The Philadelphia Eagles have been getting on the right track over the last couple of weeks, especially with a big win over the Cincinnati Bengals. One area that has seen a lot of improvement over their three-game win streak is the pass rush. The Birds have been getting more consistent pressure on opponents, causing quarterbacks to make mistake throws leading to turnovers. This team has always built in the trenches and they’ll probably be looking to add to a unit that has been their bread and butter over the last decade. Will the Eagles target one of Saquon Barkley’s former teammates to address that need at the NFL trade deadline?
Will The Eagles Look Into Azeez Ojulari As An NFL Trade Deadline Candidate?
A report from Sports Illustrated’s Patrick McAvoy suggests that the Eagles should target the New York Giants star defensive lineman at the deadline. McAvoy cites how the Eagles have already had success picking talent from the Giants well when they made one of their biggest moves of the offseason by signing Barkley from the division rival.
That deal has worked wonders for the team as Barkley has been a revelation for the Eagles offense. He has carried the load, especially during the early struggles of the season. He has also re-established himself as one of the premiere backs in the league and has been the focal point of the Eagles offense in many weeks. Now, the Birds could potentially add to that success by snagging another star player from the Giants, but this time on the defensive side.
Additionally, McAvoy states that the Giants once again aren’t having a strong season and if they are looking to get potential draft capital, they could look to trade some pieces. Not to mention Ojulari would be an attractive piece for any contender due to his production and affordability.
“Azzez Ojulari is in the final year of his rookie contract and has six sacks in eight games for a Giants defense that already has Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns on the payroll,” USA Today’s Glenn Erby said.
A Little About Ojulari As A Player
As already mentioned, he’s been a beast this year. However, how has he panned out throughout his career? He was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has been with the Giants ever since.
Ojulari had a pretty solid rookie season that included 49 tackles and eight sacks while playing in all 17 games. He has also averaged at least five sacks in a season in three of his first four years. As a rotational piece, Ojulari could be useful. His biggest problem is that he’s had trouble staying on the field. Ojulari only played 18 games in the two seasons following his 2021 rookie campaign. However, that hasn’t been the case this year and he’s back to putting up positive production. Ojulari is only 24 years old and could be a nice foundational piece for the team now and in the future.
He played his best game of the season in his most recent matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has also had standout performances against the Bengals and Washington Commanders earlier in the year. It will be interesting to see who the Eagles target at the deadline. Ojulari could be a nice young piece for one of the team’s strengths.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
