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Brandon Graham wants to play two more years and retire in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform. That’s his plan in a perfect world, but things don’t always follow the script players want them to follow in the NFL. Graham is a free agent and is “generating interest” from other teams on the open market.
One of those teams is the Cleveland Browns, according to ESPN’s Tim McManus. Graham, the 13th overall pick of the Eagles in 2010, has stated multiple times that his preferred desire is to return to Philly. It’s the only organization he has ever known. And it’s a place special to his heart, especially after his strip sack secured the franchise’s first-ever Lombardi Trophy in 2018.
But the Eagles are up against a tight salary cap in 2023 and Graham may be the unfortunate casualty of a numbers crunch stemming from 19 unrestricted free agents. The 34-year-old pass rusher is coming off a career year in which he posted 11 sacks and 16 quarterback hits. Spotrac has projected his worth at $5.7 million, which could be a bargain for an AFC team looking to move on from high-priced defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Graham Has Addressed His NFL Future Multiple Times
Graham hasn’t been quiet about his plans to continue playing football in 2023. His most recent comments came during Super Bowl week when he told CBS Sports’ Zach Gelb that he was “definitely playing.” The Eagles remain his first preference, but he’s well aware that everything might not work out there.
His message has been consistent dating back to spring workouts. He told JAKIB Media’s Sports Take Show that his goal was to play 15 seasons. He just wrapped up his 13th season with a career-high 11 sacks. He has plenty of gas left in the tank, plus his 70 sacks are only six away from tying Clyde Simmons (76) for third place on the Eagles’ all-time list.
“We’ll see how it works out,” Graham said back in June, “but I’d probably end up playing 14 [years] instead of 15. My goal is to finish on 15 if I could, as an Eagle.”
Howie Roseman Addressed Free Agency at NFL Combine
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman didn’t mince any words when asked about free agency at the NFL Scouting Combine. The team has 19 unrestricted free agents, including eight defensive starters. He has to make some really tough decisions in the coming weeks and understands a lot of good players might be in different jerseys in 2023. It’s the nature of the beast.
Roseman’s plan isn’t a complicated one. He’s going to offer them what the team can afford, under the constraints of the salary cap, and see if guys are willing to take hometown discounts. There is only so much money in the bank. No hard feelings.
“I think it’s hard to make offers that aren’t really in the range of what a player is going to get,” Roseman told reporters on February 28. “Our players, what they have done for us and how they have worked and the character that they have shown and the success they have had, we’re just going to be honest with them and basically tell them, if it’s a guy that we’re interested in, we’ll tell him the range.”
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