Brandon Graham

Eagles’ Brandon Graham To Retire After 2024 Season

July 25th, 2024 at 8:44am CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles saw two members of their ‘Core Four’ retire following the 2023 season. Center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox have elected to hang up their cleats, but defensive end Brandon Graham will play out one more year in Philadelphia.

The latter confirmed at the start of training camp that 2024 will be the final year of his decorated career. Graham, 36, worked out a one-year, $4MM deal in March. That pact came as no surprise given the mutual interest which existed on a final campaign being spent with the only organization he has played for.

“Last first day as a player. I don’t know what the future holds with the organization,” Graham said when speaking to the media (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “It’s my last year, so just trying to soak it all in, trying to enjoy every day.”

The former first-rounder made it clear in the aftermath of the Eagles’ wild-card loss in January he (along with right tackle Lane Johnson) intended to continue playing in 2024. Graham already holds the franchise record for games played (195), and suiting up for the coming campaign will make him the first Eagle to play 15 seasons with the organization. He will look to add to his personal accolades this year in addition to winning a second Super Bowl.

Graham served as a starter along the edge from 2015-21, but over the past two seasons he has seen his playing time drop. The Michigan product logged a snap share of 43% in 2022, and that figure fell to 34% last year. The Eagles have Josh Sweat and free agent addition Bryce Huff in place as projected starters at the defensive end spot, along with 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith positioned to take on an increased workload.

While plenty will be expected of that trio, Graham will continue to contribute in a rotational capacity this season. He posted only three sacks last year, but the 2022 campaign saw him set a career high in that department with 11. Regardless of what happens on the field in 2024, Graham will look to find a role in the organization once he officially hangs up his cleats.

Eagles Re-Sign DE Brandon Graham

March 9th, 2024 at 10:43am CST by Ben Levine

Brandon Graham is sticking around Philadelphia for a 15th season. The team announced that they’ve re-signed the veteran defensive end to a one-year extension.

There were rumblings earlier this week that the two sides were working towards a new deal, and Graham confirmed his plan to re-sign with the Eagles the other day.

There was some speculation that the veteran could call it a career following the Eagles’ disappointing end to the 2023 campaign. However, the defensive lineman was quick to dismiss that notion, stating that he still has a “little bit of juice” left in his tank. Graham also expressed interest in a farewell tour, an indication that 2024 will likely mark his final NFL season.

When he takes the field in 2024, Graham will set the record for the longest tenure with the Eagles organization. He tied Philly legend Chuck Bednarik by playing a 14th season with the team last year. Graham set another franchise mark last season, passing David Akers for the most games played in Eagles history.

Once one of the Eagles’ most dependable starters, Graham has transitioned to a backup role in recent seasons. He only started one of his 17 appearances in 2022, appearing in 43 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Still, the former first-round pick managed to compile 11 sacks, earning him a one-year, $5MM extension last offseason.

He continued to serve as a backup for Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat in 2023, appearing in all 17 games. However, he was limited to only 395 defensive snaps; ignoring his two-game stint in 2021, that was Graham’s lowest total since 2013. Despite the drop in playing time, Pro Football Focus still ranked Graham 17th among 118 qualifying edge defenders.

The future of the Eagles’ pass-rushing corps is in doubt, as both Reddick and Sweat are reportedly on the trade block. The organization could be eyeing a new and/or inexperienced edge grouping in 2024, highlighted by 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith. In that scenario, Graham’s veteran know-how will certainly come in handy as the team transitions to new defensive leaders.

Eagles, DE Brandon Graham Moving Toward Deal?

March 7th, 2024 at 4:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the Eagles’ “Core Four” linemen has committed to retiring. With Jason Kelce out of the picture, Fletcher Cox has now been tied to walking away. The second-oldest member of this quartet still wants to play, however.

Brandon Graham may well be moving close to another Eagles agreement. The veteran defensive end said during an appearance on WIP SportsRadio the plan is for him to re-sign with the Eagles; the 35-year-old pass rusher added (via PHLY Sports) he is confident a deal will be completed.

