The Eagles were down a few prominent starters at practice on Wednesday, including Cam Jurgens (knee), A.J. Brown, and Adoree’ Jackson (concussion), as the week of preparation began for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
Jurgens, the 6-foot-3, 303-pound center, exited the game against the Minnesota Vikings with a right knee injury after the Eagles’ second possession. He appeared to sustain the injury on the first play of the game. Still, Jurgens finished the rest of the drive and returned for the next one with a brace on his knee.
Brett Toth took over for Jurgens at center for the rest of the game, starting with the Eagles’ third possession. Toth said after the game that Jurgens would require an MRI for his knee. Coach Nick Sirianni declined to reveal the extent of Jurgens’ injury or his anticipated status for Sunday’s game.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “He’s always going to do everything he can do and our trainers, our doctors and our strength staff will do everything they can do to get him back going as soon as possible. We’ll see where we are. You’ll get the injury report later [Wednesday], but we’ll see where we are as the week continues and where Cam is.”
If Jurgens can’t play, the Eagles have a variety of options to consider to replace him. They could start Toth at center, leaving the rest of the offensive line intact.
Landon Dickerson could also slide over from left guard to center, a move the Eagles made when Jurgens was out for the start of the NFC championship game last year against the Washington Commanders with a back ailment. The Eagles would have a few options to consider at left guard in Dickerson’s place, including Toth or Matt Pryor.
The Eagles drafted Jurgens’ apparent backup at center in Drew Kendall this year, but the fifth-rounder out of Boston College has only been active for one game and has yet to take an offensive snap in the regular season.
“You’re constantly trying to think of what the best thing is for the football team,” Sirianni said of the Eagles’ backup options at center. “So you have options because of the guys that we have there, with Landon, with everybody, you have options there. You want to keep continuity as much as you possibly can, but you also want to give yourself the best opportunity to win.
“So, all those things are weighed, how practice looks is weighed, how practice goes, and walk-throughs for that matter. But we got a lot of confidence in the guys that if Cam can’t go, we have a lot of confidence in the guys that would be filling that spot.”
Meanwhile, Brown stood on the sideline in a sweatshirt alongside Dom DiSandro during the brief portion of practice open to the media on Wednesday. The reason for Brown being sidelined will become public when the Eagles release their first injury report of the week on Wednesday afternoon.
The star receiver played 46 offensive snaps (92%) against the Vikings and was on the field until the final passing play of the game, his 45-yard dagger on third and 9 with one minute, 45 seconds remaining.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., who dropped out of the Vikings game with an ankle injury, was also sidelined.
Additionally, Jackson and Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) were not present for practice. Both players exited during the Vikings game.
On Tuesday, Vic Fangio expressed doubt about Ojulari’s availability for Sunday’s game against the Giants. He also noted that Kelee Ringo may get more opportunities to play at the starting outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell, putting Jackson’s status in question, too.
Fangio may have another option to consider at cornerback in Jakorian Bennett, as the Eagles opened his 21-day practice window on Wednesday. He was present and participating as he works his way back from a pectoral injury that placed him on injured reserve following the Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Grant Calcaterra (oblique) was practicing in some capacity on Wednesday for the first time in two weeks. The 26-year-old tight end exited the Week 5 game against the Denver Broncos and missed the two games that followed.
Brandon Graham, who ended his retirement and signed with the Eagles on Tuesday, was present for his first practice of the season on Wednesday.
Eagles legend Jason Kelce and his brother, Travis, broke down the Eagles’ Week 8 resurgence, yet another Tush Push-related controversy, Brandon Graham’s unretirement, and more on the latest episode of their podcast, New Heights, which featured 76ers legend Allen Iverson. Here’s what you missed:
Enjoying an Eagles win
The Eagles (5-2) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 28-22 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Jason, who spent 13 seasons as the Birds’ center, addressed the frustration from fans leading into the matchup, speaking from experience.
“In Philly, when you’re struggling, they’re going to let you know, especially when the expectations are high,” he said.
But he had little sympathy for his former teammates, insisting that pressure from fans would push the team to climb out of the midseason struggles. He also addressed concerns about the running game, encouraging listeners to trust in “inevitable” running back Saquon Barkley.
“Jalen Hurts has been under a lot of scrutiny,” he said. “I like it. Bring it on. I feel like the Eagles, when everybody doubts them early on, I would rather the fans get on them. It’s like, ‘We’re going to have to hunker down together and figure this thing out.’ Nine times out of 10, it makes the team better.”
The brothers look forward to the Eagles’ rematch with the New York Giants on Sunday (1 p.m., Fox29) at Lincoln Financial Field. They emphasized the opportunity for vengeance after Jaxson Dart led the Giants to a 34-17 win on Oct. 9.
Allen Iverson joins as a guest
The Kelce brothers brought on another retired local sports legend in Iverson as a special guest. Iverson discussed his upcoming docuseries on Prime Video, Allen Iv3rson, and the emotional process of looking back on his career in Philadelphia.
“I became a man in Philadelphia,” the former point guard said. “I was 21 years old when I went there. But they were with me throughout my turbulent life. … [The fans] always stood beside me, and that’s why that sentiment is everlasting.
“[Philadelphia fans] are the most loyal, beautiful fans in the world. I just feel like there’s no other relationship between players and fans like it is there.”
The Vikings debuted a new way to defend against the Eagles’ infamous Tush Push — by having defensive lineman Tyler Batty lie down on the line of scrimmage.
Travis, the Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end, brought up a viral X post depicting the controversial play. It ultimately was unsuccessful as the Eagles converted an attempt on third-and-1.
