Eagles Stay or Go 2026: Edge rusher originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro bring back Stay or Go in 2026, trying to figure out the futures of every Eagles player on the roster.
We already took a look, at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, interior offensive line and offensive tackle.
Up today: Edge rusher.
Brandon Graham
Roob: With B.G., you never know. I’d love to see another year of B.G. He didn’t play a ton after he came out of retirement – about 12 ½ snaps per game – but he was fine when he was on the field. I just don’t know how long he can keep doing this. He’s going to be 38 in April, he’s now got 16 years in the books, he’s played 228 games and nearly 8,000 snaps, and at some point he’s going to say that’s enough. The locker room was a lot more fun after he came back, so there’s that. He’s so loved and respected by his coaches and teammates. He’s an all-time Eagle. I think if B.G. does come back it will be another midseason type of deal if the Eagles have a couple injuries at edge. I can’t imagine him going through a full training camp. So I’m going to say he goes but with an asterisk that he could come back.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: It seems like Graham has some interest in coming back for another season but it’s possible the Eagles put this on hold for now. Maybe both sides can treat it like they did in 2025. Graham can skip training camp and the first part of the season but stay ready. If the Eagles ever need some help at edge rusher or ever as an interior defensive lineman, he’s the first call they make. But for now, I don’t have BG on the roster.
Verdict: Goes
Jalyx Hunt
Roob: If Hunt could have a full season like he played from Week 7 on – 6 ½ sacks, three interceptions with a pick-6, seven tackles for loss, 19 QB hits and a forced fumble over the last 11 games of the season – he’s a Pro Bowler. In his first year as a full-time player Hunt showed a ton of potential, and it’s going to be fun watching him continue to grow as he really learns what is still a fairly new position.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: It’s important to remember that Jalyx Hunt is still pretty raw. He began his college career as a safety at Cornell before switching to edge rusher and then went to Houston Christian. As a third-round rookie in 2024, Hunt was able to carve out a role. Last season, he led the Eagles in sacks (6 1/2) and pressures (57). Among all NFL players with at least 200 pass rushing reps, Hunt’s pressure rate of 17.3% ranked fifth behind just Micah Parsons, Nik Bonitto, Will Anderson and Chase Young, per NextGen Stats. Hunt will be back for his third NFL season and he still has a ton of potential.
Verdict: Stays
Azeez Ojulari
Roob: We all had high hopes for Ojulari as a rotational edge when the Eagles signed him. Coming off a six-sack season in just 11 games with the Giants, it was fair to expect similar production from the former 2nd-round pick as a third edge behind Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt. But it just never happened. A pretty big disappointment. After playing 67 snaps the first three games he didn’t play again, and as he approaches free agency I don’t see any reason the Eagles would consider re-signing him for 2026.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: At the time, it made plenty of sense to sign Ojulari. The former Giant had been productive in his career and he came to Philly on a relatively low-risk deal. But Ojulari found himself buried on the depth chart and suffered an injury during the season. He played in just 3 games last season and had just 6 tackles and 1 QB hit. He’ll move on this offseason as he tries to keep his career going.
Verdict: Goes
Ogbo Okoronwko
Roob: Another veteran edge the Eagles brought in hoping to juice up a struggling unit, but the seven-year veteran played in just one game with four defensive snaps and was on IR most of the year. We won’t be seeing him again around here.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: When the Eagles signed Ogbo Okoronkwo, he was a bit of an afterthought but he had a good training camp and made the 53-man roster. But Okoronkwo played in just one game in late September before landing on Injured Reserve for the rest of the season.
Verdict: Goes
Jaelan Phillips
Roob: This is the most interesting one, and it’s really just going to come down to money. Phillips was very good in the eight games he played after Howie Roseman acquired him from the Dolphins. Only had two sacks but played at a consistently high level pressuring, setting up his teammates and playing the run. You’d love to have him back, but edge rushers make a lot of money, and with so many defensive contracts to address in the next year this is one Howie might not be able to pull off. There were 20 edges who average $20 million per year in 2025, and that sort of deal just isn’t happening here. Or probably anywhere. But if the Eagles can figure out a deal that Phillips is happy with he’d love to be here. I just think that’s a longshot right now.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: It probably won’t be cheap to keep Phillips. He’s a 26-year-old free agent at a premium position and based on his injury history, this might be his only real chance to cash in on the open market. That will make it more difficult for the Eagles. But Phillips strikes me as the kind of player the Eagles will prioritize in free agency for a lot of those same reasons. Not only did Phillips play well in the second half of last season after the Eagles acquired him in a trade, but it was clear how much Vic Fangio liked him. Fangio played Phillips more than Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt in the second half of the season. He ended up playing 78% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps, stayed healthy and was productive. No, the production wasn’t off the charts but he still ended up third on the team in pressures in just half a season. This one could go either way but just like the Eagles made Zack Baun a priority last year, I think they’ll do the same with Phillips this offseason. It’s also hard to really figure out what the market for Phillips will look like. If it isn’t exactly what he envisioned, his best chance for a big season might be back in Philly.
Verdict: Stays
Nolan Smith
Roob: The Eagles need more from Smith in 2026 as he goes into his fourth season. He was so good at the end of 2024 but never really re-captured that form this year. Part of the reason might be five missed games with a triceps injury. But even when he was healthy he just wasn’t as productive as he should be. Three sacks in Year 3 for a former 1st-round pick is disappointing any way you look at it. Smith can be so good and we saw it down the stretch and in the playoffs in 2024. That’s the Nolan Smith the Eagles need in 2026.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: Smith was limited to 12 games in 2025, missing a handful for the same triceps injury he suffered in the Super Bowl. It wasn’t a very productive season for Smith, who had just 3 sacks and 11 QB hits but he was still a solid player. Smith is excellent against the run so he’s always going to have an impact. But if you were hoping that he’d keep his sack production from the second half of the 2024 season and the playoffs, that didn’t happen. Smith had 4 sacks in 4 playoff games last year and had 3 sacks in 13 total games this year. After finishing off his third NFL season, Smith is now eligible for a contract extension. But it might make sense for both sides to wait on this one.
Verdict: Stays
Joshua Uche
Roob: Uche played a lot the first half of the season – 25 ½ snaps per game through the second Giants game – but with Jaelan Phillips and B.G. in the mix he didn’t play a snap again until the meaningless Washington game, when all the backups played. Now four years removed from his 11 ½-sack season with the Patriots, Uche has six sacks since. Like Ojulari and Okoronkwo Uche is headed into free agency, and like Ojulari and Okoronko I don’t see any reason to bring him back.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: Of the three veteran edge rushers the Eagles signed in the offseason, Uche had the biggest role. He made the team out of training camp and played in 12 games this season with 1 sack and 3 quarterback hits. But Uche lost his spot in the rotation late in the season and was inactive for the wild-card round. He was hoping to parlay this one-year deal into a multi-year one like Zack Baun the previous year but that didn’t happen.
Verdict: Goes