Brandon Graham on what’s next for the Eagles at edge rusher after the Haason Reddick trade

The Eagles traded away their sack leader in Reddick, but have signed Bryce Huff and are looking to see more from Nolan Smith.

Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham celebrates with linebacker Haason Reddick after his sack during the third quarter of the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on Sunday, October 15, 2023.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer

by Olivia Reiner

Published April 6, 2024, 1:27 p.m. ET

When Brandon Graham returns to the NovaCare Complex for his 15th training camp with the Eagles, the edge rusher corps will look a little bit different than it did last season.

Camden native Haason Reddick is no longer one of the faces of the group, departing via trade for the New York Jets officially on Monday. At a promotional event with LEGOLAND New York on Saturday, Graham said that “it’s going to be tough” to watch Reddick play elsewhere. The two pass rushers forged a strong relationship off the field that dates back to Reddick’s signing with the Eagles in free agency during the 2022 offseason. On the field, Reddick was the team’s sack leader the last two seasons, reaching double digits both years.

Still, the 36-year-old Graham understands as well as any veteran player that the league is a business. Roster-building decisions often come down to money.

“I’m glad for Haas,” Graham said. “I think it was just more about money at the end of the day, because we’ve only got so much, you see. [Jordan] Mailata just got paid again and then Landon [Dickerson]. I’m sure [Howie Roseman is] going to wait on DeVonta [Smith], but I know DeVonta’s next, too. You just want to try to keep the guys that you drafted here. I know for sure, Howie didn’t want to have to let him go. But that’s part of it.”

Throughout his tenure as Eagles general manager, Roseman has prioritized developing and retaining home-grown talent, including the 27-year-old Josh Sweat. The Eagles opted to keep Sweat instead of Reddick, restructuring the final year of his contract to include $10 million guaranteed with a maximum value of $13 million.

Sweat figures to start alongside Bryce Huff, 25, whom the Eagles signed to a three-year deal worth up to $51.1 million in free agency. Huff had a breakout season with the Jets in 2023, collecting a team-high 10 sacks while serving as a situational pass rusher. While Graham has yet to meet his new teammate in person, he has reached out to Huff and let him know that he’s happy to help him with anything he needs.

“He knows he’s the guy, and I think he’s got a high motor,” Graham said. “I don’t know everything yet, because I haven’t been in the classroom with him yet. But I know a lot of people said they’re going to miss him because he had good energy when he was with the Jets.”

The departure of Reddick also opens up the potential for an increased role for Nolan Smith, the Eagles’ first-round, No. 30 overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Georgia. Smith, 23, played deep in the rotation last year, taking only 16% of the defensive snaps.

Graham served as a mentor to Smith as a rookie while he made the transition to the NFL game. This year, Smith will have to make another transition as he learns the scheme of Vic Fangio, whom the Eagles hired as their new defensive coordinator this offseason. The key for Smith to garner Fangio’s trust and subsequently earn playing time, Graham said, starts with his preparation.

“Just making sure that he’s taking care of his body,” Graham said. “Learn as much as he can with this new scheme with the coordinator, making sure that he’s in his book. Because usually when you get coordinators that come in, we’ve got a good one with Fangio. Just make sure that you know what to do, because that’s half the battle, ‘cause they want to be able to trust you being out there.”

“Once he does that, it’s just all about going out and doing his job consistently and making sure that he’s making plays while he’s doing it.”

Graham also suspects that Roseman will select an edge rusher in the draft. But he isn’t getting too caught up in the new season just yet — over the last few weeks, he has focused on preparing for life after football in a prospective media career. Graham appeared on ESPN as a guest in-studio host on Friday and will be participating in the NFL’s broadcasting and media workshop in the Los Angeles area in the coming week.

He has also spent time with his children, Emerson and Bryson, and his wife, Carlyne, most recently taking the trip up to LEGOLAND on Saturday as a family for its Pros of Play Day. In due time, Graham will shift his attention to the season ahead. He expressed an understanding that his role will look different in his 15th year beyond playing time alone.

In the past, Graham has typically brought the energy on the field through his play and his occasional trash talking. With the signings of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and linebacker Devin White, who are both capable of adding a sense of swagger to the Eagles defense, Graham is ready to let the young players lead the way and set the tone.

“I was the guy that’s trying to bring the energy,” Graham said. “So for me to have a bunch of other guys that’s going to bring it, me being a vet of 15 years, I’m going to sit back and just kind of watch it and fill in where I need to fill in.

“I know that I can’t wait to see these guys out there all together and us just flying around after this draft to see what type of team we got as we build this thing.”