Philadelphia Eagles: Ranking the edge rushers of the NFC East

Edge rusher might just be the most dubious distinction in the NFL.

For some teams, edge rushing production comes from the defensive end spot, to others, it’s from outside linebackers, and to others still, like the Philadelphia Eagles, that distinction falls somewhere in between, with traditional 4-3 defensive ends sharing a roster with players more accustomed to playing linebacker in a 3-4.

With a few choice upgrades and a new philosophy, it’s clear the Eagles’ edge rushers are going to take a step forward this fall, but have their fellow NFC East teams done the same? Let’s take a look at the edge rushers from across the division to see how each team stacks up against their peers.

4. New York Giants

In 2021, the New York Giants had the 22nd most sacks of any team in the NFL, which isn’t bad at all. They also, to their credit, added a defensive coordinator in Wink Martindale who knows a thing or two about coordinating really good defenses that get great production from their edge-rushing outside linebackers.

Factor in the presence of Azeez Ojulari, who put in great production as a rookie, and the Giants should be very good, right, at least higher than fourth place on a list? Well, if Ojulari and the player about to be profiled can put in work, then yeah, they likely will be a lot higher next year, but for now, they remain a mystery and thus receive a potentially underestimated ranking.

Most important performer: Kayvon Thibodeaux

If Kayvon Thibodeaux can turn in a Chase Young-esque season as a rookie, the Giants’ edge-rushing unit is going to be very good. If, however, he fails to live up to the sky-high expectations some have for him coming out of Oregon and takes some time to get acclimated to Martidale’s scheme, then the Giants’ defensive front may struggle to get to the quarterback early on this fall.