Eagles Add Pass Rusher With Temple And Penn State Ties

The Eagles enacted Plan B on Thursday by signing Arnold Ebiketie, the pass rusher, who starred at Temple before moving on to Penn State. He is here because they couldn’t get Jaelan Phillips to return.

It’s a situation similar to last year when the Eagles lost Josh Sweat in free agency, and Brandon Graham retired. They needed help on the edge, but never really got any despite throwing Azeez Ojulari, Josh Uche, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Za’Darus Smith at the wall and hoping one would stick. None of them really did.

Maybe the Eagles will get something out of Ebiketie, who signed a one-year deal worth up to $7.3 million, of which $4,3M is guaranteed. Perhaps some Eagles fans missed the signing since it was reported as the time neared 11 p.m. on the East Coast.

The Eagles are familiar with Ebiketie from the 2022 pre-draft processt. He was one of the team’s top 30 visits that year. The Atlanta Falcons never let him fall into range for the Eagles when they selected him 38th overall. Philly may not have taken him even if he fell to them with the 51st overall pick, because they had their sights set on center Cam Jurgens.

Ebiketie Still Looking To Live Up To Second-Round Draft Status

Oct 19, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. (center) carries the ball against Atlanta Falcons linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (17) during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Ebiketie, who is 6-2, 255 pounds, had 10.5 sacks in four years and 25 games at Temple before transferring to Penn State for his final year of eligibility. There, he had 9.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in 12 games.

A product of Cameroon, Ebiketie came to the game late. Still just 27, he has shown flashes of living up to his second-round status. In his NFL debut with the Falcons in their season opener against the Saints that year, he notched a sack. In his first start in Week 6, he had five tackles against the 49ers.

He has made just 12 starts, however, while never playing more than 50 percent of the defensive snaps in any of his four seasons. Last year, he played 34 percent of Atlanta’s defensive snaps.

Ebiketie joins an Eagles room that is light on pass rushers, with Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith leading the way, along with the ageless Graham.

The Eagles may not be done adding at the position in free agency, and certainly the draft could deliver a pass rusher, maybe even as early as the first round, where the Eagles own the 23rd overall pick. The draft begins on April 23 and will be held in Pittsburgh.