When it was announced earlier this week that third-year pass rusher Nolan Smith Jr. was going on injured reserve, most Philadelphia Eagles fans thought that this could be a prime opportunity for veteran pass rusher Azeez Ojulari to get on the field in Week 4.
Ojulari, who was signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, has been a healthy scratch for the first three games of the regular season. On Sunday, when the Eagles announced their inactive players for their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ojulari was shockingly on the list, as Philadelphia opted for Patrick Johnson and Ogbo Okoronkwo.
Okoronkwo has been in the same inactive boat as Ojulari to start the year, but the Eagles are giving him a chance, which isn’t a good look for the former New York Giant.
Azeez Ojulari Is a Healthy Scratch Again Despite Nolan Smith Jr.'s Injury
The 25-year-old Ojulari had a couple of moments in the preseason, which made you wonder what he could do in Vic Fangio’s scheme during the regular season. But the Eagles, for some reason, are not putting him on the field.
Not putting Ojulari on the field for Okoronkwo is one thing, but Patrick Johnson getting the nod over the former second-round pick is alarming. Johnson hasn’t done much on defense, as he’s more for special teams purposes.
That said, Ojulari had six sacks last year for the Giants. And for a team like the Eagles, which has struggled to get after the quarterback this season (three sacks), it's puzzling to see him sitting on the sideline.
For some Eagles fans, this situation with Ojulari vaguely reminds them of the Rashaad Penny case in 2023, where he rarely played (three games) after being signed to a one-year deal. Now granted, the Eagles had D’Andre Swift and Kenny Gainwell in the running back room, but some thought Penny could be utilized in some way, shape, or form.
Philly fans were hoping that Ojulari would see the field on Sunday, but it's looking likely that this is another Howie Roseman move that hasn’t panned out. If Ojulari doesn’t play in the next two weeks, the Eagles might be better off trying to trade him. Since Ojulari hasn’t played this year, Philly won’t get a huge return, but he's got legit appeal as a former second-round pick with 22.0 career sacks.
Teams are always looking for pass-rush depth, and maybe the Eagles’ defensive end could be of better use in a different scheme. We’ll see how Okoronkwo performs against Tampa Bay, as that could determine what happens next for Ojulari.