Brandon Graham picked up where he left off in first Eagles game in his return
One of the true OG's in Philadelphia Eagles franchise history returned to the gridiron in Week 10, as Brandon Graham took to the tundra at Lambeau Field in what would be a grueling 10-7 triumph over the Green Bay Packers that went the way of the visiting Birds.
Graham, who is third in all-time franchise sacks (76.5) and first in games played (277), registered 10 snaps on the evening. Lining up at defensive end in a three-point stance on a four-man front, as well as EDGE, he exhibited that there's gas left in the tank to burn.
After scratching his retirement plans and re-signing, the instrumental team leader ramped up in practice for two weeks. His season debut at Lambeau Field proved to be perfect timing, as it was the front seven who stole the show in a grind-it-out, actual game of inches affair.
The 16-year defensive stalwart and two-time Super Bowl Champion fired up the motor once again, knifing off the edge and into the backfield on a handful of pivotal plays.
How did Graham look in his return to the field for the Eagles?
On a crucial outside run down the stretch, Graham set the edge perfectly, barreling into the Green Bay backfield out wide to spin Josh Jacobs inside, where a flock of Birds defenders swallowed him up. A flash play for sure, but his positive presence delves far deeper.
While the snap count was relatively low, his impact was crystal clear. Graham's positive presence has always been two-fold: Philadelphia figures to benefit from key plays out of number 55 as part of their Edge unit, and they will undoubtedly enjoy the return of a passionate leader amongst such an athletic and dynamic, albeit young, defensive group.
Back when there were rumblings that Graham might return, teammate Nakobe Dean lauded the possibility, stating, "the energy BG brings is unparalleled."
And now with a spirited captain officially back in the fold, the collective energy level amid countless gang tackles and key stops was on full display versus Green Bay.
Cowboys Add 6-Foot-4, 307-Pound Lineman Ahead of Raiders Showdown
The Dallas Cowboys, losers of two in a row and three of their last four, have a golden opportunity to right the ship coming out of their bye week when they take on one of the most disappointing teams of 2025, the 2-7 Las Vegas Raiders, in a Monday Night Football matchup.
But the Cowboys are taking no chances, at least with their offensive line depth, after losing a practice squad lineman on Tuesday when former Washington Commanders third round draft pick Geron Christian was given a shot at an active roster spot as the Denver Broncos swooped in and signed him away.
With the 6-foot-5, 302-pound offensive tackle now departed, the Cowboys wasted no time in replacing him with another massive lineman who plays the same tackle position. On Wednesday, Dallas signed 6-foot-4, 307-pound lineman Marcellus Johnson to their practice squad, according to the team’s transaction report.
Cowboys OL Has Held its Own
The Cowboys’ offensive line has not been at the root of the team’s problems, but at 3-5-1 and hopes of returning to the postseason after missing out last year rapidly dwindling, Dallas cannot afford to spring any new leaks. Quarterback Dak Prescott has benefited from the third-lowest sack percentage in the NFL (4.2), going down behind the line of scrimmage just 15 times in nine games, the seventh-lowest total in the league.
Though his offensive line has largely managed to protect him from sacks, Prescott has nonetheless found himself under pressure more than he, or the Cowboys, would like. His average time-to-throw of 2.6 seconds ranks him only 19th in the NFL, among quarterbacks who have taken at least 100 snaps this season.
Yet to Play in an NFL Game
It would probably take a series of injuries to allow Johnson to take his turn on the active roster protecting Prescott. The difference between the 2024 undrafted free agent and his predecessor Christian is pronounced.
Where Christian has appeared in 63 NFL games, starting 25 for six different teams over seven seasons, Johnson has yet to be on the field for a single snap in game that counts. Since signing a $2.85 million, three-year contract with the New York Giants in 2024 — a contract that was terminated almost immediately in favor of a $225,000 practice squad deal — Johnson has bounced around between the practice squads of the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts for two seasons.
Compared to College Teammate
When the Giants signed Johnson initially, they guaranteed $170,000 of his contract, the most they gave any UDFA in their 2024 class.
The Colts released Johnson from their practice squad on October 14, and he remained without a football home for almost a month before the Cowboys signed him on Wednesday.
At the time of the 2024 draft, one NFL insider said that he had rated Johnson as “a legitimate NFL player,” and graded him “almost as high” as his former Eastern Michigan teammate, Sidy Sow.
Sow, a 6-foot-5, 318-pound offensive lineman was drafted in 2023, in the third round, by the New England Patriots. The Patriots released Sow in August, and the 27-year-old lineman was subsequently signed to the Houston Texans‘ practice squad. The Texans elevated Sow to their active roster on November 8.
