Philadelphia Eagles: How many defensive linemen are too many?

There’s a time-honored tradition in the NFL that when a long-time divisional foe becomes available via free agency or trade, they usually stay in the division.

The Philadelphia Eagles did it when they signed Demarco Murray away from the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, did it again when they stole Nate Sudfeld from Washington, and even tried it a third time when they traded up with Jerry Jones to snatch Devonta Smith out of the Giants’ clutches – which isn’t exactly the same thing but has generated similar animosity among the G-Man nation.

Heck, even the Philadelphia 76ers got in on the fun when they signed Al Horford away from the Boston Celtics in 2019, which didn’t really work out but hey, what ya gonna do?

And largely, these sorts of semi-arranged marriages can be mutually beneficial.

Donovan McNabb gave the Eagles the business when he returned to the Linc in a Washington uniform, as did DeSean Jackson from 2014-16, and even LeSean McCoy in his lone return home as a member of the Buffalo Bills – recording 109 all-purpose yards against his former club.

So naturally, after largely whiffing on ex-members of the Giants, Cowboys, and Football Team – Miles Austin, anyone? – Howie Roseman would jump at the chance to land a Divisional all-timer if for no other reason than to keep him away from New Jersey York, and Big D, right?

Well, it’s official; Ryan Kerrigan is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Does landing Kerrigan make the Eagles a better football team? Yes. Will Kerrigan have added motivation to beat up on his former team while playing a Chris Long/late-career Connor Barwin role (more on that here)? Yes. But after drafting four defensive linemen in the 2021 NFL Draft – even if Patrick Johnson technically moves to LB – one has to ask: How many defensive linemen are too many?

The Philadelphia Eagles roster isn’t quite balanced.

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From 2016-20, the Philadelphia Eagles rolled with an eight-man rotation on their defensive line.

Whether their roster featured veterans like Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Michael Bennett, Chris Long, Connor Barwin, and Vinny Curry, or younger upstarts like Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat, or Hassan Ridgeway, the Eagles consistently cycled through defensive linemen to keep their players fresh and their attack potent, with great results.

While the team’s overall defensive efficiency waxed and waned from year to year, the front four was never a weakness during Jim Schwartz’s four-year tenure in the City of Brotherly Love.

And based on how Howie Roseman has chosen to further fortify his roster this spring, it’s pretty safe to say the front four won’t be a weakness under Jonathan Gannon either.

Despite initially going light in free agency, only signing a trio of back seven players for less than $10 million combined, the Eagles drafted a pair of defensive ends, a defensive tackle, and a hybrid DE/DT to fill out their depth chart in addition to landing Ryan Kerrigan on a one-year, $3.5 million deal.

That’s… a lot of new faces in the front seven.

Even if Patrick Johnson successfully transitions off the ball and serves as competition/bench support for Genard Avery at the rush linebacker spot, the Eagles will still have to find playing time for Milton Williams, Marlon Tuipulotu, Tarragon Jackson, and Kerrigan while still appeasing incumbent contributors Javon Hargrave, Raequan Williams, Cox, Ridgeway, Graham, Barnett, and Sweat.

Is that impossible? No, but it darn sure isn’t easy either.

Assuming the Birds continue to stick to an eight-man rotation, that will likely result in Cox and Hargrave getting the brunt of the playing time with R. Williams, Tuipulotu, and M. Williams competing for DT spots three and four, with Graham, Kerrigan, Sweat, and Barnett all but surely splitting time on the outside. On paper, that’s a really good rotation, an old one, but a good one nonetheless.

How old? Well, regardless of which two of Tuipultu, Williams and the other Williams see the field most often, the Eagles will be trotting out a front four rotation with an average age of 27.25, which is older than any other position grouping on the roster besides the team’s starting offensive line and their tight ends (which could change depending on the Zach Ertz situation).

Is that a big deal? No. Even the worst teams in the NFL are going to give minutes to vets, and the Eagles still have the arguably best defensive line in the NFC East, but why bother with a 33-year-old veteran when you have oh so many young edge rushers who could potentially use on-field seasoning? Why not see if M. Williams can serve as a base end a la Curry from 2012-17 and 2019-20? Or if Jackson can transition his college sack supremacy from Coastal Carolina to the City of Brotherly Love? Heck, the Eagles still need to make a decision about whether Barnett and/or Sweat are worthy of new, long-term deals when their contracts expire at the end of the year.

Granted, the Eagles can still get much of that done in 2021 with Kerrigan in the fray, as the season is long and injuries are a matter of when, not if, but isn’t the decision to bring in a veteran rusher who will surely play 50-ish percent of the defensive snaps an indictment on the players brought in via the draft?

Furthermore, the Eagles still don’t have a CB2 unless they want to roll with Zech McPhearson and/or Avonte Maddox on the outside, and maybe should address that rather obvious hole over further fortifying a position of strength. I’m not saying they still can’t do it, Steven Nelson did just follow the team on Twitter after all, but until he signs his name on the dotted line, anyone could swoop in and sign the ex-Steelers cornerback to a massive deal outside of Philly’s price range – especially after shelling out $3.5 to Kerrigan.

Ultimately, signing Ryan Kerrigan makes the Philadelphia Eagles a better team in 2021. Does he make the team 11-6 versus 6-11? No. But he might be the difference in a game or maybe even two, especially if said games are against his former, nameless team based in Washington. If that’s Howie Roseman’s goal, to get more sacks and maybe win an extra game, then this is a great signing, but if the goal of 2021 is to see who can and can’t hang in 2022 and beyond, any player on a one-year deal is trying to prove they belong in the plans long-term, which is hard to do when he’ll be 35 when next season opens up.