Eagles Film Review: Azeez Ojulari signing is an absolute no-brainer

Getting to know Philadelphia’s new edge rusher.

Well, I didn’t plan on writing about another Philadelphia Eagles free agent signing, as I thought I covered everyone here! However, the Eagles had other plans and recently announced the signing of Azeez Ojulari. I’ve watched him over the past couple of days, and I’m a massive fan of this move. It’s probably my favorite move (except for re-signing Zack Baun, obviously) of the offseason so far.

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Numbers

Ojulari’s numbers are good. His pass rush win rate numbers are average, but his sack totals are very good. He can clearly convert pressures to sacks. The biggest issue with Ojulari is his health. He’s missed way too many games over his career.

The Film

Let’s roll through this quickly. There’s a lot of interesting stuff. I’ll start with his pass rushing and then get into his coverage and run defense.

Ojulari wins with his length and hand usage to disengage blockers. It’s obvious on film that he has great arm length.

He is not the most explosive off the snap, but his elite closing speed allows him to get off blocks and convert pressures into sacks.

He lacks top-level flexibility on the edge, but his arm length helps him keep blockers away.

Look at that closing speed!

Ojulari can recover sufficiently, even when he overruns plays. He doesn’t need to turn the corner perfectly to finish with a sack.

Despite not having elite bend, his speed and length help him win against quarterbacks.

This is a good rep against a good guard. Blocking him with a tight end is ineffective due to his quick burst and closing speed.

As I’ve repeated a few times, he still finds ways to win despite not turning the corner that well.

Ojulari wasn’t used much in coverage, but he looks comfortable dropping back. He appears more natural in coverage than other EDGE defenders like Huff and Sweat. I think he will fit Fangio’s system well and can drop when needed.

His run defense is solid, and he uses his length to keep blockers off and closing speed to make tackles. I watched all run defense reps where the opposing team had a 10+ yard gain, and I only held Ojulari responsible for one of them. He’s playable on early downs.

He sometimes struggles with run defense, missing tackles and lunging rather than wrapping up. But it’s not a huge concern. He’s here to rush the quarterback more than he is to stop the run.

Overall

I love this signing. It’s an absolute no-brainer, and I’m stunned another team didn’t give Ojulari more than $4m on a one-year deal.

Ojulari is a high-motor EDGE with a relentless playing style and strong upper-body strength. His length is exceptional and makes him an effective pass rusher. He isn’t someone who will get pressure on every rep, but he’s a finisher. He has an elite closing burst, enabling him to convert a high percentage of his pressures into sacks. He reminds me a little bit of Haason Reddick in that sense. When I initially scouted Reddick, I said this…

He is not someone who will win consistently and get constant pressure. If you think the Eagles have signed someone who can do that, I think you will be disappointed by how often very athletic tackles can block him quite easily and take him out of the play. But he is a splash player, a game-wrecker, almost like a DeSean Jackson type of player but on the defensive side. He might not get a ton of pressures but he makes huge plays and converts these pressures into sacks

I feel similar about Ojulari. However, he isn’t as explosive and can’t bend like Reddick can. But there are some similarities.

Ojulari doesn’t have many pass rush moves, and he isn’t a true ‘bend the edge’ guy, but he wins with his ability to disengage due to his arm length. You can see in the clips from above that he can’t bend and dip like the true elite EDGE rushers. His size can also be a disadvantage, making him vulnerable against bigger blockers, and he isn’t the cleanest tackler. However, I didn’t see a real negative on film except for his injury history.

I don’t see any negatives to this signing at all. Ojulari should fit well into Fangio’s scheme, and a $4m 1-year deal carries barely any risk. If he’s hurt and doesn’t play much, the Eagles aren’t wasting much cap room. However, he should arrive highly motivated on a 1-year deal and will want to have a big season.

I can easily see a situation where Ojulari has a fantastic year and then cashes in next year with a big contract elsewhere. The Eagles might only get Ojulari for one season, but there’s a good chance it’s a very productive one.

Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here.