Getty Javon Hargrave has recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2021 but missed out on the Pro Bowl.
Javon Hargrave suffered a freak pectoral injury that sidelined him for the duration of 2020 training camp. The Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive tackle didn’t put the pads on until Week 2 and didn’t record his first sack (half a one) until Week 4. Rest assured, the hulking 305-pounder is looking to make up for lost time.
“I’m just in more shape for one because I’m playing football,” Hargrave told reporters on Wednesday. “Like I said, I was sitting out the whole camp last year and my first time putting on pads was Game 2. So I’m just here getting reps and getting better.”
Hargrave admitted it was frustrating to sit out that long. The former Pittsburgh Steeler felt helpless and alone, the new kid on the block who could barely introduce himself to his Philly teammates due to social distancing protocols. He wasn’t allowed to lift or hit the gym while rehabbing from injury.
“Nothing,” Hargrave said. “I was just sitting there, gaining weight.”
Javon Hargrave thinks Philly’s D-line is going to surprise people this season: “The whole defensive line, we gonna wreck things this year.”
And he’s hoping to top his career-high 6.5 sacks from 2018. “I feel like it’s attainable in any defense,” he said. #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
Fast forward to 2021. Hargrave came to camp at full strength, 100-percent healthy and ready to wreak havoc. He has arguably been the best player in the trenches – apologies to Fletcher Cox – and a perfect fit in defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s hybrid scheme that uses pass rushers like chess pieces. Defensive ends and tackles are interchangeable, one gap or two gap. The Eagles’ defensive line is going to “wreck things this year.”
“Certain schemes, we can just put a little bit of our flavor to it,” Hargrave said. “I kind of played in both defenses before so it’s just real natural, kind of to me.”
Javon Hargrave is dominating the Jets’ interior offensive line during the first 11 on 11 session. He’s blown up three run plays and constantly being the backfield. Hargrave, Graham and Sweat closed in on Wilson on one play, and Sweat forced a strip. #Eagles
As far as individual goals, expect to see the $39 million man match or top his career-high of 6.5 sacks from 2018.
“Of course,” Hargrave said of setting a new career-high in sacks. “I feel like it’s attainable in any defense. I’m just working at having one of my best years defensively this year.”
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Brandon Graham: ‘I Feel I Can Go Harder’
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has been criticized for incredibly short practices – 1 hour, 30 minutes on average – and a failure to get his starters reps in preseason games. That trend is likely to continue heading into Friday night’s exhibition finale after a physically-jarring, fast-paced practice on Wednesday.
“We’re still talking through that. Still evaluating,” Sirianni said of the starters playing on Friday. “Yesterday [Tuesday] was great work. Got really good work. Guys are sore. We know that.”
“In these practices you’re not getting schemed up as much in a game….” Brandon Graham… also spoke on the intensity of having another team for joint practices. Said the main difference is “we don’t have a game plan in preseason”
Those outside the building don’t think the Eagles have seen enough live reps to survive Week 1. But the players feel differently about the relaxed approach, pointing to two competitive joint practices with the New England Patriots and New York Jets in consecutive weeks. The limited reps the first-teamers have seen mean something, according to Brandon Graham.
“I feel like I can go harder. I don’t have to save anything because I know we are still working but it’s not as taxing,” the Pro Bowl defensive end said. “Sometimes you save yourself a little bit so that you can make sure you make it through the whole practice. I feel like every practice that we’ve had I feel like I can just go. Limited reps but those reps mean something.”
Judging by the intensity of today’s joint practice I can’t see the #Eagles playing Jalen Hurts and many of their starters in Friday’s preseason finale. Maybe a few get reps. If so, Hurts will have played only 2 series in the preseason.
Health has been given top priority due to previous preseasons filled with front-line injuries. Key starters like Miles Sanders, Derek Barnett, Javon Hargrave, Lane Johnson all missed the Week 1 opener in 2020.
“He’s trying to make sure we get to Week 1 because you know in the past injuries have happened for this team, and so you gotta take a different approach,” Graham said. “He’s a new coach and he wants to take a different approach, in trying to make sure we are the healthiest and the fastest we can be for Week 1.”
Sirianni Won’t Name Starting Left Tackle
Jordan Mailata has been the better left tackle all summer. Andre Dillard just returned from a knee injury two days ago. Yet Sirianni refuses to name a starter at the position with 18 days left until the start of the regular season.
“Andre [Dillard] just got back,” Sirianni said. “He’s working with the twos and Jordan is working with the ones.”
In OL/DL 1-on-1s, Mailata stood up Jets’ Bryce Huff While Dillard got bowled over (literally) by Jeremiah Valoaga. #Eagles
So the competition hasn’t been decided?
“Not decided, no,” Sirianni said.