Brandon Graham reveals this massive improvement in Eagles defense compared to 2023 season

PHILADELPHIA – Brandon Graham pulled out all the stops to create last year’s coaching staff. He certainly wasn’t asked about them.

When asked what life was like without Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox on the Philadelphia Eagles, the third member of the team’s “Core Four” took his answer a step further.

“I really think last year that’s what we didn’t have. We didn’t have all the right coaches in the right position, I would say,” Graham said at the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday. “You can see the guys really believe in what we’re doing. I’m excited for the newcomers to arrive. NFL.”

Who Graham was talking about was not a mystery. The Eagles replaced Sean Desai and Matt Patricia following the 2023 season, in which they removed Desai’s play-calling duties and handed them to Patricia in Week 15 of the season. Philadelphia also moves on from defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, linebackers coach DJ Eliot and secondary coach DJ McDonald.

Vic Fangio was hired as defensive coordinator, renewing the defensive coaching staff. The difference has been readily apparent to Graham, who is entering his 15th season and is the NFL’s oldest defensive player.

“You just noticed little things last year. Certain things you weren’t on the same page about. Just here and there,” Graham said. “Certain things appeared, but they appeared in a big way in the last game. All I’ve learned is you just want to make sure we’ve had proper communication, so there’s great communication going on right now in the locker room, on the field and in the classroom.

“I don’t see anything like that. I’m more excited because we have Fangio. Someone experienced, very, very good. I’m not saying anything about the past, but you can tell everyone is on the same page about stuff.”

The Eagles’ defense was a disaster last season. In Desai’s last six games as a defenseman (before being benched in Week 15), the Eagles ranked 32nd in the NFL on third-down defense (54.8%) and red zone defense (78.3%) – allowing a league-record 428.2 yards per game and 297.8 passing yards per game.

Philadelphia ranked 31st in the league in points allowed per game (30.0) and allowed 30-plus points in three consecutive games for the first time since 1967 — the last three games Desai called the plays.

The Eagles moved Desai to the booth in favor of Matt Patricia, but the results weren’t significantly better. Philadelphia was 28th in yards allowed per game (375.8), 26th in rushing yards per game allowed (131.0), 24th in passing yards per game allowed (244.8), 26th in yards per play allowed (5. 8) and 28th in points per game allowed. (27.8) in the five games under Patrícia’s command (including postseason).

Desai was essentially a lame duck as defensive coordinator when the Eagles made the move for Patricia. The Eagles were 30th in points per possession allowed (2.35) and 31st in yards per possession allowed (34.6) last season.

Graham gave credit to the Eagles – particularly Howie Roseman – for correcting their mistake.

“Just, you know, I feel like he always does what he does,” Graham said of Roseman. “I always say he’s the wizard. Trying to figure out what went wrong, being honest, having those difficult conversations. He’s not afraid to make certain moves. When you have a good team like we have and good players, sometimes, that doesn’t happen. We don’t always reflect that because sometimes we’re not on the same page.

“That’s what happens in professional sports. All it takes is one person to mess up and it’ll cost us the game. He knew. He knew a lot of things. He saw it. I knew he wanted to get it right. Who wants to look bad playing for the Eagles? ?

“I think he did a good job bringing the guys in. Bringing in coaches, that’s really good. I’m excited to see where we go.”

After getting all of this off his chest, Graham gave a big smile to all the media present and said “you don’t get me in trouble.” That was certainly a point he wanted to get across about how things went last season.