Eagles On Edge: Examining Options With Veteran Lost For Season

The Philadelphia Eagles lost two key pieces of their defense in just a few days, so what's next?

Oct 27, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) celebrates the sack and during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

This won’t be anything defensive coordinator Vic Fangio hasn’t seen. Coach for 40-plus years and you have basically been there, done that.

Still, this will be like a balding man’s combover, trying to cover a part of the Eagles’ thinning edge after the loss of Brandon Graham for the remainder of the season. Graham tore a triceps in the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ seventh straight win, a 37-20, takedown of the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night.

Graham’s injury comes on the heels of Bryce Huff landing on injured reserve after surgery on his wrist. That’s two big losses in a short span, and suddenly, the Eagles’ edge, rather than looking pointy sharp, looks very dull.

Huff, so far, hasn’t come as advertised, struggling to produce and earn playing time in the season’s first 10 games, but at least he was a good depth piece, and it is still too early to say that things won’t click for him at some point later this year or next year. But not now. He must still miss three more games minimum, which puts him on track to return on Dec. 22 against the Commanders at the earliest.

Graham was more than that in his 15th NFL season and will be greatly missed. Even at 36, he was playing a large numbers of snaps and Sunday night’s game may have been one of his best this year.

“This was definitely unfortunate, for the man first and the teammate second, a guy that has given himself to this franchise, has always tried to uplift those and really just teach the younger guys that are coming,” said quarterback Jalen Hurts.

So, what can Fangio do now, or even general manager Howie Roseman?

External options are slim at this point unless Roseman thinks maybe Justin Houston can come in and do something, but at 35, he isn’t the player who posted 9.5 sacks in 2022. He's more the player who had just a half-sack in each season since then not counting 2024.

But, hey, his middle name is Donovan, so there’s that should the Eagles take a nibble. Roseman took a flier on linebacker Shaq Leonard late last year when the Eagles were desperate at that position, and Leonard had nothing left after back surgery just months earlier.

The Eagles aren’t desperate on the edge, provided Nolan Smith and Josh Sweat can stay healthy and productive and rookie third-round pick Jalyx Hunt can step up.

Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun (53) breaks up a pass intended for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Here are a couple thoughts on internal options:

-Move Milton Williams to the edge. The defensive tackle has the quickness to play out there and the Eagles have depth at defensive tackle starting with Thomas Booker. The Eagles also have three other defensive tackles to add to the rotation should they desire, starting with Byron Young, who is eligible to come off IR, or practice squad players Gabe Hall and Siaki Ika.

-Elevate defensive end Tarron Jackson for three games – when Huff is eligible to return -and give him some reps on the outside to spell the starters.

-This one is certainly outside the box and suggested by a friend: Move linebacker Zack Baun to the edge on occasion and insert rookie Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.

So, there are options. Maybe not great ones just because of the way Graham was playing. it's up to Fangio to make it work as best he can.

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