Clint Lamb
Ryan Kerrigan has spent 10 seasons in the NFL so far. Since the Washington Football Team picked him in the first round back in 2011, the Purdue product has gone on to be a wildly successful pass rusher on the next level.
In 156 career games, Kerrigan has produced 454 tackles, 119 tackles for loss and 95.5 sacks.
Unfortunately, his time in Washington came to an end following the 2020 season. Early on Monday morning, Kerrigan went on Instagram to say goodbye to the team that drafted him No. 16 overall a decade ago.
View this post on Instagram
Just hours after that goodbye, Adam Schefter with ESPN tweeted that Kerrigan had reached a deal to join the Philadelphia Eagles, which means he’s staying in the NFC East.
Ryan Kerrigan announced he is signing with the Eagles.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 17, 2021
This move feels similar to the one Philadelphia made back in 2017 when they signed another aging yet talented defensive end, Chris Long. He went on to have 11.5 sacks in two seasons in a rotational role, so maybe they can get similar production from Kerrigan.
He’ll be competing for snaps with Genard Avery, Josh Sweat, Joe Ostman and rookie Tarron Jackson behind starters Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett.
Will the move for Kerrigan change Philadelphia’s chances of winning the NFC East? Probably not. According to FanDuel, the Eagles are currently predicted to finish last in the division with +550 odds. Here are the odds for the other three teams:
- Cowboys (+110)
- Washington (+260)
- Giants (+400)
Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.
Great Skins player for a rough era. Classy guy. Loved cheering for him.