Eagles' Edge-Rushing Situation Reaches Critical Mass After Another Injury

Veteran Ogbo Okoronkwo tore his triceps in Tampa and will likely miss the rest of the season.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (50) an linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. (42). | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Eagles’ edge-rushing situation may have just graduated from concern to Defcon 1 on Sunday at Tampa Bay after veteran edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo went down with a torn triceps in a 31-25 win.

A source confirmed to Eagles On SI that Okoronkwo will require surgery, which will likely end his season. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane was the first to report the injury.  

Okoronkwo, 30, had been inactive for the 4-0 Eagles during the first three games of the season and was up against the Buccaneers because starting edge Nolan Smith was placed on injured reserve last week after aggravating his own triceps tear suffered in Super Bowl LIX.

The good news with Smith is that his injury is non-surgical in nature, meaning he could be back in November after Philadelphia’s Week 9 bye.

As for the rotation, Okoronkwo only played four defensive snaps against the Bucs before getting injured, and Patrick Johnson played in 15, indicating 20 was likely Vic Fangio’s wheelhouse for the No. 4 spot in the rotation in what was a heavy 72-snap game for the Eagles’ defense.

As expected, second-year man Jalyx Hunt led the way with 52 reps in a game where the real feel on the field surpassed 100 degrees for most of the game. Veteran Za’Darius Smith was ramped up to 36 snaps, and Josh Uche was at 30.

The Rotation Has Thinned

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Za'Darius Smith (52). | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Smith was the top-graded defensive player in the game, per Pro Football Focus, generating 3 hurries and a 27.6% pass-rushing win rate. Uche also received impressive grades, even better than Smith on the pass rush with 5 hurries and a 33.3% win rate.

Hunt struggled when rushing the passer with a 9.1% win rate, and Johnson was the lowest graded defender in the game.

In-house, the next man up is Azeez Ojulari, who has been inactive for the first month after a disappointing summer as a free-agent signing Howie Roseman brought in with the idea that the Georgia product would be part of the rotation.

The idea that Ojulari can dig his way out of a game-day inactive exile to contribute in a meaningful way is optimistic, and the Eagles may have to look outside the organization to find help for a group that has generated just one-half sack over the first four games.

Nothing can derail things in the NFL quicker than multiple injuries at the same position. That said, the silver lining here is that losing bodies may increase the urgency for Roseman to make somewhat of a splash on the edge before the Nov. 4 trade deadline.

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