Philadelphia Eagles have bolstered their D-Line with Linval Joseph
We have all heard the narrative that has been getting pushed by the national media over the last couple of weeks that the Philadelphia Eagles can’t stop the run. This chatter has reached a fever pitch this week following Monday’s 32-21 loss to the Washington Commanders.
Well, Howie Roseman has decided to look to the open market to solve this issue, agreeing to a one-year contract with veteran defensive tackle Linval Joseph on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old veteran has long been known has one of the best run-stuffers in the National Football League, and has had quite a bit of success throughout his twelve-year career. The 330-pounder is best known for his time spent with the Minnesota Vikings, where he earned back-to-back Pro Bowl bids in the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Joseph was a 2nd round selection of the New York Giants back in the 2010 NFL Draft, where he spent the first four seasons of his career. In 2011, he helped the division rival Giants win Super Bowl 46 over the New England Patriots.
His last two seasons were spent with the Los Angeles Chargers, and he has been a free agent throughout the entirety of the 2022 season to this point.
Linval Joseph is here to help solve the Philadelphia Eagles’ leaky run defense.
So far this season, the Philadelphia Eagles are allowing 4.7 yards per carry, which currently ranks as the 5th worst mark in the NFL. With rookie first-round pick Jordan Davis currently on Injured Reserve rehabbing an injured ankle, the Birds’ defense has been getting gashed in recent weeks.
Houston Texans rookie running back Dameon Pierce ran wild on the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks back, rushing for 139 yards on 27 carries. The Commanders followed that up on Monday Night with 152 rushing yards as a team, holding the football for over 40 minutes in their victory against the Birds.
With a date this weekend against star running back Jonathan Taylor, and a matchup with arguably the most feared rusher in football in Derrick Henry on the horizon, the Eagles needed to do something to patch up their front seven. While Joseph can’t be relied upon to be the savior, it is likely that his presence will have a positive impact on a reeling rushing defense.
Next. Philadelphia Eagles’ star wideout A.J. Brown is exceeding expectations. dark
Ultimately time will tell if this move pays any dividends for the Philadelphia Eagles, but it does feel like a necessary move for the time being. The best solution is likely to have Jordan Davis return at full strength, but that still appears to be a few weeks away. Let’s hope that Joseph still has some gas left in the tank.