Andy Reid hit a wide range of topics in his day after press conference today including addressing a question about Brandon Graham. He's still on the injury report every week with the knee he suffered last season, but he is practicing fully. Problem is, he's not being dressed on gameday. Both he and Juqua Parker sat in favor of UDFA Phillip Hunt on Sunday. Reid says that neither are healthy at the moment but Graham still has a "bright" future.
"Well listen, Juqua, he's one of my favorite guys on this team. He's been with us a long time. He's overcoming one of those high-ankle sprains; it is no fun. You take steps forward, you take steps back. Juqua can still play the game, as can Brandon. Brandon's future is very bright. We're lucky to have both of those guys. It just worked with Hunt this week. He's been giving us fits on the defensive scout team, so I thought it was time to give him an opportunity to play and he did a nice job with that."
Unfortunately, given how late his injury came last year, it looks like this is going to be another lost season for Graham. The same fate has pretty much been shared by his fellow first round DE pick Derrick Morgan, who was put on IR in his rookie year and is only just now getting playing time in Tennessee. The third DE taken in that draft was of course, Jason Pierre-Paul of the Giants, who is having a great sophomore campaign.
Obviously Pierre-Paul's success with a division rival only heaps more pressure on for Graham in the eyes of Eagles fans. It doesn't seem like we'll be seeing much of Graham the rest of this year, but next year is going to be a real make or break for him.