Coming off an off-season where Eagles GM Howie Roseman signed Saquon Barkley and Zach Baun, the expectations were high for the Eagles to make a splash. Roseman instead decided to dump the salary cap by trading safety CJ Gardner-Johnson and defensive end Bryce Huff. He did this to save money for the eventual extensions of some of their young superstars, such as Jalen Carter and Quinyon Mitchell.
While the fans weren’t happy that a flashy move wasn’t made, Roseman did make some under-the-radar moves. One specifically was signing Giants Linebacker (LB) Azeez Ojulari.
Ojulari was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft by the New York Giants. He was drafted out of Georgia, where he won the Peach Bowl defensive MVP. He posted 8.5 sacks in his final year and was named second-team All-SEC.
In his first season in New York, Ojulari broke the Giants rookie record for most sacks with eight. The following season he only played seven games due to injury, but he still managed 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. The injuries would unfortunately become a trend for Ojulari’a next two years, only playing eleven games each season.
The 25-year-old edge rusher finished his four seasons in New York with 22 sacks and 37 QB hits. He will go into an Eagles defensive unit that will look to fill multiple voids from last year’s Super Bowl team.
Ojulari will be joining a group led by former Georgia teammate Nolan Smith. Smith showed serious potential in last season’s postseason and Super Bowl victory. Smith was almost being pushed aside by many after he was slow to produce at the beginning of his career, but he took a big step forward last season. Smith will take over as a starter in hopes of a full-on breakout season.
Jalyx Hunt, who will be entering his sophomore season, also showed glimmers of potential. The former third-round pick is a safety turned LB rusher who puts his speed and agility to great use while rushing the passer. Hunt, similar to Smith, had a strong showing in the Super Bowl.
Roseman also went out and signed Josh Uche to further solidify the defense. Uche has shown some skill and ability to produce during his time in New England, and while still being young, there is a chance Uche can also be a solid pickup.
15-year veteran Brandon Graham retired earlier this off-season, a veteran in the room of young, upcoming players. Leaving the game as a two-time Super Bowl champion, he leaves a large mentorship role in the Eagles’ locker room.
Graham will not be the only player missing from the locker room this season in Philadelphia. Josh Sweat, who had the best game of his career in this year’s Super Bowl, signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Sweat had been a consistent producer for seven years, as the one-time Pro-Bowler racked up 43 sacks throughout his tenure in Philadelphia.
The highest-paid non-QB last offseason was DE Bryce Huff. At the end of a season filled with injuries and a lack of production, Huff was a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl. This seemed to be what would be the obvious end to Huff’s tenure in Philadelphia. In what turned out to be a big miss from the Eagles front office, Huff was sent to San Francisco this offseason as he reunited with Robert Saleh.
Azeez Ojulari has the potential to become a real force in the league. He has shown he can produce in the NFL when healthy, and health will be the main decider on whether he can fulfill his true potential. Signing just a $4 million deal in the off-season, there is little risk if he doesn’t work out. He will join a group of former college teammates from Georgia, and look to be a big-time contributor on a Super Bowl contender.
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