The Philadelphia Eagles made moves to strengthen their defensive line on Tuesday, coinciding with the official start of training camp for both rookies and veterans.
The team signed veteran edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and defensive tackle Jacob Sykes, who most recently played in the United Football League. To create roster space, the Eagles released defensive end K.J. Henry and running back Lew Nichols.
Okoronkwo, 30, brings significant NFL experience, having appeared in 80 career games. A fifth-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2018, he previously played for the Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans, and most recently, the Cleveland Browns. Although he signed a three-year deal with Cleveland in 2023, he was released last month.
In 2023, Okoronkwo logged three sacks, 24 pressures, and 23 tackles across 16 games, earning a 55.4 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus. His most productive season came in 2022 with Houston, when he tallied five sacks.
Sykes, turning 26 in August, entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard and initially signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He later joined the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL, where he recorded 13 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack in nine games. Notably, he previously worked with Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, who was Seattle’s defensive coordinator during Sykes’ stint.
With the offseason departures of Josh Sweat and Milton Williams in free agency, and Brandon Graham’s retirement, the additions of Okoronkwo and Sykes aim to add depth and competition to a defensive front that’s looking to reload heading into the 2025 season.