This is a pivotal week coming up for the Eagles' group of edge rushers. The Browns are coming to town for a pair of joint practices Wednesday and Thursday leading up to Saturday's 1 p.m. preseason matinee Wednesday's practice will probably be the most intense, but both days will feature competitive, scripted drills and scrimmages between both teams starters and backups. The Eagles' defense has put forth some nice showcases since the first few days of camp, with defensive tackle Moro Ojomo really standing out along with the inside linebackers and star-in-the-making cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Those positives were all on display at Sunday night's open practice at the Linc. But the edge rush – which has been the foundation of the team's longstanding success – has quietly gone about business, not really standing out despite an occasional flash. The team is confident in its young starting tandem of Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, especially after both shined during the team's postseason and Super Bowl win. But the team also knows that pair has combined for just 11 NFL starts and both guys had the luxury of playing second-fiddle last year to Josh Sweat and getting some invaluable leadership and insight from Brandon Graham, neither of whom are on this year's team. Recognizing the inexperience of this duo, Howie Roseman signed two veteran edge defenders in free agency to one-year deals, inking Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche. Of those two, Uche has flashed the most, but the group as a whole hasn't really stood out throughout more than two weeks of camp and with 12 practices in the books. Don't just take my word for it. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, never one to mince words, said Saturday that he's looking to see more from his edge group and offered just scant praise for his newcomers. "Yeah, we need some guys to surface behind the first couple," Fangio said, "and I think some of them are making good strides. I think Uche is getting better. He's just got to keep learning how we want to do all the little details both against the run and the pass, Ojulari same. Then the other guys we're looking for somebody to surface to say, hey, maybe we need to keep this guy." MORE EAGLESJalen Hurts snub tracker: Outlets that don't have the Eagles' QB and Super Bowl MVP among their top QBsEagles guard Landon Dickerson carted off late into Sunday's open practiceEagles roster 2025: Updated locks, not-quite-locks, bubble players, and long shots So to recap, beyond Smith and Hunt, Fangio has two veterans making strides but still learning how his system operates, and then a few fringe roster edge defenders – including seventh-round pick Antwaun Powell-Ryland – who fall into the "hey, maybe" tier. Edge depth has long been a strength for the Eagles, who have used hight draft picks, the trade market and free agency to keep bolstering the position year in and year out. The team usually has at least one edge rusher who's got more of a resume and more chops than Smith and Hunt currently have – someone like Trent Cole, Graham, Vinny Curry, Haason Reddick, or Chris Long. Last year, after refusing to negotiate a pay raise for Reddick, the Eagles gambled on Bryce Huff, signing the former Jets pass rusher to a blockbuster deal early in free agency and then eventually trading the disgruntled Reddick to the Jets. During the first week of camp, it was clear by Fangio's comments about Huff's dubious transition into becoming a three-down lineman that things were going't super smoothly for the team's most expensive free-agent signing. The deeper camp went, the more it appeared that Huff wasn't the right fit. By September, Huff had struggled so much that his snaps started to diminish as Fangio instead leaned heavier on the aging Graham to play a more significant role than expected in the team's four-man rush. Nobody is sound the "Huff alarm" yet on this year's edition of the pass rush. At very least, Smith and Hunt know the system, have shown in a small dose that they can play well within it, and have the next few weeks to keep building on their foundations. There's also the obvious fact that Smith and Hunt – along with Uche and Ojulari, when they mix in with the starting defense – are battling nearly every afternoon against two of the NFL's best offensive tackles, and a quarterback who has excellent mobility. Which brings us to the importance of this week's practices. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni typically doesn't play starters in the preseason – especially when the Eagles have a joint practice. He believes the practices are tougher than the game, and that the ability to script all scenarios allows the coaches to evaluate their players in every kind of down-and-distance situation that might not come up in a preseason game. So it's doubtful that Smith and Hunt will see the field Saturday at the Linc. But they'll get plenty of action against a Browns offensive line that doesn't have Jordan Mailata at left tackle or Lane Johnson at right tackle. The Browns start third-year pro Dawand Jones at left tackle and solid veteran Jack Conklin at right tackle. Jones has just 17 career starts and has struggled with injuries. Conklin, a 12-year vet, played just 12 games last year and has also battled injuries. It's not a bad group of bookend tackles, but it's a group the Eagles' edge group can – and should – count enough wins against to please Fangio. Eagles edge rushers and Browns tackles will face each other in 1-on-1s and in team drills, and the natural competitiveness of joint practices creates an extra jolt of energy that should make for some intense showdowns in the trenches. Two years ago, when these teams practiced against each other at the NovaCare Complex, Browns All-Pro EDGE Myles Garrett gave Mailata fits in the first of two practices, as an All-Pro should do to an offensive lineman who, at that point, was entering his fourth season after being discovered on the Australian rugby circuit. With Fangio looking for someone, anyone, "to surface," this week would be a good time. Follow Geoff on Twitter/X: @geoffpmosher