Obsessed With Greatness: Year Of High Expectations For Moro Ojomo About To Begin

PHILADELPHIA – One of Vic Fangio’s more memorable sentiments this summer was regarding Moro Ojomo.

“Howie better save some money for him,” the Eagles defensive coordinator said, referencing GM Howie Roseman and defensive tackle Ojomo.

You go through the names of the best defensive players on the Eagles this year, and Ojomo takes a backseat to no one - not Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell, or Cooper DeJean.

The last defensive tackle to post double-digit sacks for the Eagles was Javon Hargrave in 2022. He had 11 in a season that saw the Eagles fall two sacks short of tying the NFL record of 72, with four players reaching double figures – Haason Reddick, Brandon Graham, and Josh Sweat joining Hargrave.

It all starts Sunday when the Eagles host the Washington Commanders. The defensive tackle group is stocked with talented stars. The Eagles line up with Carter, Jordan Davis, and Ojomo. The Commanders counter with Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw.

“I think he's gonna have an amazing season," said Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt about Ojomo. "Coaching him is an absolute pleasure - super, super smart, great communicator, the vocal leader of the group. I think they all lead in their own specific way, but he's very outspoken, and that speaks to the confidence that he has in himself, but I think he's gonna have a phenomenal year.”

If Ojomo has the year everyone expects, he could be looking at his last opener wearing an Eagles uniform, because that money Fangio talked about Roseman saving? Well, there are lot of places the GM can spend it.

“It's really cool that my DC sees that in me,” said Ojomo. “I can't make this decision, so I would be worrying myself crazy if I were obsessing over things like that, you know?”

Moro Ojomo Defines What A Great Year Will Look Like

Ojomo just turned 25 in August, yet this is his fourth season in the NFL, which means his rookie contract will expire this offseason.

“He's played well for us the last two years and expect more of the same, and maybe even hopefully a little uptick,” said Fangio before the start of Thursday’s Week 1 practice. “He's already been a good player here, and we expect that and maybe even a little more. I don't think he has to go out and prove anything.”

The DC is particularly impressed with Ojomo’s football intelligence and his leadership in a defensive tackle room with plenty of those. It’s been said he’s like having a coach on the field.

“I kinda have an obsessive tendency sometimes to be … I just wanna be great,” said Ojomo. “So, I put everything into it."

Ojomo had a breakout season last year, collecting six sacks. In his first two seasons, he didn’t have any of those. He played sparingly as a rookie – just eight games and 68 defensive snaps (13 percent). Those numbers jumped dramatically in Year 2, going up to all 17 games with 388 defensive snaps (37 percent). Last year, 17 games again with nine starts and 740 defensive snaps (66 percent).

He has allowed himself time to reflect on has far he has come since arriving as a seventh-round pick, the 249th player taken overall in 2023.

“A little bit,” he said. “I think I'm obsessed with deferred gratitude, but the problem with that is that sometimes you need to look back at how far you've come, right, to appreciate it.”

With the attention Carter and Davis potentially attract, Ojomo could have a field day and push his sack total even higher, reaching that uptick Fangio mentioned.

Asked what a great year looks like for him, Ojomo said: “Oof, that’s a loaded question.”

He thought for a bit, then said: “A great year for me is being the player that I am, and that's a player that brings a helluva lot of energy, a smart player, a quick player, a physical player, and a dominant player. I don't wanna put any caps on numbers, whatever. Like, you know, I'm just gonna go out there and play my best football.”

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