The Eagles have departed with two of, if not the two, biggest leaders on the team in Malcolm Jenkins and Jason Peters.
Sure, it'll be different, but 32-year-old lifelong Eagles DE Brandon Graham says it's just a new opportunity for the youngsters.
"Gives room for other guys to step up," Graham told Jon Marks & Ike Reese on 94WIP on Monday afternoon. "I know a lot of guys already, I've talked to like Jalen (Mills) and them guys and (Rodney) McLeod, who has already been a leader back there. He's a good communicator with the DB's, so I'm not worried about them.
"Linebackers, somebody will step up. Nate Gerry, you're gonna be the guy this year. T.J. Edwards, you gotta step in and you gotta become big boy soon. You got Shareef that gotta grow up and be a big boy going into year two.
"I just feel like this is the time for people, if they want an opportunity here it is right here. You ain't go no excuses. Malc gone, so it's a position open. JP gone, it's a position open. And so, I mean with that mindset anybody can fill that and I'm excited to see who it is. I really do believe it's gonna be a couple of guys we ain't talking about that's gonna step up in a big way."
Graham, along with center Jason Kelce -- who is also 32 -- will take over as the longest tenured Eagles entering seasons 11 and 10 respectively, with Peters gone. Kelce, who joined the 94WIP Morning Show last, admitted losing Jenkins and Peters will have a short-term affect in the locker room.
Graham has also been a big contributor to Philadelphia off of the field and during this COVID-19 pandemic, Graham and his wife have teamed up with University of Penn hospital to deliver local healthcare workers cheesesteaks.
"The wife throughout an idea, like look let's get some food out there to them," Graham said. "Jim's popped up because it's individually wrapped and wanted to make sure stuff wasn't cross contaminated. We was like, we need sandwiches and Jim's was the first thing we popped up on. Who wouldn't want a cheesesteak?"
