Philadelphia Eagles five easiest roster decisions for the defense

There should be no issues with the Eagles running it back with Brandon Graham.

It’s a nice story if you’re hanging around the campfire or looking to share some of the team’s history with the young Philadelphia Eagles fans you know. Once upon a time, during the 2010 NFL Draft to be exact, the Birds traded up in the first round and were looking to add a star on defense.

Many of us, at the time, thought they had moved up to draft safety Earl Thomas to plug a hole in the backend of their secondary, a hole that they had been unable to fill since Brian Dawkins left town. They, instead, as Andy Reid often did, went with a defensive lineman.

Brandon Graham was the choice. He was a six-foot-two First-team All-American and the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player in 2009.

There was controversy. Thomas’ star shone brightly immediately. It took a little longer for B.G. to get the hang of things, but once he did, he became one of the greatest Eagles ever.

In 2020, he earned his first Pro Bowl nod. In 2021, his season ended in the Eagles’ second game. Heading into the offseason, there are questions about his future. Let’s answer those now. Graham needs to stay. He’s earned that, and there’s no reason to spend a ton of time agonizing over what should be done.

There are several reasons to believe that. One, if B.G. was to hit the open market, he’d be one of the best defensive ends available. Philly needs help at EDGE. There’s nothing wrong with sticking with someone you know well. Second, Graham doesn’t have a history of injury, so there aren’t many reasons to believe they’ll now come more frequently, even if he is aging. Third, he’s one of the team’s vocal leaders.

A lengthy extension for B.G. at this point of his career may not be wise, but giving him 2022 to see what he can contribute is feasible. That should be an easy decision for Philly to make during 2022’s offseason. Here are four more that fall in the same category.