Eagles OLB Brandon Graham Overcoming 'Bust' Stigma with Strong Play in 2014

Before the 2014 season even began, Brandon Graham had long since been declared a first-round bust, not to mention a poor fit for the Philadelphia Eagles' 3-4 defense.

He was the subject of trade rumors during the offseason, with some observers suggesting he might be released out of training camp.

Turns out, all the fifth-year veteran needed was an opportunity.

Graham is in the midst of a breakout year of sorts, although he’s still stuck in a platoon with two-time Pro Bowler Trent Cole at outside linebacker.

Five-and-a-half sacks match Graham’s career high with four games remaining, and while that may not sound all that lofty, it’s an impressive total considering he’s only been on the field for 38.6 percent of defensive snaps, according to game charters for Football Outsiders.

GMS	TKL	SK	STF	FF
12	33	5.5	7	4

Sacks only tell part of the story. Graham is also tied for the league lead with four forced fumbles, he’s been an asset in run defense with seven stuffs and even contributes regularly on special teams with five tackles.

Where did this sudden dynamic outburst come from?

Actually, it’s not entirely sudden at all. Graham always was more a victim of circumstance than an outright bust.

The Michigan product was enjoying a fine rookie season at defensive end in Philadelphia’s 4-3 alignment, with three sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 games, until suffering a torn ACL in December. The injury was worse than typical, requiring microfracture surgery, a far less certain procedure with a much longer recovery time.

Graham made it back for three games in 2011, but he was nowhere near 100 percent and instead became a regular on the inactive list.

In the meantime, the Eagles had signed free agent Jason Babin for insurance, and he responded with a Pro Bowl campaign in ’11.

By the time Graham was back to full health the following season, he found himself buried on the depth chart behind Babin and Cole, who had combined for 29 sacks the previous year.

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The organization would sour on Babin, however, and Graham was the prime beneficiary. After Babin’s release during the 2012 season, Graham finally stepped into a full-time role, during which he quickly piled up 24 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble in six starts to close out the year.

Metrics site Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Graham first overall among 4-3 ends in pass-rushing productivity, a statistic that combines sacks, hits and hurries per snaps played.

But Graham still couldn’t catch a break. When the Eagles hired Chip Kelly, it meant the new head coach would be bringing his staple 3-4 defense along with him.

To help ease the transition, Philadelphia signed Connor Barwin during free agency to start opposite Cole, who along with Graham would be learning to play linebacker.

The change didn’t take effect right away for Graham. He was still a dangerous pass-rusher, finishing 2013 with three sacks and a forced fumble—seventh in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity among 3-4 outside linebackers—but looking lost in other aspects of the scheme.

According to Football Outsiders, he lined up for just 26.8. percent of the club’s defensive snaps.

YR	SNAPS	SK	STF	FF
2010	44.8%	3.0	1	2
2011	5.3%	0.0	0	0
2012	40.2%	5.5	3	2
2013	26.8%	3.0	1	1
2014	38.6%	5.5	7	4

The 2014 offseason didn’t make things any better. Bob Grotz for the Pottstown Mercury reported the Eagles attempted to trade Graham and a second-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Dion Jordan.

When that fell through, the team used its first-round pick on Marcus Smith, another apparent Graham replacement. At camp and on 53-man roster projections everywhere, some in the media, including Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, suggested he might not make the cut.

Good thing none of that came to pass.

Fast-forward to present day, and Graham seems to have improved in every aspect of the game, including getting after quarterbacks. Yet because of Barwin and Cole, he remains a situational player only for the time being.

That may be poised to change in the near future, though. Cole’s salary-cap figure is set to essentially double in 2015, based on numbers from Spotrac, and the $11.625 million the Eagles are responsible for is way too expensive for a 32-year-old pass-rusher.

Unless the two parties can renegotiate, Cole is as good as gone at season’s end.

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Meanwhile, Graham is set to become a free agent in ’15, but after all the speculation over his future or lack thereof in Philadelphia, the Eagles would be fools to let him get away now—especially with a potential vacancy looming at outside linebacker.

While it seems like he’s been here an eternity, he only turns 27 next year, which means his best football is likely ahead.

Graham’s story seems especially pertinent with Earl Thomas and the Seattle Seahawks coming to town for a pivotal NFC showdown on Sunday.

The Eagles could have selected the All-Pro safety when the team traded up to No. 13 overall in the 2010 draft, but they took Graham instead, much to the chagrin of many in the Philadelphia media and fanbase.

A misstep on the organization’s part, perhaps, but in some respects, Graham could never get a fair shake from the beginning as a result.

He got injured and was deprived of opportunity, which made him a “bust” in many eyes, while Thomas has flourished with the support of a great coaching staff and skilled players around him, both of which were lacking in Philadelphia at the time.

There’s no telling how Thomas’ career would’ve turned out had he landed with the Eagles, nor much point in revisiting it—especially with Graham starting to make good on his promise.

If Graham continues to play at his current high level and re-signs in the offseason, it’s a decision that could wind up working out for the Birds in the long run after all. Whenever he’s been healthy and on the field, even going back to his early days in Philly, Graham has always been a beast.

It’s taken many observers so long to see past skipping over Thomas that they didn’t notice. Why it’s taken the Eagles so long to realize, on the other hand, who knows?