Getty Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham are both heading to the 2020 Pro Bowl for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Statistically, Brandon Graham is the best pass rusher on the Philadelphia Eagles roster. And his value as the team’s emotional leader and mentor to the younger guys goes way beyond the box score.
The 32-year-old veteran defensive end is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance after registering eight sacks and 16 quarterback hits in 2020. Graham has let it be known before that he doesn’t want to leave the nest, ready and willing to be part of a rebuild in Philly. Still, the former first-round pick felt a need to reiterate the point as rumors fly about the franchise possibly shedding some high-priced salaries to start their youth movement.
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“I don’t want to go anywhere,” Graham told The Athletic’s Zach Berman. “I know I don’t have long, but I know for me, I’m here in Philly. So when I’m (retired, I’m) either going to be working here or doing something in Philly to stay connected to the team. I don’t want to mess that up by just dipping out when things got a little tough. But who knows how it’s gonna go this year? Jalen (Hurts) might go in there and rock our world and lead this team down a road that I feel we could (go).”
“I don’t want to mess (connection with Eagles) up by just dipping out when things got a little tough. But who knows how it’s gonna go this year? Jalen might go in there and rock our world and lead this team down a road that I feel we could (go).”
UPDATE: The Eagles are working with Graham to restructure the $40 million deal he inked in 2019, per Derrick Gunn. The pass rusher is due $13 million in base salary in 2021 and carries a $17.2 million dead-cap charge.
If the Eagles part ways with Graham, they could save $13 million and maybe net a third-round pick in return. That move would force the team to think long and hard about making Josh Sweat and Derek Barnett the starting edge rushers for 2021 and beyond.
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Barnett Extension Makes Sense for Eagles
The Eagles are in a tough spot when it comes to Barnett. The 2017 first-rounder has greatly underachieved heading into his fifth year after tallying just 19.5 sacks while missing 16 games. The team exercised the fifth-year option on him — valued at $10.05 million — but they could still cut him and get that money back in cap relief.
But what they ultimately decide to do remains tied to Graham’s situation. According to Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus, the Eagles would be wise to give Barnett a contract extension. The Eagles’ depth is weak at defensive end and Barnett will turn just 25 years old on June 25. Spielberger told NJ Advance Media that “wiping out the fifth-year option in favor of a four-year, $50 million deal would make sense for both sides.”
While the down-to-down production hasn’t materialized as Philadelphia would have hoped, Barnett has shown flashes demonstrating why he was a top prospect, and there should still be room for continued growth. Barnett has generated 82 quarterback pressures over the last two seasons, which ranks a very respectable 43rd among all edge rushers.
Would Eagles Take Pass Rusher in First Round?
The Eagles should be looking at all options with the sixth overall pick in the first round. While the smart money is on a wide receiver or quarterback, don’t count out them scouting a shiny new defensive end.
Five names quickly come to mind: Miami’s Gregory Rousseau, Michigan’s Kwity Paye, Wake Forest’s Carlos Basham, Penn State’s Jayson Oweh, Miami’s Jaelan Phillips. Rousseau is the one who has scouts drooling the most due to his frame and length. He’s a very raw prospect but the Eagles could take their time in developing him.
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Here’s how NFL draft guru Daniel Jeremiah evaluated Rousseau:
If I had to limit my evaluation to a two-word description, it would be consistently dominant. Rousseau was clearly the best player on the field in all three of the games I studied. He lines up all over the defensive front, playing on the edge (occasionally standing up), at 3-technique (edge of the guard) or even head up over the center on obvious passing downs. He can win with his speed/quickness in every one of those alignments and his hands are very polished. He’s extremely long and does a nice job pressing out blocks before escaping to create pressure.
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