The Philadelphia Eagles will be without their top pass rusher for the foreseeable future. ED Nolan Smith Jr., a first-round pick out of Georgia in the 2023 draft, was placed on Injured Reserve (IR) this week with a triceps injury. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Eagles are expecting Smith to be out through the team’s Week 9 bye, and hope for him return in Week 10 against the Packers on November 10.
In the meantime, other players will have to step up in Smith’s absence. He’s the team’s best pass rusher off the edge and won’t be easy to replace, but Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is confident Philadelphia can manage.
“Yeah, this is why you have depth,” he said to reporters on Friday. “This is why I’m so appreciative of [Eagles general manager] Howie [Roseman] and his staff, of the players they bring in. We’ve got a lot of depth there.”
“So it’s never — as you guys have asked me this before, it’s like, ‘who replaces this guy’s production’ — well, it never just has to be one, right? Just like how you play defense, it’s not one guys just has to make the tackle. Sometimes he does, but you play as a team. Well it’s the same thing. You’ve got group tackles, you’ve got gang tackles, and it’s like, it’s the same thing here. Not one guy has to take the production or take the reps, we’ve got a lot of guys with that ability. And we’re really excited about our depth and the guys we have in that room.”
Who Will Step Up for the Philadelphia Eagles with Nolan Smith Jr. Out?
Mitchell Leff/GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 7: Nolan Smith Jr. #3 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on prior to the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field on August 7, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles defeated the Bengals 34-27. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Last season, Smith had 42 tackles, six sacks, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two passes defensed in a less demanding role. With ED Josh Sweat departing for Arizona in free agency, Smith stepped up as the team’s top option. He was a starter last year, as well, but more was being asked of him this year.
Through three games in 2025, Smith has 10 tackles and a forced fumble. He doesn’t have a sack yet, but his presence has been felt in every game. The pressure he can generate one-on-one is difficult to replicate.
Now, the Eagles will have to rely on their depth. Second-year man Jalyx Hunt, Smith’s fellow starter on the other side, will be asked to do even more. Veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith is both capable and productive, and the team also has former Giants starter Azeez Ojulari waiting in the wings.
Big Showdown with the Bucs Awaits the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday
Last week, the Eagles had a gut-check come-from-behind win over the Rams to remain undefeated and score a critical tiebreaker over their NFC rivals. This week, the Eagles have a chance to do that once again against the Bucs.
Both teams are 3-0 and leading their respective divisions. Winning this game would give the Eagles wins over two projected NFC division winners, giving them a huge leg up in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
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