General manager Howie Roseman was very busy at the NFL trade deadline this week, and the Philadelphia Eagles had to part with some previously valuable players in the deadline’s aftermath.
The Eagles released two players, outside linebacker Patrick Johnson and wide receiver Terrace Marshall, and opened EDGE rusher Nolan Smith’s 21-day window to return from injured reserve amid a flurry of moves announced Tuesday.
The Eagles acquired cornerback Jaire Alexander from the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday then traded for EDGE rusher Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday, mere hours before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.
To make space for Phillips, and Smith who has not played since Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams due to a triceps injury, Johnson needed to be let go from the active roster and Marshall was released from the practice squad.
Johnson has one sack and five tackles in seven games for the Eagles this year, and Marshall has not played in a game for the Eagles this season.
The Eagles (6-2) still sit in first place in the NFC East and will come off their bye and take on the Green Bay Packers (5-2-1) on Monday Night Football at Lambeau Field.
Howie Roseman’s Moves Made Patrick Johnson Expendable
The Eagles won Super Bowl LIX in February thanks to an aggressive pass rush that forced Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to run for his life throughout Philadelphia’s 40-22 win.
But the Eagles D-line has been hampered by injuries and the retirement first to Brandon Graham then Za’Darius Smith. They rank just tied for 26th in the NFL in sacks this year (16) with the Las Vegas Raiders, and defensive tackle Moro Ojomo is the only Eagles player with more than three sacks this year.
So Roseman has been borderline obsessive with his pursuit of EDGE rushers. He first signed Za’Darius Smith as a free agent, who then retired after playing five games. Then, Roseman convinced Graham to come out of retirement ahead of the Eagles’ Week 8 game against the New York Giants.
Graham is still working his way into playing shape, and leaving no stone unturned, Roseman then parted with a third-round pick to acquire Phillips, who has three sacks this season.
That made Johnson expendable, since the Eagles are currently employing Phillips, Nolan Smith, Graham, Ojomo, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Jalyx Hunt on their defensive line. That’s a loaded group of run stuffers and pass rushers.
âWhen you talk about that room, excited about all those guys,” Roseman said Tuesday, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. “When you can rotate those guys and you can keep them fresh, especially with the talent that you’re talking about that those guys possess, it just opens up all the possibilities to really be a dominant defensive front when you combine our interior defensive line with them as well.â
Nolan Smith Could Play Against Green Bay
The Eagles have 21 days to activate Smith or else place him on season-ending injured reserve. But it’s sounding like Smith may not miss even this weekend’s game against the Packers.
Smith could end up on a snap-count restriction, especially since Phillips plays his same position of left-defensive end. But the third-year EDGE, who does not have a sack after posting 6.5 in the regular season and four more in the postseason, seems likely to be active for the showdown of division leaders at Lambeau.
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