The Philadelphia Eagles’ pass rush has seen plenty of movement over the past week.
First, defensive end Za’Darius Smith abruptly retired in the middle of the season. Then, in another surprising move, Brandon Graham announced he was coming out of retirement.
Graham agreed to terms with the Eagles on a prorated one-year, $4.9 million deal that will pay him $2.44 million for the rest of the season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“I didn’t want to retire in the beginning,” the 15-year veteran said, per Zach Berman.
While Philadelphia essentially swapped one veteran for another, the pass rush could still use additional help if the team hopes to make another Super Bowl run.
One trade proposal from The Athletic’s Mike Jones and Jeff Howe suggested that the Eagles send the Miami Dolphins a 2026 third-round pick for edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
“The Eagles have needed pass-rushing help since they lost Josh Sweat in free agency, and that need intensified after Za’Darius Smith’s retirement announcement,” Jones wrote. “Chubb, who missed last season while recovering from ACL repair surgery, is off to a strong start this season, recording four sacks. Pair him with a front that includes stud linemen such as Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter and reunite him with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and Chubb should make an instant impact.”
The Dolphins could easily find themselves in fire-sale mode. Miami sits at 1-6, with each loss seemingly worse than the last and head coach Mike McDaniel’s seat getting hotter.
However, as Howe noted, Miami did go on a run last year after a slow start and may not want to rid themselves of their 43.5 career sacks star.
“If the Dolphins go full tank, it would probably signify the end of the regime in some capacity,” Howe wrote. “But they started 2-6 in 2024 before finishing 8-9, so Mike McDaniel has seen recent evidence of his team getting hot in the second half. And if he’s still on the job by the trade deadline, I can’t imagine McDaniel being keen on the idea of giving away one of his most talented defensive players.”
Chubb, who leads the Dolphins in sacks with four, has one more than Eagles leader Moro Ojomo. Philadelphia ranks near the bottom of the league with just 11 total sacks this season.
