three different players who all had more than 10 quarterback takedowns.
All three also produced career-highs (Haason Reddick with 16, Josh Sweat with 11, and Brandon Graham with 11).
The starting duo remains intact and will be one of the NFL’s best with Reddick, 28, in his prime after a second-team All-Pro season and Sweat, 25, a still-ascending Pro Bowl-level player.
There is some uncertainty with the backups, however. The Eagles need to make a decision on Graham as an aging all-time franchise great. Set to turn 35 on April 3, Graham excelled in a reduced role that limited his pitch count.
The veteran says he wants to play 15 seasons and preferably all of them in Philadelphia. This would be No. 14 if the Eagles and Graham can agree on a contract.
The No. 4 spot is also important for the Philadelphia defense because the goal is to come at you in waves with the idea that Reddick and Sweat will be ready for high-leverage snaps late in the game. To do that you need a good rotation.
It’s such an important role that the Eagles earmarked it for 2017 first-round pick Derek Barnett, 26, and that was derailed in Week 1 when he tore his ACL. At the trade deadline, Howie Roseman brought in the accomplished Robert Quinn, 32, for a fourth-round pick but that didn’t work out due to a balky knee that required surgery.
As far as the deeper reserves, Patrick Johnson, 25, ended up getting some significant reps and was serviceable but the goal is more than that while rookie Kyron Johnson, 24, was brought in to be a special teams player but does have tremendous speed and athleticism, although he’s undersized.
Physically, waiver-wire pickup Janarius Robinson, 24, has a similar frame as fellow Florida State product Sweat and is a high-end piece of clay for Jeremiah Washburn to work with.
Tarron Jackson, 24, is also back on a futures deal after a season in which he started on the 53, was waived, and then brought back to the practice squad.
Matt Leo, 30, remains as an International Pathway Player as well and the Eagles have raved about the Australian’s practice habits but it’s hard to imagine him in the rotation.
STAY:
-Reddick is one of the NFL’s elite edge rushers and his big-money free-agent deal already looks like a bargain.
-Sweat is in the conversation for being the Eagles’ most underrated player and is under contract through 2024.
-Graham doesn’t want to leave and the guess here is that he works with the Eagles to find a middle ground.
-Barnett’s return could make the Eagles' four-man rotation even better despite some Eagles fans' dismissal over his failure to live up to his draft pedigree. The team could also always go edge-rusher in the first round of the draft which would impact Barnett's future greatly.
-Patrick Johnson will enter the third year of his rookie deal as a cost-effective backup.
-Year 2 will be big for Kyron Johnson, who must make a big leap to stay in the conversation.
-Jackson will be back to compete in the spring and summer but he’s now a longshot for the 53.
GO:
Quinn was a rental who didn’t work out due to injury issues. Either he’s physically done or will be looking for a bigger opportunity elsewhere.
READ MORE
Howie Roseman SZN: The Off-Ball Linebackers
Howie Roseman SZN: The Cornerbacks
Howie Roseman SZN: The Safeties - Sports Illustrated
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
