There really is no such thing as having too many edge rushers in the NFL. With that in mind, it might not be out of the realm of possibility that the Philadelphia Eagles could add another veteran free agent such as defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.
For Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, not only is such a signing possible, he named the Eagles one of two potential fits for Ogbah.
“The Philadelphia Eagles would be a logical fit for Ogbah, largely because they now employ his 2023 defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, in the same role,” wrote Knox.
“After replacing Haason Reddick with Bryce Huff, the Eagles don’t lack pass-rushers, but their rotation could still use a boost.
“They recorded only 43 sacks as a team last year after racking up a league-high 70 in 2022.”
Ogbah started four games for the Kansas City Chiefs when they won the Super Bowl during the 2019-20 season. Since then, Ogbah has recorded a pair of 9-sack campaigns with the Miami Dolphins.
Last season, he registered 5.5 sacks with 3 tackles for loss, 9 quarterback hits and 1 forced fumble. He also had 2 pass defenses and an interception.
The Dolphins released Ogbah in February to save $13.7 million in cap space.
How DE Emmanuel Ogbah Could Fit With the Eagles
Knox listed the Eagles second as a potential fit for Ogbah behind the Minnesota Vikings. But a potential Ogbah-Eagles pairing arguably makes the most sense for both parties.
As Knox mentioned, Ogbah played in new Philadelphia defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense with Miami last season. Under Fangio, Ogbah experienced a bounce back season.
Ogbah posted 5.5 sacks last season after a career low mark in that category the year prior. In 2022, the veteran defensive end had just 1 sack in nine games. He missed the second half of 2022 after suffering a season-ending triceps injury.
Furthermore, Ogbah reached his sack total in 2023 with fewer defensive snaps than he had during 2022. In fact, Ogbah recorded a 2.2% sack percentage last season.
That was roughly double what his sack percentage was in either of his 9-sack campaigns in 2020 and 2021.
That kind of efficiency would be a great boost to the Philadelphia pass rush, which is looking for its own bounce back campaign this fall. After nearly setting the record for the most sacks in a season during 2022, the Eagles fell to 20th in sacks in 2023.
Eagles’ Edge Rushing Depth Heading Into Training Camp
The Eagles don’t absolutely need to add Ogbah. As Knox noted, Philadelphia signed Bryce Huff to replace the departed Haason Reddick. Huff is coming off a career-best 10-sack season in 2023.
Philadelphia also has bigger needs on defense. Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey named three position groups on defense as the Eagles’ biggest remaining roster holes they must fill before training camp. But none of the three position groups were along the defensive line.
In a perfect world, the Eagles will add depth to their secondary or at linebacker. But if general manager Howie Roseman doesn’t see a great fit there, then bolstering a strength is the next best option.
Ogbah should also be cheap. He signed a 4-year, $65 million extension with the Dolphins two years ago. But now 30 years old and with little movement on the free agent market, Ogbah could be a bargain signing.
That plus his experience under Fangio make Ogbah an intriguing potential addition to an Eagles pass rush that will already include Huff, Brandon Graham, and Milton Williams along the edge with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis at the defensive line interior.