Graham tied Eagles legend Chuck Bednarik by playing a 14th season with the team last year; a 15th would make the former first-round pick the longest-tenured player in Eagles history. Expressing interest of reaching the 15-season plateau back in 2022, Graham surpassed David Akers‘ franchise record for games played last season. He has played in 195 regular-season games.

Graham no longer serves as the Eagles’ top pass rusher or even a regular starter, with Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat in place as the team’s top edge performers. Both are going into contract years, and Roseman has already given Reddick permission to seek a trade. Tied to a $15MM contract he has outplayed, Reddick has led the Eagles in sacks in each of the past two seasons. Graham, however, has served as an important role player.

Responsible for one of the greatest plays in Eagles history — the fourth-quarter strip of Tom Brady that led to a Super Bowl LII triumph — Graham has reached eight sacks in a season three times since. In 2022, Graham’s career-high 11 sacks helped the Eagles threaten the 1984 Bears’ single-season NFL record. Graham re-signed on a one-year, $5MM accord to stay on in 2023, though he notched only three sacks last season. Even though the salary cap has climbed to $255.4MM, Graham will have a tough time securing more than that $5MM payment to stay with the team.

On a related note, Graham does expect Cox to walk away after 12 seasons. The 2012 first-round pick has been vital to the Eagles’ modern success. Cox retiring would lead to the Eagles losing DT starters in consecutive offseasons, with Javon Hargrave joining the 49ers last year. Of course, the line-obsessed franchise has prepared for this, with Jalen Carter joining ex-college teammate Jordan Davis in last year’s first round.

Latest On Eagles DE Brandon Graham

March 4th, 2024 at 9:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Brandon Graham and the Eagles are interested in a new deal, and it sounds like there’s confidence that a deal could soon be finalized. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, there’s “mutual interest” in Graham re-signing with Philly, and a new contract “could come prior to free agency.”

There were some whispers earlier today that the Eagles and Graham had indeed agreed to a new deal. Rapoport said that isn’t true, but the reporter did provide some optimism that a deal could be completed sooner than later.

After spending the past 14 seasons with the Eagles, it would be a major surprise if the two sides couldn’t find common ground. After finishing up his three-year, $40MM extension with the Eagles in 2022, Graham re-signed with the Eagles on a one-year, $5MM deal last offseason. He was coming off an 11-sack campaign the last time around, but after failing to come close to those numbers in 2023, Graham may have to accept an even lower total in 2024.

Following the Eagles’ disappointing finish to the 2023 campaign, there was some speculation that the 35-year-old could look to hang up his cleats. However, Graham was quick to dismiss that notion, stating that he still has a “little bit of juice” and intends to have a “farewell tour” in 2024. The former first-round pick also hinted that he’d be interested in sticking with the organization when his playing career comes to an end.

While Graham’s counting stats dropped in 2023 (16 tackles, three sacks), Pro Football Focus still ranked him 17th among 118 qualifying edge defenders. He got into about a third of his team’s defensive snaps, and assuming Graham re-signs with the organization, he’ll likely be eyeing a similar role in 2024. Graham will also have an opportunity to build on some of his franchise marks next season. The veteran only needs 3.5 sacks to pass Clyde Simmons for third place on the franchise leader board, and he needs one forced fumble to break away from Seth Joyner for sole possession of second place on the team’s all-time list.

Eagles’ Lane Johnson, Brandon Graham Intend To Play In 2024

January 16th, 2024 at 5:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Following last night’s disappointing playoff loss, we learned that at least one Eagles star was calling it career. Fortunately for the organization, a pair of veterans made it clear that they’ll be sticking around for 2024. Defensive end Brandon Graham and offensive lineman Lane Johnson told reporters that they intend to play next season, per Zach Berman of PHLY.

After spending the past 14 years in Philly, it was unclear if 2023 would be the final season of Graham’s career. While the 35-year-old didn’t come close to replicating his 11-sack campaign from 2022, he still finished the season having compiled 16 tackles, three sacks, and six QB hits. While the counting stats were down, Pro Football Focus ranked Graham 17th among 118 qualifying edge defenders.

Graham has continued to re-sign with the Eagles on short-term deals, and it sounds like he intends to stick around for at least one more season.

