Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith ‘riding that wave’ with two sacks in the last two games

Jeremiah Washburn used to be on the dark side, Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith said.

That is, the offensive line.

Washburn, who coaches the team’s defensive ends and outside linebackers, spent 10 seasons before joining the Eagles in 2019 coaching offensive linemen and was a guard during his playing years at Arkansas.

“He was once one of the enemies, and now that he’s on the good side, we can learn and talk so much about it and what they think and how they think it,” Smith said. “We just deep dive into tackles. We see what they’re looking for, and even if they’re not telling stuff on film, Coach Wash is going to find it out.”

It’s working before and after practice with Washburn and time spent in the film room that has Smith feeling and playing with confidence. After a quiet rookie season, Smith, a first-round pick last year, has sacks in consecutive games. The Eagles have 13 sacks over their last two games, and players like Smith and Bryce Huff, who had a slow start to the 2024 season, are starting to find a groove. The breakout performances from the pass rush have come against weakened offensive fronts, and tougher challenges await.

“We know we got to step it up even a little more this week because we’ve got big Joe Burrow,” Smith said. “I played him in college, and I know he’s a dynamic player.”

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While Burrow leads a talented Bengals offense, it’s a unit that isn’t immune to pressure. Cincinnati has surrendered 18 sacks, tied for the 12th-most in the NFL. Burrow was sacked four times in Cincinnati’s win over Cleveland last weekend.

Smith, 23, had just 18 total tackles and one sack in 17 games in 2023 while playing just 16% of the defensive snaps. He has two sacks and 15 tackles so far in six games this season. He’s playing 41% of the snaps. But nine of his 15 tackles have come over the last three games, as have both of his sacks. Smith said feels like the game is starting to slow down for him.

“You don’t ever get frustrated, man,” he said. “You just know in the NFL it’s hard to get sacks. It’s hard to get pressure on the quarterback. You just got to keep working every day and preparing the same and don’t let it get to you.”

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The veterans in the room have helped him with that, he said. This year, that’s Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, and Huff. Smith said last season mostly was a chance to learn. He was behind Graham, Sweat, Haason Reddick, and Derek Barnett on the depth chart.

“I know some people don’t see it, but that’s mostly how you learn and be a sponge and just absorb everything that you see,” Smith said.

Smith, who spent some of his offseason working out with Aaron Rodgers in California, mostly has been known as a speed rusher. But some of his pass rush wins over the last few games have come on power moves, which defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said he needs to utilize more. Smith said the power moves are another thing he’s been working on with Washburn.

“He’s a relentless worker, and he’s going to find a way to get to the quarterback, whether it’s a power move or a speed move,” said linebacker Zack Baun, who returned to practice as a full participant Thursday after sitting out Wednesday with a shoulder injury.

Baun said he can see Smith’s confidence growing.

“The first sack he had, his face just lit up and he was like, ‘Zack, I love this. I love this. I’m going to keep going,’” Baun said. “He’s hungry, and once you give him a little bit of food, he wants more for sure.

“It’s addicting. You ask any defensive player that has the opportunity to get sacks, once you get one, you just want more.”

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Baun credited the defensive front working in tandem with the secondary as one of the reasons the sack numbers have increased in recent games. He also said the inside and outside rushers are doing their jobs.

“You can’t just have one guy — unless it’s Aaron Donald — going out there and pass rushing,” Baun said. “It has to be as a group.”

Smith on Thursday was asked about a comment last week from Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis, his former Georgia teammate, who said “football is not linear” when talking about development.

“Sometimes it’s like I’m ebbing and flowing, and I’m trying to figure things out,” Smith said. “But once you figure it out, you just got to keep going up and riding that wave.”

The Eagles were without three players at practice Thursday: Dallas Goedert (hamstring), Mekhi Becton (concussion), and defensive tackle Byron Young (hamstring).

Four veterans — Saquon Barkley, Brandon Graham, Darius Slay, and Josh Sweat — were given partial veteran rest days Wednesday but were full participants in practice Thursday.

Cornerback Eli Ricks, meanwhile, remained a limited participant with his groin injury.

The Eagles play in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Paycor Stadium.