Four Eagles Land on PFF's Top 30 Players Over 30
Pro Football Focus just released its rankings of the 25 best players under 25 years old, which featured one Philadelphia Eagle in receiver DeVonta Smith. As a follow up, PFF has now released its ranking of the 30 best players over 30 years old, which includes even more Eagles representation.
Philadelphia landed four players on the rankings, the most of any team. The division-rival Dallas Cowboys are the only other team with at least three players on the rankings.
The first Eagles to appear on the rankings are a pair of offensive linemen. Center Jason Kelce, 35, comes in at No. 10, with PFF saying he "anchors the best offensive line in football and shows no signs of slowing." Right behind him is offensive tackle Lane Johnson, who PFF says "consistently performs at a high level with little to no help at the right tackle position." Neither player even allowed a quarterback hit last season, leading to their high placement on the rankings.
The next Eagle on the list, edge rusher Brandon Graham, isn't far behind at No. 13. Graham, 35, seems to be getting better with age, posting a career-high 11 sacks in 2022. Even in the twilight of his career, Graham plays a huge role in making the Eagles' pass rush so formidable.
"Graham continues to put up elite grades and pressure rates from the edge position," PFF writes. "And they finally turned into a monster sack season in 2022, as he recorded a career-high 11 sacks. Despite turning 35, Graham had his second-highest-graded season, finishing with an 89.8 pass-rush grade."
Cornerback Darius Slay, 32, is the final Eagle on the list, just squeaking in at No. 29. Slay had his best season as an Eagle in 2022, posting 14 passes defended and three interceptions. His future in Philadelphia looked to be in jeopardy this offseason, but the Eagles were able to keep him around on a new deal.
"Slay finished the 2022 season as the 12th-highest-graded cornerback in the NFL," PFF writes. "He’s graded at 84.5 and 77.3 in coverage the past two seasons, forcing 21 incompletions over that span. He returns to Philadelphia in 2023 and is the fourth Eagle on this list."
These four veterans may be in the twilight of their careers, but they are making every second of it count.
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