“I still feel like I got a little bit of juice,” Graham told reporters (h/t SPORTSRADIO 94WIP on X). “I really just want to have this one be [season No.] 15, farewell tour, call it a day, and move up in the organization and go upstairs and do that part on serving the guys. Keep building this thing.”

Johnson earned his third-straight All-Pro nod in 2023, and he managed to get into 16 games for the first time since the 2015 season. Despite the 2023 campaign marking his age-33 season, Johnson still managed to rank 11th among 83 qualifying offensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus. While Graham hinted at one more year, it sounds like Johnson could be sticking around the NFL for a few more years.

“I plan on finishing my career strong,” Johnson said (via Berman). “I think I have a few good years left and I’m going to take it to the limit.”

We learned this morning that center Jason Kelce was calling it career. As Berman notes, it’s uncertain whether long-time Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox will be back for the 2024 campaign.

Eagles To Re-Sign DE Brandon Graham

March 10th, 2023 at 10:56am CST by Sam Robinson

One of the Eagles’ many free agents has agreed to a deal that will allow him to stay with the team. The longest-tenured Eagle, Brandon Graham is coming back on a one-year agreement, Tim McManus of ESPN.com reports.

Graham is staying in Philly on a deal that could be worth up to $6MM. This will be the veteran defensive end’s 14th season with the team, putting him in rare company. Only Chuck Bednarik has previously played that many seasons with the franchise.

If Graham plays 11 games next season, he will have suited up for more contests than anyone in Eagles history. Though, Jason Kelce coming back would ignite a race to this honor; the acclaimed center is just two games behind Graham (178-176) in Eagles annals. Both are already in the top five in games played with the franchise.

With Graham going into his age-35 season, a lucrative free agency deal was unlikely to come to pass. That said, the former first-round pick was generating interest ahead of a potential trip to the market. Graham is coming off a career-best 11 sacks, helping the Eagles threaten the 1984 Bears’ single-season sack record. That was Graham’s first double-digit sack season; the rotational rusher will aim to tack on a second such campaign in 2023.

“I definitely don’t want to miss out on this championship that we’re about to make a run for,” Graham said, via McManus. “I pretty much directed [my agent] Joel [Segal] just to get a deal done before free agency so I wouldn’t have to go through that part. I’m just so happy everything came to fruition.

“It wasn’t even about no money. It was more about wanting to be an Eagle as long as I could still play at a high level, and of course I still have a sour taste in my mouth on how things ended this last year.”

The Eagles entered the offseason with three of their trench stalwarts — Graham, Kelce and Fletcher Cox — uncertain to be back. Kelce has not committed to playing a 13th season, and Cox is days away from free agency. Javon Hargrave is also on track to score a big payday next week. Graham will, however, rejoin a pass rush that still houses Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat. Derek Barnett is also under contract for 2023.

Graham said last year his goal was to reach the 15-season plateau, which would surpass Bednarik’s franchise mark. (David Akers holds the team’s games-played mark, at 188.) While the legendary two-way player’s place in Eagles lore is practically unrivaled, Graham is responsible for one of the Eagles’ signature plays. His strip of Tom Brady late in Super Bowl LII led to the Eagles’ first championship since their Bednarik-led 1960 title. Graham has remained a quality rusher in the years since that momentous sequence, and this agreement will supply depth for the defending NFC champs at the very least.

Friday’s agreement does represent a notable pay reduction for Graham, who previously played out a two-year deal worth $18.5MM. It could certainly help the Eagles retain some of their free agents. T.J. Edwards wants to stay with the team, which also aims to bring back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. While some of the Eagles’ UFAs-to-be are likely leaving — most notably Hargrave and James Bradberry — others could be brought back. Graham’s agreement would also leave some money on the table for Kelce to return.

For his career, Graham has 70 sacks and 21 forced fumbles. The sack number sits fourth in Eagles history. The starter/rotational performer sits six behind Clyde Simmons for third on that list.

Brandon Graham Generating Interest

March 5th, 2023 at 9:51am CST by Rory Parks

Defensive end Brandon Graham will soon be a free agent, and though he will turn 35 next month, a number of teams are interested in his services, as Tim McManus of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Graham, who has been a member of the Eagles since he was drafted by the club in the first round of the 2010 draft, would prefer to finish his career in Philadelphia but is willing to move on if he can land a larger contract elsewhere.

