Coming back from IR, Nolan Smith ready to give Eagles a boost
Coming back from IR, Nolan Smith ready to give Eagles a boost originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith has been a full participant since the team opened his practice window earlier this week. And he fully expects to play against the Packers in Green Bay on Monday Night Football.
Oh yeah," Smith said. Hell yeah."
If Smith is indeed going to make his return on Monday night, the Eagles will first need to activate him off Injured Reserve and to the 53-man roster. But this game was always the target.
There's no doubt that Smith has been thrilled to be back on the practice field after missing the last five games with a triceps injury and he's looking forward to returning to game action.
Hungry and just happy to be out there with my guys," Smith said. Miss the fellas. You miss the camaraderie, you miss the practicing together, you miss all those types of things."
Getting Smith back for the second half will be a huge boost to Vic Fangio's defense and Smith isn't the only player who should bolster the edge rusher group. Brandon Graham will make his 2025 debut against the Packers and Jaelan Phillips will make his Eagles debut after coming to the team in a trade earlier this week.
I think we added great additions to the room," Smith said. We got OG back and then we got JP. It's been good, man. And we're a bunch of hungry guys ready to go work and go eat."
Edge rusher help coming after the bye: Nolan Smith, Jaelan Phillips and Brandon Graham: pic.twitter.com/adQZi1taLQ
- Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) November 7, 2025
With those three, Jalyx Hunt and Josh Uche, the Eagles now have a formidable edger rusher rotation. At times, Fangio has gone with a light rotation at that position, but the Eagles actually have some solid depth right now.
They might have turned a position of weakness into a position of strength.
We don't see it as ones and twos," Smith said. We see it as a Group Alpha and a Group Delta. We all going in like Seals and we all going in to do a job."
The newcomer Phillips has mostly played on the left side of the line in recent seasons, which is notable because that's where most of Smith's snaps have come. But Smith said he feels comfortable on the right too and is willing to play anywhere.
Smith has had just two practices with Phillips but has already been impressed.
I love him," Smith said. I love his work ethic. I love how he works. He's a great addition to the room."
And as you might imagine, Smith is also very excited that Graham decided to come out of retirement to join the Eagles for the second half of the season. Graham, whom Smith affectionally calls OG," has been a mentor to Smith over the past couple seasons.
Smith, 24, re-injured his triceps in the Eagles' Week 3 game against the Rams on Sept. 21, which is somewhat troubling because he had surgery to repair his triceps after tearing it in Super Bowl LIX.
But he claims he's not worried about injuring it again.
Nah, I ain't concerned about that," Smith said. We ain't worrying about that. God got a plan. We don't know his plan but we just stay focused."
If Smith is able to stay healthy for the second half of the season, he should really help the Eagles. Even though he didn't have a sack in the first three games of 2025, we all saw what he could do last year. In his final 16 games last season (including the playoffs), Smith had 10 1/2 sacks. Four of those sacks came in their four playoff games.
And he also brings plenty of physicality in the run game and juice to the field.
I tell people I'm a small piece in a big puzzle," Smith said. I just bring love, effort and energy every day. That's just me. That's how I like to play the game. You can only play this game one way. It's to have fun and be physical, especially on the defensive side of the ball. We ain't got no ball to fight over or nothing like that. We all pulling together for the same thing. To win, a W."