Jason, however, was open to it.
“I just liked watching the creativity of it,” he said. “[The Eagles] still got the first down. I understand their strategy, take out the guy’s legs and have the other guy go over the top. It’s a good strategy, and they didn’t get another opportunity to do it, so I would be curious to see what it would look like the more times they executed it.”
The brothers also discussed a different athlete’s podcast.
On Tuesday morning, defensive end Brandon Graham, 37, announced his decision to return to the NFL on his podcast, Brandon Graham Unblocked.
Jason congratulated his former teammate as he embarks on his 16th season in Philadelphia.
“I’m just happy that Brandon is doing what he wants to do,” he said. “He wants to continue playing, and the opportunity is there. To be honest, the Eagles can use him in multiple ways. Not just as a player, but his personality, he brings a lot to that locker room that I think would be awesome.”
Travis responded with the natural question of whether Jason, also 37, would consider following in Graham’s footsteps. As for coming out of retirement, it was a hard no. But that did not stop Jason from completing a “humbling” three-hour workout with the Eagles last week.
We’ve all been there. The game is finished, now it’s time for you to run your own play: Escape the Linc. So what’s the fastest way out of the sports complex? Naturally we decided to settle this age-old debate with a race.
On Sunday, Oct. 5, Inquirer staffers braved the post-Eagles game crowds to test five ways to beat the rush. They began on foot at Xfinity Gate and their destination was a neutral location far enough to test postgame traffic across the city – Dalessandro’s in Roxborough, where they would be rewarded with a bracket-winning cheesesteak.
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Meet our racers and their modes of transportation:
ARIEL SIMPSON
Ariel grabbed a rideshare.
HENRY SAVAGE
Henry parked in Lot Q.
JASEN LO
Jasen hopped on his bike.
JULIE ZEGLEN
Julie parked in FDR Park.
JOHN DUCHNESKIE
John rode SEPTA.
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TIME ELAPSED
ARIEL
HENRY
JASEN
JOHN
JULIE
ARIEL
HENRY
JASEN
JOHN
JULIE
Five minutes after the conclusion of the Eagles’ 21-17 loss to the Denver Broncos, fans rush out of Lincoln Financial Field and it’s time to Escape the Linc. The race is on and our competitors head their separate ways.
JASEN
Bicycle
I strategically locked my bike to a street sign just a few feet away from the starting point. I’m motivated by my stinging defeat two years ago in the Race to the Shore, when I finished last despite a two-hour head start. I’m feeling good about my chances today though.
ARIEL
Rideshare
Weaving my way through fans, I order an Uber at the corner of the rideshare lot and quickly receive a call from my Uber driver. “I’m across the street, can you just meet me here?” the driver asks.
Of course, I agree. First place is starting to feel more achievable. Skipping the rideshare lot entirely, I am in his car four minutes later. I have never been this lucky getting an Uber after a game.
JOHN
SEPTA
I scurry to NRG Station, along with some of the 15,000 to 17,000 fans who use the Broad Street Line to get home after Eagles games. I make it to the station in 10 minutes. The intercom is announcing that one of the 10 Sports Express trains is now boarding. The express train is packed. There’s a single standing-room spot by one of the train doors, and I snag it. The doors close, and a sweaty mass of disappointed Eagles fans is off.
HENRY
Car from Q Lot
I parked in Lot Q specifically due to its distance from the major traffic chaos, and if you can beat the rush, you can get out of the direct stadium traffic. But I’m taking a car on I-95, so getting out of stadium traffic is only the beginning.
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JULIE
Car from FDR Park
I’m a pretty fast walker, but it takes me 17 minutes to get back to FDR Park, where I’d paid $50 to park. Henry has probably already left Lot Q! Though I’m not-so-secretly rooting for John and public transportation to win it all, I’d like to beat the other driver, for the sake of my pride.
Also, something I hope other competitors aren’t contending with: angry drivers, like the guy behind me who appears to be screaming as he pounds on his steering wheel. But let’s be real, they probably are. That game sucked.
ARIEL
Rideshare
It’s never gone this smoothly leaving an event at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Because of the speed and location of my Uber pickup, at the end of the normal pickup area, I am able to avoid most of the Eagles traffic. We made it onto I-95 less than 15 minutes after the race started and now we’re quickly making our way north toward the Vine Street Expressway.
It’s been 20 minutes since our racers set off from Xfinity Gate and the contestants are spread across the city. Jasen is out ahead, but Ariel is close behind. John is already at City Hall and about to transfer to Regional Rail. But our drivers, Julie and Henry, are still making their way toward I-76 and I-95, respectively.
JOHN
SEPTA
Feeling good about my chances, I stroll into Jefferson Station, look up at the board for the train schedules, and see that the 5:10 p.m. Regional Rail train on the Manayunk-Norristown Line is canceled. My heart sinks. It’s all over. I’ll be the biggest loser.
The Route 32 bus could be my lifeline, but it’s scheduled to leave City Hall in two minutes. I rush outside onto Market Street, and then, to my surprise, I’m doing something I’ve tried to avoid my entire life. I’m running.
JASEN
Bicycle
I bypass the Schuylkill River Trail in favor of MLK Drive, which is closed to motorized traffic on the weekends during the warm-weather months. Instead of having to pass pedestrians and slower cyclists on the trail, I can safely speed as fast as I can in pursuit of cheesesteak victory. My plan is only made possible thanks to the timely opening of the MLK Bridge, which reopened to the public in September, after three years of refurbishment.
