Josh Sweat sacks the Browns’ Deshaun Watson in joint practice as the Eagles DE grows into a veteran role

Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat needed a moment to gather himself in the middle of Monday evening’s joint practice with the Cleveland Browns.

After he dropped to a knee and slowly retreated to the sideline, Sweat avoided any type of injury scare, later saying he “just got a little dizzy.”

His mind and body appeared to clear up quickly as Sweat returned to action and finished as one of the defensive standouts. In the periods that followed, Sweat registered multiple sacks on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. And while full-on tackling is restricted during these sessions, Sweat executed a mix of pass rush moves and continually chased Watson out of the pocket.

For Sweat, 26, he feels like he’s finally arrived as “that guy” heading into sixth season with the Eagles.

“It’s pretty much natural to me now,” he said. “I’m just growing into a role other than being a [regular] player. A lot of guys want to hear from me. So I’m starting to be a little more vocal and taking on that [veteran] role. I’m excited for it.”

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Sweat, who originally was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 draft out of Florida State, is coming off the best season of his career. Sweat tallied 12 1/2 sacks, 27 quarterback hits, 55 quarterback pressures, and two forced fumbles over 19 total games. He also picked off Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and returned the interception 42 yards for a touchdown in Week 16 — a moment that will be forever etched in franchise lore.

Together with Javon Hargrave, Brandon Graham, and Haason Reddick, Sweat helped the Eagles become the first team in NFL history to have four players each record double-digit sacks. Since 2019, Sweat leads the Eagles with 30 sacks.

Already entrenched as one of the team’s featured pass rushers, Sweat is looking to build on his career-high season. Admittedly a natural introvert, Sweat said he also is evolving into a mentor figure to some of the team’s younger players, such as rookie Nolan Smith.

“I knew I’ve been that guy, but I’m usually in a shell,” Sweat said. “Now it’s a little bit more natural. I’m more comfortable with a lot more people on the team. I can talk to them, they can talk to me. I’m [thinking], ‘why not?’ It’s easy now.”

Sweat has thrived throughout training camp, typically lining up on the opposite side of Reddick with Graham and Smith also rotating in. During Monday’s practice, Sweat executed an array of pass-rush moves, including swims and spins, to beat his opposition in Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and put Watson in distress.

“With our D-line, there’s nobody you can continually double,” Reddick said. “We have great pass rushers. Our depth is crazy. That’s something that we take pride in. We call it 1A and 1B. Because even when 1A comes out, 1B comes in, they’re still [1A]. They can pass rush, they can play the game just as well.

Said Sweat: “I still have a chip on my shoulder. I can relate to [younger teammates such as Smith and Milton Williams] so much because I know how it is being early and something is always being thrown at your direction. You’ve got to overcome it.”

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Before Monday’s practice, the Eagles placed linebacker and special-teams ace Shaun Bradley (torn Achilles) on injured reserve. In an ensuing move, the team also signed defensive tackle Olive Sagapolu.

Bradley, a 2020 sixth-round pick out of Temple, sustained his season-ending injury during the preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Over the past three seasons, Bradley led the Eagles with 878 special-teams snaps.

Sagapolu went undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2019. Since then, he has had NFL stints with the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons. Most recently, the 6-foot-2, 341-pounder spent this past spring with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL. Sagapolu is one of nine defensive tackles on the roster, joining Williams, Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo, Kentavius Street, and Noah Elliss.