The Eagles announced Saturday that defensive end Brandon Graham has signed a one-year contract to remain in Philadelphia for his 15th season. It’s expected to be Graham’s final season.
Eagles, DE Brandon Graham Agree to 1-Year Deal
After parting ways this past season with longtime center Jason Kelce, the Eagles signed Graham to a one-year deal for what he said would be his last NFL campaign.
Farewell tour for Brandon Graham? 🥹#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/wfNSQ9lRkB
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Graham, a first-round pick in 2010, will become the first player in franchise history to play 15 seasons with the team, passing a mark long held by Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik.
“I did it because I always wanted to get to 15 (years in the NFL),” Graham told CBS Sports senior NFL Insider Josina Anderson after signing the extension.
Graham: “I’m happy that the team wanted me for one more year. … It’s important to me because Ray Lewis was one of the guys I looked up to (as a player); to see him do it the way he did it (staying with one team for 17 seasons) was nice … but I’m done after this.”
Graham told Anderson that the addition of new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio gives him confidence that Philadelphia’s defense will rebound after what was a tough 2023 season. The Eagles are expected to load up on defensive backs and pass rushers during April’s NFL Draft.
Graham, who will turn 36 in April, has spent his entire career in Philadelphia. He has played in 206 games for the Eagles, including the postseason. He is fourth all-time in franchise history in career sacks (73) and is 3.5 sacks from passing Clyde Simmons on the team’s career sack list.
Graham set a personal high with 11 sacks in 2022 but declined to enter free agency last offseason, instead opting for a team-friendly one-year, $5 million contract to remain in Philadelphia.
The No. 13 pick out of Michigan in 2010, Graham dealt with injuries early in his career, limiting his production and leading to speculation that he would be a bust. However, over the next decade-plus, he accumulated 73 sacks, 120 tackles for loss, and 146 quarterback hits.
A part-time starter during his first five seasons, Graham earned a career-high 10 starts in 2015. He became a full-time starter the following season and played an integral role on the Eagles’ championship-winning squad in 2017. He had a sack and a forced fumble during Philadelphia’s 41-33 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Graham had spoken earlier in the week about his negotiations with the Eagles, saying that he had “faith” that a contract could be done to extend their partnership. Just two days later, that deal was struck, keeping Graham off the free agent market and with the Eagles.
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Graham also said at the time that he intended to stay with the Eagles as he finished out his NFL career, saying, “I’m just trying to make sure that Philly knows that I’m gonna ride with them ’til the end.”
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