Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. was not able to live up to the expectations that fans were hoping he would last year.
Smith missed five games due to an injury, which put him behind the eight ball, racking up just 31 tackles, 11 quarterback hits, three sacks, one forced fumble, and one tackle for loss. He was outplayed by Jaelan Phillips and Jalyx Hunt, leaving him in a crucial 2026 season to prove he can still play at a high level.
The Eagles lost Phillips in free agency and added Arnold Ebiketie at edge rusher, but that might not be enough for the fan base to be convinced they have the right pieces in place. Perhaps a one-year rental would be good enough to get the pass rush going while sending a message to Smith that he needs to step up.
Cameron Jordan could be an interesting option for the Eagles
Fully acknowledging that Jordan may not be the best fit as an edge rusher in Vic Fangio's defense, he is still good enough to rush off the edge on passing downs. Last season with the New Orleans Saints, Jordan had 36 pressures, 21 hurries, 10 sacks, and five quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 24th-best edge rusher in the NFL with a 76 overall grade.
The Eagles can still try to get a trade done for Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, but it seems like, at this point, he might work out a new deal with them. Philly is desperate to get a good pass rusher in there who can help.
Smith and Hunt could still be the main starters, but Jordan can come in on a pass-rushing situation or even take the route that Brandon Graham did last year and move to defensive tackle in some spots. At 36, Jordan is still one of the top pass rushers in the NFL and can only help the Eagles out.
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What the Eagles have done so far has not been enough, so more needs to be done. Jordan might be an odd fit in Fangio's defense, which requires more athletic edge rushers, but he can pressure the quarterback and sack them at a high rate, something that the Eagles struggled with last year, with Hunt leading the team with six sacks.