The Philadelphia Eagles are at it again. After adding Adoree’ Jackson and Patrick Johnson earlier this free agency, Philly is now bringing in another former New York Giant—Azeez Ojulari.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles are signing Ojulari to a one-year, $4 million deal. The former second-round pick recorded six sacks for Big Blue last season and now joins a Philly pass rush that has lost key pieces this offseason, including Josh Sweat who Ojulari will likely replace.
Ojulari’s Giants tenure was a rollercoaster—flashes of talent overshadowed by injuries and inconsistency. But of course, just like Saquon Barkley, the Eagles are hoping they can unlock something the Giants couldn’t. The pipeline from East Rutherford to Philadelphia is getting ridiculous.
The Philadelphia Eagles have signed Azeez Ojulri to a one-year deal
No matter how you spin it, the Eagles just got a steal. Pro Football Focus ranked Ojulari as the 52nd-best free agent, and landing him for just $4 million on a “prove it” deal is a ridiculous bargain. The contract hedges against his injury history while giving Philly a high-upside edge rusher on the cheap.
Ojulari’s role in New York never fully materialized. He burst onto the scene as a rookie with eight sacks and eight tackles for loss, but injuries derailed his progress. The Giants already bet against his long-term availability by trading for Brian Burns last offseason, signaling that they were moving on.
With Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux locked in as starters, Ojulari’s search for a bigger role elsewhere made sense. It just objectively stinks that “elsewhere” is Philadelphia.
Heck, even at last year’s trade deadline, the Giants made it known Ojulari was available, but there was limited interest. With no takers, his role remained in flux heading into the offseason. Once New York inked ex-Cowboys pass-rusher Chauncey Golston to a three-year deal, the writing was on the wall—Ojulari’s time with the Giants was essentially done. Golston’s versatility as a rotational edge defender gave Big Blue the depth they needed, effectively pushing Ojulari out the door for good.
For those wondering—no, this isn’t another “Joe Schoen didn’t want him back” situation. The Giants did try to re-sign Ojulari, per Fowler, but ultimately, the Eagles’ full-court press was enough to pull him down I-95.
At this point, Schoen might want to start adding “no Eagles” clauses to future contracts.