ARIEL
Rideshare
We hit some traffic as we get onto I-76, and I take in the scenes of the Philadelphia Art Museum as we slow to a crawl on the Schuylkill Expressway. The slowdown hardly matters though, and we are already approaching Manayunk.
JOHN
SEPTA
Why does it seem that the only time a SEPTA bus is on time is when you need it to be late?
I miss the 4:56 p.m. bus leaving City Hall, and my options are dwindling. My best bet is to stay where I am and wait for the next Route 32 bus to roll around in about a half hour. That would get me to Dalessandro’s after 6 p.m., when I presume my fellow contestants will be polishing off their cheesesteaks.
JULIE
Car from FDR Park
It takes about 15 minutes to get from Pattison Avenue to Penrose Avenue to 26th Street. From there, my co-pilot, Ben, and I make our way to I-76 fairly easily, albeit slowly. This is not fun! There’s definitely residual game traffic, even farther out. But at least we’re moving.
HENRY
Car from Q Lot
The ride – or wait – along Oregon Avenue takes nearly 20 solid minutes of standstill traffic. Drivers are constantly speeding past lines of cars only to try and nudge their way back into the lane farther down the road. It takes seven minutes just to traverse the exit from Front Street onto I-95.
JULIE
Car from FDR Park
We pass the University City exit and I briefly fantasize about ditching the competition and heading home to West Philly. The will to beat Henry wins out. I really should have eaten before embarking on this trek. I start to feel carsick.
Meanwhile, SEPTA is causing its own chaos for John. And farther north, Ariel and Jasen are leading the pack.
ARIEL
Rideshare
I arrive at Dalessandro’s in just 48 minutes. The ride cost $73.47, before tip. Despite an Eagles loss, the cheesesteak sure did taste sweet after the win.
JASEN
Bicycle
I can’t help but think that the race planners chose Dalessandro’s just because it sits on a steep hill range, the same one that cycling legends have climbed in the storied Philadelphia International Cycling Classic. I’m only less than a mile away, but climbing up Ridge Avenue is tough going given the roughly 250 feet of elevation gain.
JASEN
Bicycle
Coming down Walnut Lane, I wait to cross Henry Avenue at a stoplight — for what feels like an eternity, thanks to the ridiculous configuration of this four-lane highway. As soon as the light turns green, I zip across and catch my first glimpse of our photographer. Mistakenly thinking my legs had won the day, I hoot and holler — only to spot Ariel taking a video of me. Private equity takes the crown today. I’ll settle for second. My ride took 56 minutes.
JOHN
SEPTA
At 5:32 p.m. — and right on time, despite my low expectations — my chariot arrives.
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JULIE
Car from FDR Park
Henry and I are neck-and-neck, according to the Slack chat where we’re sharing updates, and Dalessandro’s is in view. Ben and I hit a red light at the intersection of Walnut Lane and Henry Avenue and have a quick decision to make: turn left onto Henry, or stay straight for another block. I’m seized by a sudden, urgent, competitive rush. I will roll out of this car to get third place! The light changes. Ben follows Google Maps and says it’ll be easier to find parking on Wendover Street. He’s right, but we waste precious seconds making two (!) left turns.
JULIE
Car from FDR Park
We park halfway down the block. I throw open the car door and sprint up Wendover. I round the corner and see Jasen, Ariel — and no Henry. Victory is mine! That’s bronze, baby.
HENRY
Car from Q Lot
It’s the final leg and the final boss of this race in a car — finding a parking spot near one of the top cheesesteak tourist traps. I pass the restaurant and am lucky to find a spot across the street. Little did I know that right as I passed the restaurant, Julie was making her final sprint up Wendover Street.
Henry arrives at Dalessandro’s 1 hour and 14 minutes after leaving the Linc.
While the other racers celebrate with cheesesteaks (in Henry’s case, a vegan cheesesteak he picked up from Triangle Tavern), John steadily brings up the rear on the bus.
JOHN
SEPTA
Finally. After a smooth and uneventful 36-minute ride, I hop off the bus, steps away from Dalessandro’s. My fellow contestants have been waiting for me, with a curious mix of relief and pity. I realize that if I had gone straight to the bus stop after getting off the subway, I would have come in third — behind Ariel with her expensive Uber trip and Jasen on his bicycle, but ahead of Julie and Henry with their cars.
In a shocking upset, at least in the mind of trending sports reporter ARIEL SIMPSON, the rideshare won. She was in her rideshare within 10 minutes of the start of the race. She finished in first place, making it to Dalessandro’s in just 48 minutes. All for the low price of $73.47, before tip … one way.
Riding his bike, JASEN LO was close behind, finishing in 56 minutes. If you’re able to bike to the game, you’ll avoid pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Although some hills in Philly can prove to be a serious workout.
JULIE ZEGLEN and HENRY SAVAGE both drove and paid $50 to park. Julie walked about a mile to her car and had to deal with less stop-and-go traffic than Henry. Henry was parked closer to the stadium, but spent half of his trip crawling through traffic. The difference was marginal, though. Julie’s trip took 1 hour and 12 minutes and Henry’s trip took 1 hour and 14 minutes.
John Duchneskie regales his competition with tales from his journey on SEPTA.Bastiaan Slabbers
After a strong start on the Broad Street Express, a canceled train stalled JOHN DUCHNESKIE and he had to wait 30 minutes for the next bus to take him north to Manayunk. His trip took 1 hour and 43 minutes.
After this completely scientific test, how should you Escape the Linc? You’re going to need some combination of luck, money, or physical exertion. For everyone else, there are traffic jams and the seemingly endless wait for the Route 32 bus.
