Eagles Edge Rushers
As we get closer to training camp, the next edition of this series will analyze the current situation of the Eagles edge rushers. The defensive line has been a calling card for the Eagles in the last few seasons, especially last year when they led the league in sacks as a team. The Eagles piled up 70 sacks last year as a team, 15 more sacks than the Kansas City Chiefs who had the second-most sacks in the league that year. Everyone knows the importance of sacks and being able to get the quarterback. But the Eagles defensive line also thrives when they can regularly wreak havoc in the backfield. Pressures, Hurries, but also tackles for loss and blown-up run plays are their specialty.
Thus, it’s important for the Eagles to not only have a few edge rushers that are versatile, but to have a rotation of edge rushers that are versatile, but also specialize in certain areas. The talent is there, but is there enough upside and versatility to be able to dominate every game like last year? If you missed any of the prior editions to this series, go catch up on them below!
Staples of the First Rotation: Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick
Brandon Graham is undoubtedly an Eagles legend and has been a consistent player. Even as he has gotten older the Eagles have found no reason to decrease his playing time. In Graham’s 13th year in the league at 34 years old, he still racked up a respectable 11 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. He is a consistent part of the rotation that can get to the quarterback but also holds his own in the run game. But the star of the Eagles defensive line last year was Haason Reddick. Reddick had some struggles as a first-round pick early in his career. But once he landed with the Eagles everything clicked for him and he finished last year with 16.5 sacks. He cemented himself as an extremely dangerous pass-rusher but also was surprisingly good against the run last year with 11 tackles for loss.
But the player in this group Eagles fans should be most excited to see next year is Josh Sweat. Sweat is a former top 10 recruit out of high school. He struggled heavily with injuries in college where he fell to the fourth-round in the 2018 NFL Draft. But Sweat has the talent to become a premier player in the league, and he’s been showing that he is getting closer to realizing that. He improved from his 2021 season with 7.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss to 11 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 2022. Sweat has the first step and explosiveness to win around the edge, but his strength to hold his ground and throw offensive lineman around are special. Eagles reporter Dave Spadaro believes Josh Sweat is only getting better and can be in store for a real breakout type of season.
Fighting for Snaps in the Rotation: Derek Barnett, Janarius Robinson, Nolan Smith
From this group every Eagles fan will obviously have their eyes on the first-round rookie out of Georgia, Nolan Smith. Smith is an undersized edge rusher who is a freakish athlete, evident from his performance at the NFL combine. While there is a ton of upside to Smith, there are also some questions that he will have to answer. NFL Network’s distinguished draft analyst, Daniel Jeremiah, believes Nolan Smith can become the type of player akin to Haason Reddick. However, many also believe that Smith is lacking right now as a pure pass rusher. While Smith’s repertoire of pass-rushing moves is limited right now, Smith can bring a ton to this team, not through just sacks and pressures. Expect Smith to have a bigger impact on the game with very good run defense and coverage rather than pressures and sacks in his first year.
Derek Barnett has had a slightly disappointing career to this point as a former first-round pick. Before his major injury last year, Barnett had yet to reach seven sacks in a season and while he was solid as a run-defender, he never felt like he was a dominating presence. Hence, is why he is a part of this group instead of the group above. However, while Barnett may not be spectacular, he is a great piece for the depth on this defensive line and a still decent overall player. Janarius Robinson has yet to play a snap in the NFL since being drafted in 2021. The Eagles signed him last September from the Minnesota Vikings practice squad once Barnett was injured. Robinson has starting-caliber size at 6’5” and 266 pounds but with limited athleticism. Robinson needs to refine his pass-rushing craft and repertoire of moves to see snaps this year.
Fighting for Roster Spots/Practice Squad: Matt Leo, Tarron Jackson, Patrick Johnson, Kyron Johnson
Matt Leo is an awesome story that makes NFL fans happy to hear. ESPN Staff Writer, Tim McManus, has an inspiring story detailing Leo’s path from the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. Leo was only six months away from completing an apprenticeship to be a plumber in Adelaide, Australia. However, after training and making some connections, Leo got the opportunity to play for Iowa State and was able to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL. Leo is a massive defensive end at 6’7” and 280 pounds, he is someone that no offensive lineman would love to block. His strength is paired with some real athleticism for his size as well. Leo is an older player at 31 years old, but he’s a player with some obvious upside and a great story.
Tarron Jackson is a sixth-round draft pick in 2021 from Coastal Carolina University. He is another strong defensive end who can be a good run-defender but lacks explosiveness as a pass-rusher. Patrick Johnson is a very technically sound and polished pass rusher out of Tulane University with a great motor. But he lacks length against some of the bigger offensive tackles in the league. While Kyron Johnson is a versatile player out of Kansas University who played some snaps as an edge rusher and stand-up linebacker. He is a very strong player despite being undersized but needs to develop a pass-rushing move set to see snaps this year. Altogether these four players are unlikely to see many snaps, but they all have strengths to build on to become contributors in the future.
Eagles Edge Rushers: Conclusion
All in all, the Eagles top three edge-rushers are quality players that can have an impact against every team. Whether they go against a big offensive line that thrives in the run game, or an offensive line that excels in pass protection, Graham, Sweat, and Reddick should make an impact. However, after those three there are some credible questions about the depth of this position especially when factoring in Graham’s age and Sweat’s injury history. If injuries occur, the Eagles will need a mix of Nolan Smith, Derek Barnett, and Janarius Robinson to step up in a big way. But what evidence is there that they could step up and fill some of the void?
Don’t be surprised if the Eagles look for veterans during training camp or even during the season to add to the edge rusher room. The Eagles did this last year for the defensive tackle position by adding Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph later in the year. Adding in a veteran may be a necessary addition, but if Graham, Sweat, and Reddick are healthy the Eagles should be able to dominate in the same way they did last year.
Main Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
