By Ben Sullivan
It’s always nice to see a player who was dubbed a loser turn it around and reap the benefits.
Meet Brandon Graham.
He was chosen as the first pick by the Eagles in the 2010 draft and immediately had a hard time adjusting from the University of Michigan to the NFL.
Andy Reid’s 4-3 defense didn’t mesh with his undersized body and he also suffered a serious knee injury. But he persevered, came back to the team and is now flourishing in Billy Davis’ 3-4 set.
Graham appreciates the Eagles’ interest in extending his contract, but he is inclined to see what another team would pay, or if another team would stick him at a more natural position in a 4-3 scheme.
“It feels good, because at the end of the day I wasn’t supposed to be here,” Graham said. “I’m just happy I changed the opinion of a lot of people. I just kept focusing on what I needed to do and that’s work hard and let everything fall into place.”
Earlier in the week, it seemed there was a little more optimism surrounding a potential deal, which the Eagles started working on a few week back.
But Graham has also been watching players like Jeremy Maclin bet on themselves. The possibility of cashing in sounds just as enticing, especially after a season with 13.5 tackles for loss, 14 hurries and 5.5 sacks.