Staff Contributors
Design and Development: Aileen Clarke
Reporting: Ariel Simpson, Henry Savage, Jasen Lo, John Duchneskie, Julie Zeglen
Editing: Sam Morris, Aileen Clarke, and Matt Mullin
Photography: Bastiaan Slabbers
Photo Editing: David Maialetti
Copy Editing: Jim Swan
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Tom Brady was 44 when he retired for 40 days before he changed his mind and went back to the playoffs one more time with Tampa Bay in 2022.
In 1974, former Eagles linebacker Maxie Baughan left his defensive coordinator gig at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, to go back to the NFL as a player-coach with Washington. He was a backup and played in two games.
Brett Favre was 40 when he decided to come out of retirement for the second time and join the Minnesota Vikings in 2009. He stuck it twice to his old team, Green Bay, won the NFC North, then led the Vikings all the way to the NFC title game.
Reggie White returned from retirement at 38 with the Carolina Panthers in 2000. He played in all 16 games but recorded his lowest single-season sack total (5½) in a Hall of Fame career.
Then there’s Bronko Nagurski, who, in 1943, came out of retirement to play with the Chicago Bears, who needed players because many of theirs were fighting in World War II.
All of this is to say not all unretirements are created equal.
What does the historical data mean for Brandon Graham, who is back with the Eagles after retiring from football seven months ago? Maybe nothing — human bodies aren’t created equal, either. Or maybe something, as there may be relevant context.
Former Eagle and Packer Reggie White (92) came out of retirement to sign with the Panthers in 2000.
Is Reggie White’s case similar?
White was 38 when he decided to end his one-season retirement to join the Panthers, and Graham turned 37 a few weeks after retiring in mid-March.
But White, one of the best defensive ends of all time, was coming off a 16-sack, first-team All-Pro, Defensive Player of the Year 1998 season when he retired. Graham was playing well with the Eagles last year, but his season was cut short by injury, and his sack numbers dropped off a cliff one year earlier in 2023.
White still was disruptive to opponents, but he wasn’t his normal high-production self in a more limited role in Carolina. It is a physical and demanding position, not that Graham needs any reminder of that.
James Harrison went back to the Steelers for a second stint at age 36 in 2014.
The Harrison comparison
James Harrison officially retired in August 2014, but his retirement essentially lasted a similar length as Graham’s. Harrison played the 2013 season with Cincinnati and wasn’t in a training camp in the summer of 2014.
But after the Steelers suffered some injuries early in the 2014 season, the linebacker was back with his former team at the age of 36. He was still productive, too, with 45 tackles and 5½ sacks in 11 games.
Harrison then signed a two-year contract with the Steelers and ended up playing three more seasons after returning in 2014. Don’t expect the same from Graham, but Harrison’s effectiveness as a pass rusher might be a good comparison for him.
Tight end Jason Witten left the “Monday Night Football” broadcast booth to play for the Cowboys again in 2019.
Witten still had a little in the tank
Graham will go from the podcast studio to the locker room, similar to how Jason Witten went from the broadcast booth back to football.
Witten, like Graham, was 37 years old when he rejoined the Dallas Cowboys in 2019 after one year of retirement. The tight end still had it. He caught 63 passes, four of them for touchdowns, and accumulated 529 yards in 16 games. His 2017 season line: 63 catches, 560 yards, five touchdowns.
37 is popular
Lucky No. 37? Deion Sanders was also 37, and he chose that number for the back of his jersey when he came out of retirement to play with Baltimore in 2004 after three seasons away from the game.
Sanders played nine games in 2004, mostly as a nickel cornerback, and still had a knack for the football. He had three interceptions and returned one of them for a touchdown. He played all 16 games in 2005 and registered registering two interceptions and 30 tackles. He was fine, but he wasn’t Prime Time.
Graham may be fine
All of this is mostly a fun trip down memory lane. It’s unclear what kind of shape Graham is in or whether he has lost a step after being away for a short time. Every body is different.
But Graham’s 2024 season can, at least, be a little instructive. He was an energy booster on the field, a veteran presence off it, and a really capable edge setter who helped the Eagles vs. the run.
They could use that right now, and it’s not hard to imagine him being like Witten or Harrison in that he still can do what a team asks him to do.
Graham is the biggest of the edge rushers at 265 pounds, and he could be useful helping a defense that is allowing 4.6 yards per carry, the ninth-highest average in the NFL.
The Eagles also could use some more volume from their pass rushers, and Graham was making an impact there before a torn triceps ended his regular season in Week 12 vs. Los Angeles. He sacked Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford before the injury, his fourth time getting home in 11 games (3½ sacks). Graham still could make an impact there, even if the Eagles aren’t asking for a large snap count out of him.
The Eagles needed Graham, and it seems like he needed them, too. Time will tell if the play matches up to the presence.
The Eagles edge rusher corps is even more banged up following the win over the Minnesota Vikings than it was before the game, when rumors began to swirl about the end of Brandon Graham’s retirement.
Azeez Ojulari exited Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, making him the third edge rusher to be sidelined with an ailment through seven contests this season. Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo are out with triceps injuries. Smith is expected to return in November following the Eagles’ Week 9 bye, and Okoronkwo is done for the year.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday he doesn’t think Ojulari will be available to play Sunday against the New York Giants, the team that drafted him 50th overall out of Georgia in 2021.
So could Graham suit up on Sunday, given that the Eagles have just three healthy, full-time edge rushers — Jalyx Hunt, Joshua Uche, and Patrick Johnson — on the active roster?