An Achilles tear limited Graham to just two games in 2021, which made his 2022 performance particularly remarkable. In his age-34 season, the Michigan product tallied a career-high 11 sacks as a key part of the Eagles’ league-best pass rush, and Pro Football Focus also assigned him a solid 69.7 overall grade for his efforts against the run. In all, PFF considered him the fifth-best edge defender among players with enough snaps to qualify.

Snap count, however, could be a factor in Graham’s negotiations with interested clubs. His performance in 2022 was doubtlessly aided by the fact that the Eagles could keep him fresh, having deployed him in only 43% of their defensive plays (as opposed to snap rates between 69% and 76% in each of his prior six healthy campaigns). It stands to reason that, at this stage of his career, Graham would be utilized as more of a rotational player, which is perhaps why Spotrac projects him to land a one-year deal worth a fairly modest $5.7MM.

Still, there is plenty of need for rotational defenders with the ability to get after opposing quarterbacks, and just about every team could use such a player if the price is right. Per McManus, the Browns are among the clubs with interest in Graham, which makes sense given the recent tension between Cleveland and Jadeveon Clowney, who is also set to hit the open market. The Browns may also be an attractive landing spot for Graham, who would have the opportunity to line up opposite two-time First Team All-Pro Myles Garrett.

Philadelphia came up just short in its quest for a second Lombardi Trophy, and the team has plenty of high-profile contributors eligible for free agency, including Javon Hargrave, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, James Bradberry, and Miles Sanders. GM Howie Roseman, who will also be navigating extension talks with QB Jalen Hurts, has acknowledged that he will simply be unable to retain all of his pending FAs (Twitter link via Zach Berman of The Athletic). One wonders if Roseman will prioritize another contract for an aging, albeit productive, player like Graham.

Eagles Rumors: Dickerson, Berry, Free Agents

February 5th, 2023 at 8:13pm CST by Ely Allen

In a pileup during the Eagles’ NFC Championship win over the 49ers, guard Landon Dickerson suffered a hyperextension of his right elbow in the fourth quarter and was forced to leave the game. After an MRI of the injury came back negative for any serious damage, it is expected that Dickerson will be able play in the Super Bowl next Sunday, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Dickerson will likely need to wear a brace on the injured elbow through practices and probably in the big game, as well. The Eagles subbed in former first-round pick Andre Dillard when Dickerson was forced to exit last week. Dillard will presumably be prepared once again, in the event that Dickerson aggravates the injury any time before the final whistle of the season.

Here are a few more rumors concerning the NFC’s Super Bowl representatives:

Philadelphia is expecting to make an addition to their front office after the season, according to The Athletic’s Zach Berman. Following the 2023 NFL Draft, Adam Berry is expected to be joining the team, working with the personnel and operations departments. Berry, the twin brother of Browns general manager and executive vice president of football operations Andrew Berry, is a managing director at Goldman Sachs who will be making the leap to the NFL. His brother, Andrew, has been with the Browns for six of the past seven years with a one-year stint in Philadelphia as the vice president of football operations. Berry will join his brother’s former franchise and “will be learning all facets of…football operations.”
Win or lose, after this weekend the Eagles will have to turn towards next season, where there’s a chance the team will look vastly different than it currently does. Starters such as defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Brandon Graham, and center Jason Kelce all are currently destined for free agency in the offseason, and veteran right tackle Lane Johnson could be mulling the decision to hang up his cleats. McLane seemed to imply in his recent report that the likeliest scenario in which these four aren’t Eagles next season would be if they all retire. He seems to believe that, if they all desire to return to Philadelphia, the team will make it happen.

Eagles DE Brandon Graham Discusses Future

June 23rd, 2022 at 10:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Brandon Graham is coming off an Achilles injury that limited him to only one-plus game last season. Naturally, the injury has led to questions about the defensive end’s future in the NFL, but the veteran made it clear that he’s still got something left in the tank.

