Ranking the Best Eagles to Ever Wear No. 96
There are now 96 days until the Eagles open the season in Landover, Md., against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 13.
From now until then, SI.com's EagleMaven will do a jersey countdown, listing the current Eagles player to wear the corresponding number to the days left before the season opener. As a bonus, we will list the top three players in team history to have that number.
NUMBER 96
Current No. 96
Derek Barnett. The defensive end finished second on the team in sacks last year with a career-high 6.5 in 14 games. If he can stay healthy and play all 16 games in good health, Barnett could be primed for a double-digit sack season.
Top 3 in team history to wear No. 96:
3. Bennie Logan. The defensive tackle made 51 starts in four seasons after the Eagles drafted him in the third round, 67th overall, out of LSU in 2013. During his time in Philly, he made 164 tackles with 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
2. Derek Barnett. Still an unfinished product, but there is still plenty of upside for a player who won’t turn 24 until the end of June. He has 14 sacks in three seasons and several big plays, including a key sack in the 2017 NFC Championship Game and the fumble recovery of Brandon Graham’s sack of Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII.
1. Clyde Simmons. A ninth-round pick, the 233rd player taken overall, in 1986 NFL Draft out of Western Carolina. Simmons spent the first eight of his 15-year career with the Eagles, lining up with Reggie White and Jerome Brown. Simmons was part of the “Gang Green” defense that Buddy Ryan molded into one of the organization’s best of all time.
Simmons had 76 sacks in Philly, which puts him in third place on the franchise’s all-time sacks list behind Reggie White (124) and Trent Cole (88.5). With 121.5 career sacks and the longevity of his career, it’s a wonder how Simmons has yet to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Runner-ups:
Paul Grasmanis. Gave the Eagles six solid seasons after being a fourth-round pick in 1986 of the Bears, a team he played with for three seasons before moving on to the Broncos for a year, then joining Philly. Grasmanis was a strong reserve player.
Omar Gaither. The former fifth-round pick in 2006, Gaither played all three linebacker positions but had a breakout season playing middle linebacker in 2007 when he 102 tackles. In five seasons with the Eagles, he made 291 tackles with five sacks and two interceptions.
Others: John Sodaski, Harvey Armstrong, Marvin Ayers, Mike Flores, Mark Gunn, Keith Rucker, Al Wallace, Greg Lloyd.
