Nine-year NFL veteran Brandon Graham signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. His contract keeps him with the team through 2021. Graham, a one-time Super Bowl champion, has spent the entirety of his NFL career with the Eagles.
The #Eagles agreed to terms on a 3-year deal with pass-rusher Brandon Graham worth $40M, source said. The 30-year-old has a real chance to finish his career in Philly while also taking a top pass-rusher off the market.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2019
Brandon Graham Re-Signs With the Philadelphia Eagles
Graham played all 16 games with the Philadelphia Eagles, serving as Philadelphia’s top defensive end. Playing in 72.6% of the defensive snaps, Graham recorded 39 tackles, 11 hits, and four sacks. His impact went beyond the box score, as Graham was crucial for setting the edge and eating up space on the defensive line. Because of his impact outside of the stat sheet, Graham finished 2018 as the eighth-ranked defensive tackle in the league, per Pro Football Focus.
Graham initially entered the league as Philadelphia’s first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Appearing in 13 games (starting six), Graham finished his rookie campaign with three sacks, 13 tackles, and eight quarterback hits. Unfortunately, Graham tore his ACL late in the 2010 season. This injury cost him the majority of the 2011 season, as Graham appeared in just three games. Fully healthy in 2012, Graham played in all 16 games, recording 5.5 sacks, 38 tackles, and 11 quarterback hits.
Under the regime of then-Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, Brandon Graham converted to linebacker entering the 2013 season. His first season at the new position was unremarkable, as Graham recorded just three sacks, 22 tackles, and five hits in 16 games. He improved in 2014, recording 5.5 sacks, 46 tackles, and nine quarterback hits. Following his improved play, Graham earned a four-year, $26 million extension to remain with the Eagles.
The Eagles paid Graham to improve, and he certainly did. Appearing in all 16 games again, Graham recorded career-highs in sacks (6.5) and tackles (51) and his second-most quarterback hits (10). Graham continued to improve, as he recorded 19 sacks, 105 tackles, and 47 quarterback hits from 2016-2018. This three-year stretch was easily the best of his career, and Graham only missed one game over that three-year timeframe.
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