The 37-year-old defensive end announced that he was coming out of retirement to rejoin the Eagles on Tuesday morning on his podcast, Brandon Graham Unblocked. Graham estimated that he would return to action after the bye week for the Eagles’ Monday night game against the Green Bay Packers.
That timetable would give him three weeks, including the bye, to get up to speed. But Fangio left Graham’s potential return date open-ended.
“We’ll see what kind of shape he’s in, what kind of retention he has from last year,” Fangio said. “Shape comes in two forms: one, just your conditioning, but in football shape, too. Contact shape. So hopefully the sooner the better.”
Fangio said he had been “teasing [Graham] not to retire” since the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory in February. That ribbing continued into this season whenever Graham would visit the NovaCare Complex in an effort, Fangio said, to “try and light the fire.”
Now, following the surprise retirement of Za’Darius Smith last week, Graham is back under Fangio’s tutelage. The Eagles defensive coordinator said Graham’s experience in his defense last season gives him some reassurance that the 15-year veteran will have retained that knowledge.
Fangio wouldn’t put a number on Graham’s estimated snap count upon his return based on experience with other veteran edge rushers.
“I don’t know,” Fangio said. “Now, he’s coming out of retirement and he’s older, but when I was in Chicago, we traded for Khalil Mack, who had missed the entire training camp, and the fatigue police said, ‘Hey, he can only play about 20-22 snaps in this game’ because we got him the week of the first game. I said, ‘OK.’ He played about 45. So I don’t know.”
Dean’s return
Sunday marked Nakobe Dean’s first defensive snaps in 280 days, dating back to the wild-card matchup against the Packers in which he suffered a patellar tendon injury in his knee.
Dean had a busy afternoon. He played 31 defensive snaps (45%) at inside linebacker alongside Zack Baun.
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean played his first 31 defensive snaps on Sunday.
Entering the game, Fangio said he had planned for Dean to solely take snaps at inside linebacker when the Eagles were in base defense. In nickel, Jihaad Campbell would replace him. However, Fangio adjusted that plan in-game, keeping Dean at inside linebacker in nickel for select plays and moving Campbell to the edge, a role the rookie had filled in select packages throughout the season.
“I think he got about 30 plays, which I think was a good number, and the way they came was good, too,” Fangio said of Dean. “It wasn’t like he had 10 in a row, I don’t think. And I thought he did well. And I think we did the right thing in not playing him the week before, even though we technically could have.”
Fangio said Dean did not play defensively the previous week against the Giants because he didn’t have enough practice time.
“It would’ve been negligent on our part to put him out there without practice,” Fangio said.
Campbell, the Eagles’ top pick out of Alabama, ended up playing 60 snaps (87%) on Sunday. That broke down to 32 at inside linebacker and 28 on the edge, according to Pro Football Focus. He generated just one quarterback pressure from the edge alignment, according to Next Gen Stats, on five pass rushes.
“It’s new out there, particularly the packages he was going up there earlier were different than this week, this past game,” Fangio said of Campbell. “So there’s a lot to learn. There’s a lot to get comfortable with. The more he’s up there, the better he’ll get at it.”
Cornerback carousel
The Eagles saw continued movement at their second outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell when Adoree’ Jackson (concussion) left the Vikings game in the third quarter.
Kelee Ringo took Jackson’s place, but he didn’t fare as well. Before exiting the game, Jackson had allowed just one reception for 11 yards, according to PFF. Ringo conceded three for 47 yards, including a 25-yarder to wide receiver Jordan Addison in the fourth quarter on a drive that sputtered in the red zone.
Still, Fangio said Ringo did “fine” when he was called to action.
“Some of the completions he’s given up, not all of them, but some of them have come on tough routes,” Fangio said. “So still think he can eventually be better than he’s been. His opportunities will keep coming, probably, and hopefully he’ll turn the corner.”
Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett’s 21-day practice window can be opened this week.
Another opportunity for Ringo to play could come against the Giants if Jackson isn’t cleared to return by then. But he might not be the only candidate for the job. Corner Jakorian Bennett, who has been on injured reserve with a pectoral ailment since late September, is eligible to have his 21-day practice window opened this week.
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Bennett was acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders during training camp in exchange for defensive tackle Thomas Booker. He saw limited action through three regular-season games, playing just 24 defensive snaps in spot duty.
Fangio said his assessment of Bennett preinjury was “incomplete” because he didn’t play enough. He also hesitated to define his precise role upon his eventual return to the active roster.
“He hasn’t practiced,” Fangio said. “You can’t practice when you’re on IR. So once we open up his window and get him on the practice field, see where he’s at, I can answer that better. But, obviously, he’s a guy we’ll take a hard look at.”
The Eagles snapped a two-game losing streak with a win on the road over the Carson Wentz and the Minnesota Vikings — but in some cases, that wasn’t enough for them to climb this week’s NFL power rankings. Here’s where they landed after improving to 5-2 on the season …
ESPN: Third
ESPN moved the Birds up two spots, to third, after the win. And Tim McManus shouted out Moro Ojomo as the Eagles’ most underrated player so far this year. Ojomo had two tackles, including a third-down sack, in the 28-22 win over the Vikings.
“A seventh-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Texas, Ojomo tends to get second billing at defensive tackle behind the Georgia duo of Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. But Ojomo has been key in making up for the departure of Milton Williams to the Patriots this offseason.”
The Birds are up one spot following Sunday’s win, which proved to the Ringer’s Diante Lee that the Birds can still be unstoppable when they want to be.
