Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Eagles Add An Edge

Posted March 13th, 2026 | 2 Comments »

Howie Roseman finally addressed the edge rusher position on Thursday night. It wasn’t a big, splashy move, but looks like another smart addition at a good cost. The Eagles haven’t had a lot of cap room so they’ve had to be selective shoppers.

This isn’t as fun as signing Trey Hendrickson or trading for Maxx Crosby, but Ebiketie is a good scheme fit and the cost was certainly right. He fits a profile the Eagles like. Ebiketie is a former high pick (second round) and he’s just 27 so he’s still in his prime. The Falcons let him go because they felt he wasn’t good enough. The Eagles are hoping Ebiketie will be able to reach his potential with better coaching and in a better scheme fit.

Ebiketie had 6 sacks and 12 QB hits in both 2023 and 2024. Those numbers fell off last year, with just 2 sacks and 6 QB hits. Atlanta added a couple of rushers early in the draft and they became the key pass rushers.

The Eagles had Ebiketie in Philly for a pre-draft visit back in 2022 so this is a player they’ve had interest in for a while. When you watch him play you can see why Vic Fangio would like him. Ebiketie is a good run defender. He will take on blockers and set the edge. He was dropped into coverage on a regular basis in Atlanta so he’s comfortable when asked to do that. And he is an athletic pass rusher with the ability to affect the QB.

There is a lot to like in those clips. Ebiketie reminds you of Nolan Smith when you watch that. Some will say this is just like adding Josh Uche or Azeez Ojulari, neither of whom worked out well last year. I disagree with that. Uche had a total of 5 sacks and 9 QB hits in the two seasons before coming to Philly. He fell out of favor in NE and then struggled to get on the field in KC. Ojulari had injury issues throughout his time with the Giants. He also didn’t play much on STs. Ebiketie has. He’s been a starter and a role player. He understands how to contribute to the team.

While the move makes sense on paper, there is no guarantee it will work. Yoa  never know how guys are going to perform on a new team and in a new scheme. We certainly saw that with Uche and Ojulari last year. Uche had his moments, but Ojulari was a complete disappointment. Ebiketie feels like a safer bet.

The Eagles now have Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and Ebiketie. Brandon Graham might return. That would give the team a solid group of rushers. Howie could still look to add a top talent if the price is right. The addition of Ebiketie means the Eagles aren’t desperate. That could help if they want to negotiate with the Vikings about trading for Jonathan Greenard.

*****

This gives the Eagles more cap room this year. They could spend that on Dallas Goedert. Today is the deadline for the Eagles to have to re-sign him or to deal with his dead cap money. Keeping him makes a ton of sense from a financial perspective.

The Eagles might also need to add a WR in free agency. It sounds like the NFL insiders expect AJ Brown to be traded, even if it doesn’t happen until June. How is this for an interesting scenario?

This is going to be one long offseason.

*****

I wrote about the signing of CB Jonathan Jones last night. I focused on him being primarily in the slot. It turns out he’s got more outside experience than I realized. I still don’t know if Fangio would want him outside at just 5-9, 183. That kind of size is usually a better fit for nickelback. Still, it is good that he’s got the versatility to play inside or outside. He also had a bit of safety experience. The coaches will really value his versatility.

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2 Comments on “Eagles Add An Edge”

  1. 1 Eagles News: Riq Woolen to Philly among “perfect player-team pairings” - SportSourcio said at 2:02 PM on March 13th, 2026:

    […] Eagles Add An Edge – Iggles Blitz […]

  2. 2 Eagles News: Riq Woolen to Philly among “perfect player-team pairings” - Philly Fan Radio said at 8:10 PM on March 13th, 2026:

    […] Eagles Add An Edge – Iggles BlitzThere is a lot to like in those clips. Ebiketie reminds you of Nolan Smith when you watch that. Some will say this is just like adding Josh Uche or Azeez Ojulari, neither of whom worked out well last year. I disagree with that. Uche had a total of 5 sacks and 9 QB hits in the two seasons before coming to Philly. He fell out of favor in NE and then struggled to get on the field in KC. Ojulari had injury issues throughout his time with the Giants. He also didn’t play much on STs. Ebiketie has. He’s been a starter and a role player. He understands how to contribute to the team. While the move makes sense on paper, there is no guarantee it will work. You never know how guys are going to perform on a new team and in a new scheme. We certainly saw that with Uche and Ojulari last year. Uche had his moments, but Ojulari was a complete disappointment. Ebiketie feels like a safer bet. The Eagles now have Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and Ebiketie. Brandon Graham might return. That would give the team a solid group of rushers. Howie could still look to add a top talent if the price is right. The addition of Ebiketie means the Eagles aren’t desperate. That could help if they want to negotiate with the Vikings about trading for Jonathan Greenard. […]