We're 10 games into the regular season and it's a fair time to see just how much of an impact an extremely active series of roster-building moves made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman and his personnel team have had on the Eagles in 2022. A playoff team in 2021, Philadelphia knew it had to have an impactful offseason in every phase of the roster-building process to elevate this team to one capable of making a deep playoff run.
Well, here we are.
The Eagles have a 9-1 record ahead of Sunday night's Blackout game against Green Bay at Lincoln Financial Field. The goal, as clearly stated, is to gain the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and take full advantage of a bye week, and the Eagles have that goal still in their hands.
With a limited shopping budget within the confines of the NFL's 2022 Salary Cap, the Eagles dipped into free agency on Day 1 by agreeing to terms with pass-rushing linebacker Haason Reddick, and the roster-building season began. As evidenced by last week's signing of defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh, the roster-building season continues. And looking at a list of nine players who are on the roster and who are making a positive impact on the team with the top record in the NFL, it's fair to say that Roseman and Eagles did, indeed, succeed in building and continually adding to this roster (and that includes the NFL Draft and No. 1 pick defensive tackle Jordan Davis, an impact player who is currently on Injured Reserve with the hope that he comes back for the stretch run and beyond and continues his rise).
Here is a look at the nine players whom the Eagles brought to Philadelphia with a comment on the way they've built this team into what it is.
Haason Reddick, LB
The Eagles recorded 29 quarterback sacks last season, ranking 31st in the NFL in that department. They needed an impact player to help off the edge, with the hope that Brandon Graham would return healthy after missing most of 2021 after tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 2.
Enter Reddick, who plays with the fire and relentlessness the Eagles saw on tape from his time in Arizona and Carolina. He has 7.5 quarterback sacks, three of them strip-sacks, and his timing has been impeccable. A clear example of the impact Reddick has had – his two fourth-quarter sacks to help defeat Jacksonville and the humongous sack he had on Sunday against the Colts when he decked quarterback Matt Ryan to force a Colts field goal in the red zone to keep the Eagles within a TD and a PAT of winning. And, of course, they won, and while Graham's last-possession sack sealed the deal, Reddick's penetration and sack of Ryan was every bit as important.
Zach Pascal, WR
Every team needs some players who do it all – and Pascal is one of those players. He has seen action on 31 percent of the team's offensive snaps with 11 receptions for 123 yards and a score. But the numbers only tell part of the story of the impact Pascal has on this team. He's a tough guy who aids the running game with his blocking, he plays as a core member on special teams, and he's part of the "grit" and "grime" that Head Coach Nick Sirianni proudly points to as he describes what he loves about the Eagles. The theme of this team is to "know your role and be a star in that role" and Pascal selflessly fits that to a tee.
Kyzir White, LB
Not a lot of people on the outside thought much of this signing in free agency, but White has been a perfect fit in the defense with his off-ball skills. He has 69 total tackles playing 77 percent of the defensive snaps and he and T.J. Edwards have been terrific together as they have been on the same page communicating and getting to the football. White is one of the more underrated free-agent signings in the entire NFL.
A.J. Brown, WR
Brown’s impact runs deeper than his numbers – 49 receptions, 785 yards, 6 touchdowns – and he's going to be a focal point in the offense in these final 7 games, for sure. Brown can do it all and he has. He's been the weapon the Eagles needed to add to an already-strong passing game and Brown's quick fit and instant chemistry with quarterback Jalen Hurts has provided a multi-tiered group of weapons. It's going to be interesting seeing Brown on Sunday night – prime time, black helmets, black jerseys, black pants – sounds like a Swole Batman kind of night, potentially.
James Bradberry, CB
Roseman acted quickly, locking up Bradberry when the Giants allowed him to enter free agency, and it was a signing that has paid huge dividends. Bradberry and Darius Slay have formed a great 1-2 outside combination in coverage and his size allows the Eagles to match up with every receiving combination. Both Bradberry and Slay have been at the top of the cornerback list in coverage and limiting opposing wide receivers, and they will have a huge test on Sunday night with the Packers' dynamic passing attack that has produced five touchdowns in Green Bay's last two games.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S
Acquiring C.J. Gardner-Johnson just before the start of the regular season was a brilliant stroke and it completed – and elevated – the Eagles' secondary. A high-IQ football player, Gardner-Johnson made the switch from nickel cornerback in New Orleans to safety here and he's been great. Just great. Gardner has a career-high and league-best six interceptions, supports the run with tenacity and excellent tackling technique, and provides flexibility in coverage. One of the reasons for the improvement of the defense, a large reason, is the production the Eagles have gotten from Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps – and the fact that Gardner-Johnson could walk into this defense one week before the opener and play as well as he has is remarkable.
Robert Quinn, DE
In a limited sample size, Quinn has provided depth, playing 59 snaps with two tackles in four games with the Eagles. He is going to be counted on to add pass-rush punch in the stretch run here as well as in the postseason, if the Eagles are fortunate enough to reach the playoffs.
Linval Joseph, DT
Joseph has been here since last Thursday and we saw the instant impact he made at Indianapolis. Joseph recorded 4 total tackles and a half-sack in 26 snaps after three days of practice in the defense. He is the classic run-stopping defensive tackle who can add some pass-rush push from the inside. Keep him fresh, keep him healthy, and Joseph could play a large role in the defense the rest of the way.
Ndamukong Suh, DT
Same as Joseph. Suh arrived one day after Joseph last week and then went out and impacted the win over the Colts. The career resume is impressive and so is the way Suh has attacked the task at hand and joined a deep and talented defensive tackle rotation that, frankly, remains a strength of the team even after the Eagles have played without Davis and second-year man Marlon Tuipulotu.
