It’s Time For Philadelphia Eagles To Move On From Brandon Graham

By Ryan Wenzell on February 16, 2014

Brandon Graham had a fresh start this past season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He had a chance to flourish in a new defense under Billy Davis and was finally fully healthy off of micro-fracture surgery.

Unfortunately, he failed to impress. He only notched three sacks and failed to truly stand out or make an impact on the Eagles defense. The 3-4 does not seem to suit Graham. He certainly isn’t the ideal athlete to play outside linebacker in a 3-4. He has short arms and lacks dynamic athleticism, especially after a major knee surgery. Let’s just say he isn’t the prototypical Chip Kelly player on defense.

Kelly likes to say big people beat up little people, and in the 3-4 defense Graham is simply a little person. He is undersized and all season long he seemed out of place in the new scheme. All that being said, Graham has shown he is pretty skilled at rushing the passer.

His patented bull rush is pretty effective, and it is more than possible he could flourish in a 4-3 scheme where his main responsibility is getting after the quarterback. The Eagles and general manager Howie Roseman should find a trading partner who plays a 4-3 scheme to move Graham.

Even if the Eagles could pick up some extra picks in the late rounds it would be considered a win. Year 1 was a year in which Kelly felt out which players did and didn’t fit his scheme. Year 2 a purge of players who simply don’t fit the scheme athletically should be expected.

Expect Graham to be one of those casualties. His time has come and gone in midnight green.