Brandon Graham managed to rehab in time to play in last night’s Super Bowl. The Eagles stalwart may well have played his final game in New Orleans on Sunday, but a final decision has yet to be made on the retirement front. 
Graham said in July he would hang up his cleats after the 2024 campaign was over. This past season represented his 15th with the organization, something which is without precedent in Eagles history. As a result, it appeared the 36-year-old’s NFL tenure was over when he suffered a triceps tear in November. Graham did not confirm his retirement plans at that point, and that remained the case this past weekend.
The former first-rounder is expected to take roughly one week to contemplate his future, as noted by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (video link). A retirement decision would come as no surprise in the wake of his second career Super Bowl victory, but it would mark another major loss for the Eagles in terms of experience. Two of the franchise’s ‘Core Four’ players (Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox) retired last offseason, leaving Graham and Lane Johnson in the fold.
There is now a strong chance Philadelphia’s right tackle starter will be the final remaining member of the team’s decorated quartet. If Graham – who signed a two-year pact in 2021 and inked one-year deals for 2023 and ’24 – does indeed call it a career, the Eagles will have a notable void along the edge. With over $98MM in career earnings and now a pair of titles, though, he certainly has cause to turn down the chance of playing in 2025 to begin his post-playing days.
Another pending Eagles free agent is right guard Mekhi Becton. The former Jets first-rounder struggled with injuries during his New York tenure, and his first trip to the open market resulted in only a $2.75MM pact on a one-year Eagles commitment. The decision to move Becton inside to guard (after seeing time at both tackle spots) proved to be effective, as he handled starting duties all season and thrived in that role.
As a result, the 25-year-old is on track to have a much stronger free agent market this time around. Garafolo notes Becton seems to be open to a new Eagles contract, although a raise will obviously be needed for that to be feasible. As the team begins its offseason preparation in the wake of its Super Bowl LIX victory, Graham and Becton will be among the players worth monitoring over the coming days and weeks.
Philly Defense was awesome last night…what a performance
Happy for Graham, he has nothing left to prove. Beat the two best QB’s in each super bowl. He wasn’t just a sideline cheerleader either. Great way to end his career. One of my favorite guys in the NFL.
Dang, he spent 15 years with one organization? That’s unheard of in today’s game. I respect that.
Brandon Graham is gonna retire a one-club man. 15 seasons in Philadelphia — Chuck Bednarik only played 14.
Cameron Jordan has been in New Orleans for his full 14 year career.
Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce too. Eagles legends
Hard to believe they lost those two key players last year and returned even better this year.
One can only wonder how the Jets fans must feel watching Becton win a Super Bowl when they couldn’t even figure out where to play him. Watching Lane Johnson and Becton steamroll the Chiefs was impressive. Probably the same way Giants fans feel watching Saquon roll for 2000 when they couldn’t figure out what to do with him either. At least the Jets fired their coaches. The Giants kept theirs.
Kinda glad my Bills lost to the Chiefs. We weren’t beating Philly yesterday. They were amazing.
Hoping we target Baun. We desperately need that kind of LB play. He’s really great. Eagles should tag him.
They would need to just resign him. The franchise tag for linebackers lumps guys like TJ Watt in with off ball linebackers, so the tag is way too high for off ball guys. Last year it was $24 million.
That’s such bs. I forgot I’d heard that before. I suppose that’s good for the player. The ultimate make it or break it year. He crushed it. He’s gonna make some bucks. Lots of suitors.
Absolutely. Would be great to see him stay with the coach who figured him out, though.
link to overthecap.com
Wow….That’s insane…
LB will be $27 mill for a Franchise Tab.
LB is right behind QBs in price…More than WRs.
I never would have guessed.
Hopefully the Eagles can bring Baun Back….
He was amazing….I just don’t see the Eagles offering $27 million/year tag.
Yeah, no one’s offering that to an off ball linebacker. It’s way out of date that the tag doesn’t treat off-ball linebackers and edge players as separate positions.
I’m an Eagles fan who happens to live in Western NY so I do like the Bills. Before this superbowl even played I was texting all my Bills friends that they NEED Myles Garrett. They should sell the farm for him. They need to try and build their defense and put all their resources into it and just let Josh be the offense. He’s good enough to make them pretty decent even with mid talent around him. Put EVERYTHING into the defense and they’ll be superbowl champs soon
Interesting how ex-Jets prosper once leaving the team. Darnold. Now Becton. Next up Wilson?
Allen Lazard, who’s expected to be a cap casualty.
Allen Lazard wasn’t a Jets draft pick though. Darnold was a 3rd overall pick, Becton at 11th, and Wilson at 2nd overall.
But agreed. It’s interesting how they never developed while with the Jets, considering their draft pedigree.
Geno Smith has had a long career as well.
Jeff Stoutlandis an underrated coach
Not really, anybody that knows his name knows he’s incredible.
BG has nothing left to prove. He should ride off into the sunset with this one. What an ending it is. Was heartbreaking to think he would not be able to go out on his own terms, but to rehab and come back to even play in that game yesterday was a hell of an ending for one of the great Eagles in franchise history. And to think the city (me included) was so annoyed by him being the pick that year.
Agreed. And I was also one of them hard on him early, and it was somewhat unfair as he was being misused in a defense not designed to his strengths. BG had a great career, walk away with a ring and come back in a front office role because very few get that opportunity. Coming back chasing another ring and eventually you walk away bitter because it’s so hard to get it.
Flat out warrior.
I felt Sweat should have been MVP of the game but Graham and his fellow linemen did a great job and kept Mahomes watching the rush too much.
A great defensive performance.
Amazing defensive performance getting such a push up front, especially considering I read that they did not run one blitz at the Chiefs.