Former Washington Football Team edge rusher Ryan Kerrigan took to Instagram on Monday morning to announce that he was signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. On Sunday, he had posted a goodbye and a thank you to Washington but didn’t indicate any future plans in the post. In his post about signing about the Eagles, Kerrigan included a photoshopped picture of him in an Eagles uniform, tagged the location as Lincoln Financial Field, and included this caption:
I know I probably wasn’t your favorite player over the past decade, but @philadelphiaeagles fans I’m fired up to be playing for you guys now! LFG!!! #flyeaglesfly🦅
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Multiple NFL reporters quickly shared and confirmed the news. The Eagles later announced it’s a one-year deal.
What does the Ryan Kerrigan signing mean?
The Eagles currently have Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat, Joe Ostman, and Matt Leo as edge rushers who are holdovers from last year. Genard Avery is reportedly moving to linebacker but is still technically listed as a DE on the team’s official roster. JaQuan Bailey was signed as an undrafted free agent. They drafted Tarron Jackson, but he hasn’t signed his rookie contract yet (no Eagles draft picks have so far). Milton Williams was also added in the draft and is seen by many as a DT who can slide out to DE at times.
So, what does the Ryan Kerrigan signing mean?
For starters, he is been an elite edge rusher at times throughout his career and can still help in that area despite his age. He should immediately slot in as the fourth DE for the Eagles, even if they operate a standard four-man front. At least one Eagles reporter sees this as further evidence of a hybrid defensive scheme, though:
The biggest question mark for the Eagles on defense remains their secondary, specifically their second cornerback position. We can only assume that they have a plan for that gaping hole on the defensive side of the ball, but perhaps part of the plan is loading up on the defensive line to ensure they have a consistent pass rush. As Mike Kaye of NJ.com hits, Kerrigan fits the “Chris Long” mold of an effective rotational pass rusher. He later added in a reply to The Birds Blitz that “Kerrigan has excelled standing up.”
Worth noting: much has been made about the Eagles currently having the “youngest” roster in the NFL over the last few days after they have consistently had one of the older rosters over the last few years. But that isn’t projecting the final 53-man roster, so that number means very little right now. And while the team has made an effort to get younger and have added several young players over the last two years, Howie Roseman and co. have quietly added a number of veterans this offseason.
The Eagles defense has been notably predictable over the last several years with Jim Schwartz. That is expected to change under Jonathan Gannon, with more zone coverages and pre-snap disguise that more closely resembles what the Minnesota Vikings have been doing under Mike Zimmer. To be determined whether or not Gannon has the personnel that he will need to succeed, but Kerrigan is another chess piece for the first-time defensive coordinator to utilize.
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Mike Maher is the editor and publisher of The Birds Blitz and Juiced Ball Era. Follow him on Twitter @mikeMaher and @TheBirdsBlitz and check out his archive for all of his latest stories about the Eagles and the NFL.
Image Credit: “Ryan Kerrigan” by All-Pro Reels is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
