The Philadelphia Eagles lost one notable defensive player when Za’Darius Smith stunned the NFL world with his in-season retirement, but they are gaining a franchise legend to help out on that side of the ball.
The Eagles announced Tuesday that Graham has agreed to terms and will suit up for a 16th season after initially retiring after the Super Bowl:
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported Sunday that Graham was “strongly considering coming out of retirement to sign with Philadelphia” following Smith’s retirement.
Graham returned for Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs after suffering a torn triceps in Week 12 but re-tore the muscle in the win.
“I’m flattered, actually, that everybody (says), ‘Come on back, come on back,'” Graham said on his Unblocked podcast. “It’s pretty cool.”
That Eagles fans would want him back comes as no surprise given the team’s struggles to rush the passer so far this season.
Graham has spent his entire 15-year career with Philadelphia after it selected him with a first-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft. In addition to helping lead the team to two Lombardi Trophies, he tallied 76.5 career sacks across his 15 seasons.
He was also a Pro Bowler in 2020 and isn’t that far removed from a career-best 11 sacks in 2022.
While it is unrealistic to expect him to join the defense midseason and post double-digit sacks again, there wouldn’t be much of a learning curve for Graham compared to a trade target or free agency addition.
He is familiar with the Eagles defense from his lengthy career and played alongside many members of the team just last season. Depth is critical at this stage of the season, and he could also provide veteran leadership for an Eagles squad that has lost two in a row.
Philadelphia is one game away from its Week 9 bye, so there will also be more time in the near future to work Graham back in with the defense if he does join the fold.
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