After disappointing end to 2023, Sweat still important in 2024

After disappointing end to 2023, Sweat still important in 2024 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2024 season.

25. Brandon Graham
24. Nakobe Dean
23. Milton Williams
22. Jake Elliott
21. Nolan Smith
20. Cooper DeJean
19. Reed Blankenship
18. Tyler Steen
17. Devin White
16. Quinyon Mitchell
15. Jordan Davis
14. Landon Dickerson
13. C.J. Gardner-Johnson
12. Dallas Goedert
11. Josh Sweat

There might not be any Eagle with as much riding on the 2024 season as Josh Sweat.

The 27-year-old is back for his seventh NFL season with the Eagles after agreeing to a renegotiated contract and Sweat will have a lot to prove this year.

It could go either way.

If it goes well, he will prove to the league that he’s still a premier pass rusher in his prime. If it doesn’t go well, then it will show that his awful second half of the 2023 season was no fluke. Sweat’s next contract will be dependent on his play this season.

Sweat had 6 1/2 sacks last year and they all came in the first nine games of the season. He was shutout the second half of the year:

First 9 games of 2023: 6 1/2 sacks, 6 TFLs, 16 QB hits, 2 FF

Last 8 games of 2023: 0 sacks, 1 TFL, 7 QB hits, 0 FF

The tricky thing here is that the entire Eagles’ defense struggled down the stretch. It wasn’t just Sweat. But it’s hard to ignore his steep decline in production.

In late December, Sweat claimed he wasn’t worried that the sacks had dried up.

“It’s like the holy grail number,” Sweat said in a story that was published in Dec. 29. “If you want to question it, you can just turn on the film and see how close I am.

“We’ve been battling with pass defense all year, whether that’s D-line, whether that’s secondary, whatever. The ball’s been out fast as s—. I’m winning. I got more pressures this year than I had probably combined in my career, more hits and I’m winning (rushes).

“It’s just…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/disappointing-end-2023-sweat-still-110000898.html

Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia

Publish date : 2024-07-08 11:00:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.