Chris Long 2.0? Philadelphia Eagles agree to terms with DE Ryan Kerrigan

In classic Howie Roseman fashion, the Philadelphia Eagles have made a somewhat notable post-draft addition via the free agency market. It wasn’t a linebacker or an outside corner – instead it was a defensive end who Eagles fans are all too familiar with.

Announced via his own personal Instagram account, and later confirmed by the Eagles official Twitter, veteran edge rusher Ryan Kerrigan is jumping from Washington to Philadelphia on a one-year deal:

A somewhat surprising turn of events considering just how long Kerrigan has tormented the Eagles franchise since his NFL debut in 2011, Kerrigan joins a defensive end unit that was actually looking rather shallow this offseason. Last season’s DE4 Vinny Curry departed for the Jets earlier in free agency, Genard Avery switched to linebacker, and no edge rushers were selected in the draft prior to the sixth round.

Outside of Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, and Josh Sweat, the Eagles defensive end depth was noticeably light – which is not something we’ve come to expect out of Howie Roseman during his time as general manager.

In Kerrigan, the Eagles have themselves a new veteran edge rusher to rely upon. Someone who will likely take over Curry’s before mentioned DE4 role, but with far greater upside.

Kerrigan is coming off a 5.5 sack last season with Washington, despite only playing in 38% of the team’s defensive snaps. He also recorded five TFLs, six QB hits, and forced one fumble. A pretty strong output of production considering how little field time he actually saw.

Can Ryan Kerrigan be Chris Long 2.0 for the Philadelphia Eagles?

A common comparison that’s been quickly tossed out there on social media is that of the Chris Long signing back in 2017. Former Eagles WR Torrey Smith pointed out the similarities on Twitter, and plenty of fans have jumped to the conclusion that Kerrigan is “Long 2.0” in the making.

For what it’s worth, the similarities are definitely there. Both players were sack machines prior to joining Philadelphia (Long had 58.5 before 2017 and Kerrigan has 95.5 currently), and both players were coming off seasons where they were apart of an elite defensive unit. Long obviously left the Super Bowl winning Patriots defense to join Philly, whereas Kerrigan leaves the sack-heavy Washington front this offseason.

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I’d expect Kerrigan to operate in a similar type of role to what Long gave the Philadelphia Eagles back in 2017 and 2018 as well. Long hovered around that 50-60% snap mark during his two seasons in Philly, operating as the team’s go-to pass rusher on third downs and obvious passing situations. As I’m sure everyone still remembers quire vividly, Long made some seriously impactful plays operating in said role during the team’s NFC Championship win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Do I think the addition of Kerrigan will vault the Eagles into a Super Bowl winning season the same way Long did back in 2017? No, probably not. However, the team did in fact need a fourth defensive end in their building, and Kerrigan was one of the better veteran options out there post-draft. 95.5 career sacks is nothing to scoff at, and his veteran presence should help someone like Josh Sweat continue to develop over time.

At the very least, it’s good news that the Eagles don’t have to worry about facing Kerrigan twice a year anymore. He’s one of those certified “Eagles killers.” Glad he’s working for the good guys now.