"It feels good. Because I really wanted to get to training camp and coach Reid really wanted me to get to camp, and now it's time to show them why they picked me," Graham told an Eagles spokesman. He was scheduled to fly in from Michigan this morning. "I have a lot of work to do, but I'm ready to go."
Later, Graham responded to a texted question about how quickly things came together: "I didn't know what to think, but I know my agent [Joel Segal] was fighting hard for me."
"You had two really willing parties and great people working on it," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said, singling out team president Joe Banner and Segal.
"I'm really glad that we were able to work well with Joel Segal on getting this deal done," Banner said. "We're really excited to get Brandon on the field tomorrow in time for the start of the first full-team practice."
A source close to the situation said it wasn't just the deals that got done yesterday, it was the first-round deals both sides heard details of that were close to being done that pushed them along, or "helped define the market."
Asked about the other first-round signings, Roseman said: "I think it always helps to get momentum going, but at the end of the day, the kid wanted to get it done and we wanted it done."
Financial terms were not immediately available.
Graham, drafted 13th overall, is expected to compete for a job at the defensive end spot opposite Trent Cole.
Last year's No. 1 pick, wideout Jeremy Maclin, missed 9 days of workouts. Maclin was asked yesterday if he had any advice for Graham. Maclin spoke before there was any hint a deal might be imminent.
