Eagles' Weekly Practice Squad Tweaks Include New Edge Rusher

The Eagles imported David Anenih after losing Patrick Johnson via waivers.

David Anenih (54) rushes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles manipulate their practice squad weekly from a procedural sense. Wednesday was no different when still-injured safety Caden Sterns was brought back and tight end Kevin Foelsch was released.

There was a somewhat more meaningful move as well with Philadelphia bringing in edge rusher David Anenih to the PS.

This week’s #Eagles Practice Squad juggle is bringing back S Caden Sterns and signing OLB David Anenih. Also released TE Kevin Foelsch.

— John McMullen (@JFMcMullen) September 18, 2024

Originally an undrafted free agent out of Houston who signed with Tennessee after the 2022 draft, Anenih, 25, is an undersized edge at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds who is the contingency for the spot they hoped to get Patrick Johnson into after waiving the four-year veteran before Monday's 22-21 loss to Atlanta.

Instead, Johnson was claimed off waivers and awarded to the New York Giants on Tuesday.

Anenih made the Titans' initial PS as a rookie but was released on Sept. 14 before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers PS. From there Atlanta signed the Texas native to its 53-man roster late in that season.

Since Anenih was waived by the Falcons in May of 2023 he spent that summer with Arizona under ex-Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and 2024 training camp in Miami, hoping to break through.

In college, Anenih finished up as a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection at Houston in 2021, starting all 14 games and recording career-highs with 30 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss plus 4.5 sacks.

His NFL.com scouting report graded Anenih as a potential seventh-round pick or priority UDFA and noted that his body type, length, and rush get-off were all NFL level before judging him as "far from a finished product."

The pass rush has been a problem early in the season for the Eagles and the Philadelphia defense has only three sacks through two games (two by LB Zack Baun and one by DT Milton Williams), none from the team's edge rushers.

MORE NFL: Falcons Star Defender Earns Player Of The Week For Performance Against Eagles