Brandon Grahamn

Brandon Graham re-signed with the Eagles after drawing some interest from the Giants.

(Bill Streicher | USA Today Sports)

It is believed to have come down to two division rivals for outside linebacker/defensive end Brandon Graham. The Eagles and Giants were the final two in the running for his services.

They are two teams with very different styles and philosophies. Two teams having very different offseasons. And two teams with very different offers for a potentially valuable pass-rusher specialist.

Graham agreed to a four-year deal reportedly worth $26 million from Philadelphia. The Giants, meanwhile, were only offering a one-year deal, according to two individuals with knowledge of the negotiations. The individuals requested anonymity because financial details of the deal were not announced.

The Giants offer was not believed to be comparable to what Graham received from the Eagles. The Dolphins and Titans were also reportedly in the mix, although their offers are not known.

With the Giants' modest proposal on the table, the Eagles came in late with the strong offer to retain Graham. They weren't even in the picture beforehand, but avoided losing their potential replacement for veteran outside linebacker Trent Cole, who was released late last week.

The Giants have been poking around the defensive end market since free agency opened. They're looking for depth at the position after releasing defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka earlier this offseason as a salary cap casualty.

But they may not be so hell-bent on finding a replacement with Robert Ayers and Damontre Moore on the roster. Ayers is coming off a strong season, and even though he tore his pectoral muscle late in the year, he's expected be at full strength come this summer. The Giants also have high hopes for Moore, a third-round pick in 2013, especially as a pass rusher.

Graham, 26, was a first-round pick in 2010 as a defensive end out of Michigan. After tearing his ACL as a rookie and missing most of the 2011 season, Graham settled into a part-time role as a pass-rushing specialist at outside linebacker, recording career-highs of 5.5 sacks in 2012 and 2014. Pro Football Focus rated him as the fifth-best 3-4 outside linebacker in 2014.

When the Eagles switched to a 3-4 defense two years ago, Graham was considered miscast for the scheme. There were questions whether he would be able to adjust.

So far, he's done just fine, enough for the Eagles to put four years on the table when the Giants were offering just one.

(NJ Advance Media's Mark Eckel contributed to this report.)

Jordan Raanan may be reached at jraanan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JordanRaanan. Find NJ.com Giants on Facebook.