“A string of three-and-outs in the first half against Minnesota made me nervous that Philadelphia’s offense was going to melt down again, but halftime seemed to awaken an aggression in the passing game that Eagles fans have been begging for. Quarterback Jalen Hurts finished the game with a perfect passer rating thanks to deep throws on play action and trusting his receivers in one-on-one matchups.
“If Philadelphia can actually play this well for more than a half at a time, they will be the best team in the NFC again.”
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni smiles during the fourth quarter of his team’s win over the Vikings.
Fox Sports: Sixth
Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacciano kept the Birds at sixth after their win over Minnesota, but he’s not too confident in them staying there over the rest of the season.
“Jalen Hurts rediscovered his arm and his receivers, but this Eagles team still can’t run and struggles on defense,” Vacciano wrote. “It’s getting harder to justify having them way up here, but they’re still sixth for now.”
The Birds stayed steady at sixth, nestled in between the Packers and the Rams for the second week in a row.
“This was the kind of offensive game we really hadn’t seen from the Eagles this season,” Eric Edholm wrote. “Jalen Hurts was dealing, especially with downfield shots, and getting the ball to his best playmakers. A.J. Brown had two TDs and the dagger catch to end it, while DeVonta Smith had more than half the Eagles’ net yardage. Things still aren’t churning up front in the run game behind a remixed offensive line, but when the aerial attack hums like this, it’s not as critical. Defensively, the Eagles had a few slip-ups and didn’t defend the perimeter of the field well enough, but they forced two INTs of Carson Wentz (including a Jalyx Hunt pick-six) and held Minnesota to 1-for-6 in the red zone. Job well done.”
The Eagles defense celebrates after linebacker Jalyx Hunt’s pick-six against the Vikings.
Pro Football Talk: Sixth
The Birds are up two spots to sixth in Pro Football Talk’s power rankings, just behind the Denver Broncos, thanks to their strong offensive performance in Minnesota.
“The mini-bye turned the offense around,” Mike Florio wrote.
The lowest ranking for the Eagles is at CBS Sports. They moved the Birds up just one spot, to 11th, after the win over the Vikings. But they’re still the highest-ranked team in the NFC East.
“Jalen Hurts showed against the Vikings that he can still throw it for big plays when needed,” Pete Prisco wrote. “But they do need to get the running game going.”
After the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX, Jeffrey Lurie told some NFL folks close to him that his greatest concern for the upcoming season had little to do with the talent level that would return, even with personnel losses looming. He didn’t worry about the salary cap, though it presented gnarly challenges, nor did he worry about the draft, though their title meant they were scheduled to pick last in every round.
He worried about a void in leadership. He worried about life after defensive end Brandon Graham.
He’s coming back because the Birds don’t have enough good defensive ends and edge rushers. Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo are hurt, Za’Darius Smith retired, and rookie Jihaad Campbell isn’t ready. Only four teams have fewer than the Eagles’ 11 sacks — only 3½ have come from edge rushers — and they rank 22nd against the run.
Worse, though, the defense often plays without focus, discipline, and physicality. That’s where leadership comes in. That’s where Brandon Graham comes in.
“I think they got everything they need,” he said during his comeback announcement on his podcast.
He knows that’s not true. He knows the Birds lack playmakers and professionalism. He hopes to deliver both.
Will he be enough?
Through seven games this season, no one has stepped into the roles vacated by Graham, the hero of the franchise’s first Super Bowl win, and cornerback Darius Slay.
Slay, a bubbly personality and a master of his craft, spent the last five of his 12 full seasons in Philadelphia, starring and mentoring and bringing in banana pudding before the Eagles cut him in the offseason for salary-cap purposes. He’s in Pittsburgh now.
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham was playing some good football last season before his injury.
Graham played more games than any other player over his 15 years in Philadelphia. He endured injuries; he endured comparisons to Earl Thomas and Jason Pierre-Paul, a star safety and a star defensive end drafted immediately after him in 2010; he endured lining up too far from the quarterback in Jim Washburn’s “wide-9” configuration, then endured lining up too far from the line of scrimmage in Bill Davis’ 3-4 scheme.
He hated most of it, but he did it all at 100%, and did it all with a smile, and he went all-out every practice and every game and every play. Moreover, he encouraged his teammates to buy in, too. He dragged them through the mud.
Why? Because he knew that anything less would lead to losing, and even when the team lost, BG was a winner.
— broad street sufferer (EXTEND SCHWARBER) (@bstreetsufferer) August 2, 2024
Graham was a playmaker who loved to play, loved the game, and loved Philly. That guy does not exist today in the Eagles locker room. That guy will exist tomorrow in the Eagles locker room, in his cubicle stuffed with shoes and bobbleheads and an outrageous number of colognes.
For the next 12 weeks and beyond, he will fill the void he left.
It’s not like they completely lack leaders.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts has a steady hand and a matchless work ethic, but he has deficiencies in his game and he will forever be a chilly teammate; it is his nature. Jordan Mailata, who took over Graham’s weekly radio show, is every bit the person and player Graham is, but he’s an offensive lineman. So is Lane Johnson, a strong, silent type, Mailata’s bookend at tackle and his polar opposite in personality.
The issue, of course, is that all three of those high-character, high-output players play offense.
Where are the defensive leaders?
Leadership was supposed to start coming from third-year defensive tackle Jalen Carter, but between a shoulder injury, a heel injury, poor conditioning, and an ejection for yet another foolish act, Carter clearly is not ready for the responsibility. He spat on Dak Prescott on national TV before the first snap of the first game, which earned him the expulsion and lost him the trust of his coaches. He then committed a penalty in each of the next four games and leads defensive linemen with five penalties.
