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 $15M 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, $5M accord to stay on in 2023, though he notched only three sacks last season. Even though the salary cap has climbed to $255.4M, Graham will have a tough time securing more than that $5M 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.
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