Eagles Face Key Decision: Replacing Nolan Smith After Injury Setback
Look, another week, another Eagle limping off to the injured reserve list. This time it’s Nolan Smith, the young pass rusher who apparently reaggravated his triceps injury he suffered in the Super Bowl. Classic.
So here we are again, watching the Eagles scramble to fill yet another hole in their lineup. But hey, at least they’ve got some interesting options to work with while Smith takes his extended vacation on IR likely until after the Eagles Bye Week.
The Za’Darius Smith Experiment Gets Real
Remember when the Eagles signed Za’Darius Smith just two weeks ago? Yeah, that “veteran presence” signing just became a lot more important. The 33-year-old former Pro Bowler went from learning the playbook in bite-sized chunks to cramming for finals like a college freshman who skipped class all semester.
“I’m gonna get it in either way,” Smith told reporters, probably while mentally calculating how many more ibuprofen he’ll need to get through the next month. “It’s just now me learning the defense of the base defense.”
Smith’s been averaging about 22 snaps per game since arriving, but with Nolan Smith’s 47 weekly snaps suddenly up for grabs, those numbers are about to spike faster than a linebacker blitz. The guy had nine sacks last year, split between Cleveland and Detroit, so he’s got the resume. Question is, does he have the knees?
The Depth Chart Shuffle Nobody Asked For
Here’s where things get interesting (and by interesting, I mean potentially catastrophic). The Eagles are now looking at a rotation that includes Azeez Ojulari – who’s been warming the bench for all three games this season – along with Ogbo Okoronkwo and Patrick Johnson.
Ojulari, bless his heart, is trying to stay positive about finally getting his shot. “Everyone wants to play,” he said, which is code for “please don’t make me watch from the sidelines anymore.”
Meanwhile, Josh Uche might bump up from his modest 18 snaps per game, and Jalyx Hunt could see more action beyond his current 39. It’s like musical chairs, except the music is the sound of offensive linemen pancaking your replacement-level pass rushers.
The Bryce Huff Reality Check
Want to know what’s really eating at Eagles fans? Bryce Huff is out there in San Francisco with two sacks and the 10th-best Pro Football Focus grade among edge rushers. Remember him? The guy the Eagles tried to force into Smith’s role before shipping him west?
That’s the kind of personnel decision that makes you wonder if someone in the Eagles front office has been reading the playbook upside down. But sure, let’s pretend that trade never happened and focus on the shiny new toys.
What This Actually Means for Philadelphia
The cold, hard truth is that the Eagles‘ pass rush was already about as threatening as a strongly worded letter from your HOA. They’ve managed just three sacks through three games, ranking 29th in the NFL. That’s the second-fewest they’ve had through three games since 1982, which is roughly when some of their current pass rushers were born.
Now they’re asking a 33-year-old newcomer and a collection of bench warmers to solve a problem that was already keeping defensive coordinator Vic Fangio up at night. Good luck with that.
The silver lining? Maybe this forces the Eagles to get creative with their defensive packages. Or maybe it exposes just how thin they really are at one of the most crucial positions in modern football.
Either way, we’re about to find out if lightning can strike twice with another midseason pickup, or if the Eagles just became every quarterback’s favorite opponent for the next month.
Because nothing says “championship-caliber defense” quite like hoping your 33-year-old insurance policy can suddenly turn back the clock and channel his prime years. Smith has been playing well, though, so it will be interesting to see what he does moving forward until Smith comes back.
