Dec 20, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) celebrates after defeating the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Eagles Unlock New Version Of Brandon Graham

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 10:49 AM ET

The Philadelphia Eagles have been fortunate to get Brandon Graham back for a variety of reasons.

When Graham was re-signed, the Eagles’ pass rush desperately needed a boost at the edge. Graham retired at the end of the 2024 season in a storybook fashion. He defied the odds and returned to the field for the Super Bowl after tearing his triceps. Then, he went out on top as a champion and one of just four players in team history with two Super Bowl rings.

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Despite this, clearly there was an itch still there. With the Eagles needing a boost at the edge, Graham re-entered the fold after Za'Darius Smith retired out of the blue. At first, Graham was a veteran presence more than anything and a depth option on the field. That was important in itself. The Eagles have had a lot of drama this season and bringing a veteran leader like Graham back was immediately impactful.

The Eagles legend is thriving

Now, his role has shifted and he's making a significant impact on the field as well, at a different position. With Jalen Carter out, Graham has operated mainly from defensive tackle over the last few weeks and has looked like a natural. In the last two games alone, Graham has racked up three sacks, two tackles for loss, and three total tackles. To put this in perspective, Graham had 3 1/2 sacks last season in 11 games played in the regular season. In 2023, Graham had three total sacks in 17 games played for the franchise.

Graham has played just seven games this season and has done whatever the team has needed. The last couple of weeks, the team has needed a boost at DT and Graham has been that guy. He's played well enough that it begs the question: Should he have been playing defensive tackle all along? Graham is a guy who has had a massively successful career. He was great at what he was brought in to do in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft at the edge.

The fact that he's played well enough over the last couple of weeks to warrant the question just goes to show how impactful he's been. One fun fact is that Graham actually has more sacks this season than Dallas Cowboys All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Graham has three sacks to Williams' 2 1/2. Now, does that mean Graham is a better defensive tackle than Williams? No, not particularly. But it does show that Graham is in the right place at the right time and has had an impact on the defense with Carter out.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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