According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Philadelphia Eagles legend Brandon Graham is debating coming out of retirement to help his former team.
The Eagles recently lost Za'Darius Smith to retirement, leaving the trenches light on both starting talent and production. As things stand, Jalyx Hunt and Azeez Ojulari are the two starters outside while Nolan Smith recovers from a triceps injury.
Gaham has long been a fixture of Philadelphia. Drafted out of Michigan in 2010, the 37-year-old played every season with the Eagles, going on to register 76.5 sacks over his incredible 15-year career. Add in a pair of Super Bowl wins, his admirable leadership and devotion to the City, and it's easy to see why he will always have a place in the heart of fans.
With the Eagles down to bare bones, bringing Graham back would be optimal unless Howie Roseman has a move planned for the trade deadline. In his final season with the Eagles in 2024, he put up seven QB hits and 3.5 sacks. Having someone they can lean on from both a leadership and production standpoint would definitely bring a much-needed boost to the position. — Liam Jenkins
Few players bleed green the way Brandon Graham does. If the team needed him in any capacity, he would desire nothing more than to be there for the players, staff, and the fans.
Graham recently rebuffed the idea of coaching or moving to the front office—at least for now— when speaking to Philly Sports Network earlier this month. In that same interview, Graham laughed at the notion of returning to the field, then, in the wake of the Nolan Smith injury, though he never said he wouldn't.
While it is not yet certain, a temporary position—say, rejoining the team for the final three months of the season, four counting an ideally lengthy playoff run—is a much more palatable commitment.
As for whether or not he could physically make the return, it's far from unlikely. Since his retirement, Graham has continued to work out with the team frequently. He even still has a locker in the team facility, though it is with the staff, not the players.
Physically, mentally, arguably even spiritually, Graham is still connected to this team. While he may not have been keeping fit in case of returning to the field, by doing so, he makes a return all the more of a possibility. — Zach Ciavolella
