Eagles sign former Giants second-round pick

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing free agent edge rusher Azeez Ojulari to a one-year, $4 million contract, according to a report from NFL insider Jeremy Fowler.

The New York Giants reportedly tried to retain their second-round pick (No. 50 overall) from the 2021 NFL Draft. But Fowler notes that the Eagles “heavily recruited” Ojulari, who played college football at Georgia (ever hear of that school?).

Ojulari was one of the more intriguing free agent options remaining on the open market. It’s a bit surprising he didn’t generate a higher price tag since:

He’s only 24 years old (turns 25 on June 16)
He’s produced 22 sacks, 37 QB hits, and 21 TFLs in 46 career games played (30 starts)
He plays a premium position

Perhaps Ojulari mistakenly turned down some bigger offers earlier in free agency only for his market to dry up and knock his price down? Or maybe there’s something else going on behind the scenes?

It is worth noting that injury issues have caused Ojulari to miss 22 games over the past three years. He hasn’t been available for an entire season since his rookie campaign in 2021.

Even if his durability is a legitimate issue, this signing still makes sense for the Eagles. The Birds are in need of more pass rush help after losing Josh Sweat to free agency and Brandon Graham potentially retiring. There are also rumors about Bryce Huff being on the trade block.

Ojulari is the third edge defender the Eagles have signed since free agency began. They previously added Josh Uche and Patrick Johnson (who was on the Giants with Ojulari in 2024) to their roster last week. These are worthwhile options to add to a group that prominently features rising talents Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt.

As an added bonus, the Eagles signing Ojulari could be annoying for Giants fans. Not quite on the level of them losing Saquon Barkley to Philly, of course, but still not a very fun development for them.

Watch highlights:

Pre-draft scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

Fully grown 3-4 outside linebacker with NFL-ready strength and impressive explosiveness. Ojulari is better in pursuit than he is as an edge setter, but he is quick to slide off a block and either make a tackle or accelerate to pursue in space. His ability to attack pulling blocks and shut down potential running lanes was fun to watch against Alabama. He has quality rush burst with loose limbs, but has a limited number of rush moves. Ojulari hasn’t learned to set up blockers yet. The strength, football character, explosiveness and athleticism all get check marks, but he won’t reach his potential until he cultivates his pass-rush talent and learns to stay separated from the punch.

Spider graph via Mockdraftable:

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