An ever-changing position, the Eagles had some young players emerge in 2024, and the defense could be in a similar situation again for 2025. The good news is that Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers Coach Jeremiah Washburn has some real talent stepping up already. Third-year man Nolan Smith made a huge jump from his rookie season to the 2024 Super Bowl-winning campaign, notching 6.5 quarterback sacks in the regular season and then producing a franchise-record 4 quarterback sacks in the postseason. Smith suffered a torn triceps in the Super Bowl victory and had surgery, but he is expected to recover for the 2025 season. Smith, in his third season, leads the way at the position, one that enters free agency with some uncertainty.
Josh Sweat, a standout since the Eagles drafted him in 2018, is set to enter free agency and will have options. Sweat starred in the Super Bowl and could have a robust market in free agency. The Eagles are also uncertain about the future of Brandon Graham, the two-time Super Bowl champion who has 15 seasons as an Eagle under his belt. Is there a 16th in the offing?
Along with Smith, the Eagles are looking for second-year man Jalyx Hunt to take another step in his development after an impressive rookie season. Hunt played 23 percent of the defensive snaps in the regular season and then upped that to 30 percent in the playoffs, recording one quarterback sack, five quarterback pressures and two quarterback hits along with seven total tackles in 80 snaps.
A free agent addition a year ago, Bryce Huff dealt with a wrist injury that required midseason surgery in 2024. He will look to rebouond in his second season here. Two others, K.J. Henry and Ochaun Mathis, are on the roster and will have opportunities to make the 53-man team and contribute.
Free Agents
The only player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 12 is Sweat, who has been a huge part of the Eagles' defense for a long time.
Bird Talk
Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers Coach Jeremiah Washburn on the development of Nolan Smith:
"Just the detail of the game, he's really taken that to heart. And just kind of taking something from every vet that he's been around, he's taken a little something from each guy and put that in his game and put it all together."
Notable Stat
Nolan Smith played 188 snaps, just 16 percent of the total team defensive snaps, in the 2023 regular season and recorded one quarterback sack. In 2024, Smith had 6 ½ sacks, 24 quarterback pressures and 11 QB hits in 586 snaps (52 percent) and then upped his production to 4 sacks, 13 pressures and 3 QB hits in the playoffs.
Under The Microscope
What is the next step for Smith, who was so dynamic late in the '24 season? Same with Hunt, who really came on after Graham's suffered a torn triceps that sidelined him from the middle of the season until the Super Bowl.