How about fourth-year DT Jordan Davis? Well, it’s tough to present leadership when it takes you three years to lose the weight you should have lost in the first year, and it’s tough to carry clout in the locker room when you’ve forced one fumble and managed just 5½ sacks in your first 3½ seasons.
Both of those players have the capacity to be leaders. They just aren’t there yet.
Who is? Reed Blankenship, an undrafted, undecorated safety on the last year of his deal? Nakobe Dean, who’s missed half the Eagles’ last 44 games at linebacker because of injury? Zack Baun, who’s been a full-time starter for just 1½ of his six seasons?
No.
Not yet, anyway.
Maybe Graham’s return will speed their development.
The Eagles hope some of Brandon Graham’s leadership and professionalism will rub off on star DT Jalen Carter.
Not only was Jalen Hurts called upon to step up, he got a phone call in the middle of his post-game press conference in Minnesota. “When you win, everyone wants to call you,” he joked. In the Eagles’ 28-22 victory over the Vikings, the star quarterback was certainly a winner, delivering one of the most statistically-impressive performances of his career. The 326 passing yards and three touchdowns were much needed, as Hurts, along with the dynamic receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, led the way in getting the Eagles back on track after a two-game slide. What changed on offense, where plenty of criticism has been directed this year? How did a couple of welcomed faces help the defense clamp down? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Marcus Hayes give their takes on the Eagles’ success in Week 7.
00:00 Jalen Hurts: perfection marks major progress
21:25 Concerns about the edge and…Brandon Graham?!?!
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
The Brandon Graham farewell tour of 2024 is getting a reboot.
The 37-year-old defensive end officially announced his return to the Eagles on Tuesday morning on his podcast, Brandon Graham Unblocked, saying, “We’re coming back, baby. We’re coming back one time.”
Additionally, the Eagles made the move official, announcing that they agreed to terms with Graham. He has a two-game exemption to ramp up that the team can lift at any time, so he doesn’t count against the active roster just yet.
Graham initially retired in March following the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win. He had been playing at a high level early in the year but suffered a torn triceps twice last season, once in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams and again in the Super Bowl, his first game back from the injury. Lifting the Lombardi Trophy for a second time seemed to serve as a natural ending to his Eagles tenure.
But it wasn’t his perfect storybook ending. Graham acknowledged on the podcast that he “would’ve been back, for sure” had Howie Roseman asked him to return for a 16th season.
“I really didn’t want to retire in the beginning,” Graham said. “It was kind of tough. But it was like, ‘Hey, Philly right now, they’ve got everything they need.’ So it’s like, ‘All right, I ain’t see myself on no other team.’ So it was kind of like, ‘I think this the best way to do it is go out on top.’”
Graham continued to stay in shape, though, and visited the NovaCare Complex. At the start of the season, Graham said Roseman contacted his agent in need of a veteran, inquiring if he would be interested in returning to the team. Graham said he wasn’t ready then.
Brandon Graham announced his retirement from the Eagles on March 18.
Roseman then signed Za’Darius Smith, a 33-year-old pass rusher, following the Eagles’ Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys to bolster the edge rusher corps. While Smith made an immediate impact, registering 1½ sacks through five games, he retired last week after 11 seasons in the NFL.
But in the aftermath of that call with Roseman, Graham continued to think about how he would respond if he was approached with another opportunity. Graham took Smith’s surprise retirement as a sign. This time around, Graham was ready for his opportunity to return.
Graham said he still feels like he has some “juice left” to give on the field, acknowledging that he feels “springy and bouncy.” He said that he’s eyeing the Eagles’ Week 10 matchup against the Green Bay Packers as a potential first game back, but he didn’t rule out Sunday’s game vs. the New York Giants.
Regardless, he’s open-minded about the role that awaits him.
“I don’t have no expectations with it,” Graham said. “It’s just more like I’m going to just bring myself and bring the energy. Go out there, first play, ‘Oh, you thought I was done? You thought you wasn’t going to have to deal with me?’ Get to all that little fun stuff, man, because, obviously, we play a game that I enjoy playing. Of course, it was hard, because, just being honest, man, all of us, I don’t care how many years you play. It’s just something that you’re just used to all the time, and you’re trying to get used to that next-best thing.
“Of course, I was doing a lot of stuff, but when that ball came and the Eagles was on, I was locked in. I know I’m going to get better with it as it goes, but, man, while I can still do it and the opportunity feels like it’s right, I feel like that’s exactly what I want to do. And that’s what I wanted to do in the beginning. But I know that it was Year 15, it’s just a great way to go out. But, hey, I don’t want to have no regrets, either.”
Graham said he was “flattered and thankful” that the opportunity from the Eagles came back around. He added that he “might cry” coming out of the tunnel on Sunday.
Not only is he looking forward to chirping at his opponents, but he’s also excited to bring his signature energy to his teammates for his first practice on Wednesday.
“I can’t wait to go out there and be like, ‘Lane [Johnson], what’s good?’” Graham said.
Plus, sources say that Chief Vibes Officer Brandon Graham is on his way back to the Eagles, too, to bolster an edge rusher corps that is navigating the surprise retirement of Za’Darius Smith last week.
But to enter the bye week on a high note, the Eagles must face the New York Giants, their division rivals who handed them a blowout loss two weeks ago. The Giants will try to bounce back after a fourth-quarter collapse against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, leading to a 33-32 loss.
Here’s what we know (and what we don’t) about the Eagles entering their Week 8 matchup against the Giants:
Lights, camera, play-action
The Eagles came out of the mini-bye week wanting to establish the running game. That didn’t work. Brian Flores’ defense limited Saquon Barkley to just 44 yards on 18 carries, good for a 2.4 yards per attempt (his second-lowest clip this season).
