Getty Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.
Pass rushing isn’t exactly an area that jumps out as a weakness on the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster. The team registered a whopping 70 sacks in 2022, which set a new franchise record for a single season.
Haason Reddick proved to be the maestro, strumming to the tune of a team-high 16 sacks, while four different players recorded double-digit sacks. It was an abundance of riches for the NFC champions. And the defense shouldn’t miss a beat even with stud tackle Javon Hargrave taking his talents to San Francisco and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon leaving for Arizona.
The Eagles invested two first-round picks back into the trenches, then signed Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox to team-friendly contracts. The “secret sauce” to their success should remain fluid, especially with pass-rushing coaching gurus Tracy Rocker and Jeremiah Washburn still preaching their unique brand of “selflessness” to everyone in the room.
There is absolutely no need to add another pass-rush specialist, right? Well, let’s play devil’s advocate. ESPN’s Field Yates wondered if the Eagles might pursue defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. The one-time Pro Bowler is one of the biggest free agents on the market after leading the Indianapolis Colts with 9.5 sacks and 29 pressures in 2022.
Is the disruptive Ngakoue a luxury item? Yes, the 28-year-old is the very definition of the term. But, it’s an intriguing idea to hear Yates tell the story:
I know the Eagles have a premiere pass rush and used their second first-round pick on Nolan Smith to further that, but let’s get greedy as it pertains to a top Super Bowl contender. Waves of depth are essential for a pass rush in the NFL, and Ngakoue is a sack specialist who can provide Philly what it felt Robert Quinn would bring when it acquired him last offseason. Ngakoue won’t exactly come cheap, but do you think I’m worried about the Eagles finding a way to make a move work under the salary cap? He had 9.5 sacks and 29 pressures last season with the Colts.
Update: Free-agent DE Yannick Ngakoue has been seeking a $8-10 million a year contract, per @BradBiggs
Worth noting that the #Broncos signed Frank Clark ($5.5M) and #Bills signed Leonard Floyd ($7M) to lesser deals recently.
Georgia Rookies ‘All About Their Business’
One reason why the Eagles don’t have to make any additional moves is thanks to their Georgia connection. Rookies Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith came into OTAs with a lot of excitement behind their dominant frames — and they only fueled more buzz after taking the field.
#Eagles’ DL under contract, for at least the next 2 years…
Haason Reddick
Josh Sweat
Jordan Davis
Jalen Carter
Nolan Smith
Milton Williams
Philly has more talent locked up on their defensive line, than most teams have on their entire defense.
Defensive end Josh Sweat noticed their no-nonsense attitude right from the jump. He credited their national championship runs at Georgia for maturing both players at a young age.
“They’re great. The work ethic is pretty crazy for both of them,” Sweat told reporters on May 24. “They’re already working. Shoot, they’re professionals. It’s actually surprising coming out of college but they’re working. They are just here to learn and they’re making improvements quickly. They’ve been on championship teams already. They know how to go about their business.”
Jalen Hurts Nominated for ESPY Award
The ESPY Awards will air on July 12 from the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles where ABC plans to broadcast the show live. The fun-filled spectacle has become the sports world’s version of the Academy Awards so expect plenty of hijinks and humor.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been nominated for Best NFL Player, although he would have to beat out Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City) to win the award. Nick Bosa (San Francisco) and Justin Jefferson (Minnesota) are also nominated in the category.
The Chiefs are represented in three categories at this year’s ESPY awards, which will take place on July 12:
🏆 Best Male Athlete (Patrick Mahomes)
🏆 Best Team
🏆 Best NFL Player (Patrick Mahomes)
You can vote for all three here ➡️https://t.co/d6oSykQ39s
