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Where will the Eagles turn to replace Brandon Graham’s production? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
It’s hard enough replacing Brandon Graham the leader, the mentor, the veteran who always has the time to share his wisdom with anybody who asks.
The Eagles also have to find a way to replace a really good football player.
B.G. is out for the year with a torn triceps, and he wasn’t just here as a cheerleader or trash talker. At 36 and in his 15th season, he was playing some of the best football of his career.
Of 102 edge rushers who’ve played at least 200 snaps this year, Graham’s Pro Football Focus overall grade of 78.6 ranks 19th, his run defense grade of 80.1 ranks seventh and his pressure grade of 71.8 ranks 30th. He’s the Eagles’ highest-graded defensive lineman on PFF.
Coming off his best game of the year against the Rams, Graham finishes the 2024 season with 3 ½ sacks, seven quarterback hits, six tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two passes defended.
Now the Eagles have to find a way to replace that production and B.G.’s 28 snaps per game.
Josh Sweat has been giving the Eagles outstanding play. Since Week 4, his 7.0 sacks are tied for 6th-most in the NFL. And Nolan Smith has 3 ½ sacks, six quarterback hits and four tackles for loss during the seven-game winning streak.
Sweat is playing 63 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps – 39 per game – and Smith is at 44 percent and 27 per game. Those numbers can go up a little but probably not a lot. Not after we saw all the Eagles’ defensive linemen wear down last year under the weight of too many snaps.
Rookie 3rd-round pick Jalyx Hunt has gone from a non-factor early in the season – 17 defensive snaps the first eight games – to part of the rotation with 25 snaps in Dallas and 24 vs. the Rams (but none vs. Washington). He can certainly play more, but while he’s shown promise he’s still a raw, long-term project.
Bryce Huff still has to sit out three more games on Injured Reserve…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/where-eagles-turn-replace-brandon-023144768.html
Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia
Publish date : 2024-11-27 02:31:00
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