Still, the Eagles utilized the threat of the running game successfully against the Vikings, which is a step in the right direction. The offense incorporated play-action passes from under center on Sunday more frequently than in the previous six weeks of the season.
In Weeks 1-6, the Eagles had five under-center play-action drop backs, according to Next Gen Stats. One of them resulted in a scramble. Another went for 1 yard. The others resulted in incompletions or penalties.
Sunday was different. Hurts had four play-action dropbacks from under center, which resulted in four completions for 121 yards and a touchdown. Why was it so effective? For one, the Eagles had established a tendency of running the ball when Hurts is lined up under center before the snap. Entering Sunday’s game, 42 of the Eagles’ 48 plays from under center were carries (87.5%).
By establishing that tendency (and continuing to do so with 15 under-center runs on Sunday), the Vikings aligned a safety in the box in anticipation of the run, especially when the Eagles utilized Fred Johnson as an extra offensive lineman. The Eagles made them pay by occasionally breaking that tendency, especially on the 79-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith, which occurred when the offense was in that jumbo package.
“We had an answer for it,” Barkley said of Smith’s touchdown play. “We called it at the right time. That’s the beauty of this game. They can do whatever they want, but we should always have answers. I think that’s the mentality we’ve got to continue to get back to.”
Could we see more play-action passes from under center? And could the Eagles’ success in doing so on Sunday thwart defenses from loading up the box when Hurts lines up under center? That would benefit Barkley, who is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season, far behind the league’s average of 4.3.
Nick Sirianni noted Monday that the uptick in under-center plays was a byproduct of the self-scout from the mini-bye week. He emphasized the importance of meshing the running and play-action passing games seamlessly, as it challenges the defense to convert from run to pass on the fly.
“We will see how things move forward as far as the ways we want to attack,” Sirianni said. “Every game calls for different things. This is what this game called for, and these are some of the things that came off our self-scout. We’ll continue to work and find ways to get better.”
Feel the Burns
Barkley hasn’t been getting a consistent boost in the running game from the Eagles’ offensive line this year. The group has been reeling from injuries. Cam Jurgens suffered the latest, exiting Sunday’s game after the second drive with a knee injury.
With Jurgens’ status in question for the rematch against the Giants, the Eagles could turn to a backup at center, which could present all sorts of challenges against a formidable defensive front.
Giants edge rusher Brian Burns had four sacks over the last two games, including dropping Jalen Hurts twice on Oct. 9.
The Giants exploited the Eagles’ weaknesses on the offensive line in their last matchup. Brett Toth started at left guard in place of the injured Landon Dickerson (ankle). Brian Burns notched two sacks against the left side of the offensive line, once on a stunt and another from 3 yards off the line of scrimmage.
Burns has four sacks in his last two games, after adding two more in their loss to the Broncos. The good news for the Eagles is that Dickerson started and finished Sunday’s game against the Vikings. His presence against the Giants would help stabilize the left side of the line and minimize Burns’ impact when he lines up on that side.
But if Jurgens can’t play, the Eagles could turn to Toth at center. He would be tasked with keeping Dexter Lawrence, the three-time Pro Bowler, at bay.
Lawrence hasn’t been as disruptive as a pass rusher as he was last season and hasn’t posted a sack this year. Still, Lawrence is an important part of the Giants’ defensive front, ranking fourth on the team with 15 “stops,” which Next Gen Stats defines as tackles that result in a successful play for the defense.
Scramblin’ man
The last time the Eagles faced the Giants, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart got his legs going. He scrambled five times for 42 yards and a touchdown, which helped him reach career highs of 58 rushing yards and 13 attempts.
Vic Fangio’s defense has struggled at times to prevent quarterbacks from breaking loose. Unsurprisingly, Patrick Mahomes did the most damage against the Eagles this year (seven scrambles for 66 yards), but even Wentz, 32, had a couple of long third-down scrambles totaling 28 yards late Sunday as the Vikings attempted a comeback.
Improved tackling would be a good place for the Eagles to start. Dart forced three missed tackles against the Eagles, according to Pro Football Focus. That was a new achievement for Dart, who didn’t force a missed tackle in any of his three other starts this season.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart finished with 42 yards on five scrambles against the Eagles on Oct. 9.
The rookie quarterback did not scramble against the Broncos, although he made passing plays on the move. According to Next Gen Stats, Dart completed four of six passes for 101 yards and a touchdown when running over 8 mph. Keeping Dart contained will take a group effort from the Eagles, in terms of the pass rush and coverage.
Carter’s return
Speaking of keeping Dart contained, Jalen Carter returned to action Sunday after missing the Week 6 game against the Giants with a heel injury.
Wentz certainly felt his presence. In the second quarter, a simulated pressure left Carter one-on-one with Blake Brandel, the third-string center. Carter breezed past Brandel and launched himself toward Wentz, forcing the quarterback to make an ill-advised throw over the middle to Jalyx Hunt, who snagged the ball and returned it for a pick-six.
Even though Carter has been banged up this season, between heel and shoulder injuries, the Eagles could have used his talent and physicality against the Giants. In his absence, the group finished with a 26.5% pressure rate against New York two weeks ago, its lowest of the season, according to Next Gen Stats.
Carter attempted to make up for lost time on Sunday. He led the team with six pressures against the Vikings, according to Next Gen Stats. His fourth-quarter stunt with Jordan Davis provided the initial pressure on Wentz that helped Joshua Uche register his first sack with the Eagles.
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