Eagles LB Entering 'Make-Or-Break' Year

The Philadelphia Eagles had success all throughout the roster in 2024.

That's a pretty big understatement.

Philadelphia won Super Bowl LIX and had the most well-built roster in the league. There weren't any glaring holes. Saquon Barkley got most of the headlines on the offensive side of the ball and Zack Baun and Jalen Carter got most of defensive buzz.

They aren't the only guys who shined, though. Another guy who broke out in 2024 was linebacker Nolan Smith. He played in 16 games in the regular season, including 10 starts, and racked up 6 1/2 sacks, 42 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 11 quarterback hits. That's a pretty big year and now he's in line for a bigger role in 2025.

Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman highlighted a "make-or-break" candidate for each team and had Smith for the Eagles.

"Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Nolan Smith," Wasserman said. "Smith’s make-or-break candidacy isn’t an indictment of his NFL resumé as much as it is an indication of the Eagles’ need for him to be a star. The team lost veteran edge defenders Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham this offseason, making Smith a sure-fire starter for the first time in his career.

"He began to take on an expanded role late last season, recording a terrific 78.9 PFF overall grade across his final seven games. If that continues over the duration of the 2025 season, Philadelphia's defensive line will once again be an elite unit."