“I’m here right now, I’ve got another opportunity,” Graham said during an appearance on JAKIB Media’s “Sports Take” show (via Adam Hermann of NBC Sports Philadelphia). “It’s the last year on my deal, they’re gonna honor me for this year, and whatever role it is man just enjoy it. Because you didn’t have football last year, you had time with the kids, and you still got one year left of the football if that’s what you choose to do. And I’m like, man, I’m about to enjoy it.”

Graham also mentioned playing three more seasons, which would mean he intends on playing 15 total professional seasons. Of course, considering the veteran’s track record, that’s not out of the realm of possibility. Prior to the 2021 campaign, Graham had only missed a single regular season game since the 2012 season. He’s also managed to remain productive; he actually earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2020 after finishing with 46 tackles and eight sacks.

While 2022 will be his age-34 season, Graham sounds confident that he can return to full strength. And if the Eagles aren’t willing to keep him on the roster beyond this upcoming season, the defensive end believes he can still be productive elsewhere.

“You know what? I would,” Graham said when asked if he’d be willing to play elsewhere. “But it would only be probably for a year. The kids are together right now and they’re settled, so that always – I know they wouldn’t up and leave right away – so being away from them and the family, that would only probably last a year. We’d see how it works out, but I’d probably end up playing 14 [years] instead of 15. My goal is to finish on 15 if I could, as an Eagle.”

The 2010 first-round pick has spent his entire career in Philly. He signed a one-year extension with the organization last offseason that would keep him with the Eagles through the 2022 campaign.

NFC Rumors: Gronkowski, Bears, Dean, Graham, Lions, Patterson

May 8th, 2022 at 7:34pm CST by Ely Allen

In an interview with Sports Illustrated last weekend, free agent tight end Rob Gronkowski was asked about the potential for his return. In reality, the question and answer were played off a bit as a joke.

The reporter specifically asked Gronkowski if he would return should Tampa Bay sign retired wide receiver Julian Edelman. Gronkowski didn’t hesitate to commit to returning for a full season alongside Edelman were that to occur. Realistically, if Gronkowski is to return for another season with the Buccaneers, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones expects that decision to be made after minicamps.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC, starting with a rumor out of the Windy City:

In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Bears heavily addressed their offensive line, drafting four offensive linemen and signing one more undrafted free agent lineman. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune expects the team to continue trying to add to the group, saying that they should be on the lookout specifically for “an experienced option to compete for the right guard job.” Biggs also expects Chicago to target veterans at defensive line and wide receiver over the next few weeks.
New Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean was expected to be a first round pick during last month’s Draft. Dean was the victim of one of the least predictable slides of all time, falling down to the third round of the Draft due to concerns over his health. Well, according to EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Dean has been a full participant in the team’s rookie minicamp, making an effort to disprove the notion many teams held that he would potentially miss his entire rookie season with a pectoral injury.
Two games into the 2021 NFL season, Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham suffered a season-ending tear of his Achilles tendon. Well, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com, Graham says he feels like the injury never even happened. He will return to the field with no restrictions this preseason. This wouldn’t be the first time Graham has made a full recovery from a long-term injury. He tore his ACL 13 games into his rookie season. Despite the serious injury, Graham has become the impact player he is today, the same player he is expecting to be this upcoming season.
Two Thursdays ago, the Lions were more than happy to walk away from the 2022 Draft with the hometown defensive end from Michigan, Aidan Hutchinson. If things had not worked out so perfectly for Detroit, though, and Hutchinson had been told to pack his bags for Duval, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that the Lions would have selected the player Jacksonville actually did select, Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker.
Falcons wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has always been a bit of a swiss army knife. He has made impressive plays in the kick and punt return games and, while performing mainly as a wide receiver for most of his career, Patterson has displayed the ability to run the ball when required, as well. After signing to join the Falcons last year, Patterson was asked to run the ball more than ever before, serving as Atlanta’s top rusher in terms of both attempts and yards. Well, Michael Fabiano of Sports Illustrated quoted ESPN’s Michael Rothstein stating his belief that Patterson will return to his primary position, expecting the 31-year old to spend more time at wide receiver than running back next year. Whether this would be a result of offseason additions like free agent signing Damien Williams or newly drafted Keaontay Ingram or if Patterson just requested a return to his natural role, Patterson is expected to take fewer snaps at running back next season.

Load More Posts