Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman did it again.
Just one day before the 2025 NFL trade deadline, Roseman and the Eagles pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Miami Dolphins veteran edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft choice, in a move that reshapes the NFC race down the stretch this season.
Acquiring Phillips doesn’t just add a potentially elite edge rusher, who posted 6.5 sacks the last time he played under Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, but Roseman beat the market at a premium position where teams such as the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys were actively looking to add.
Pass rusher was one of the few remaining holes on Philadelphia’s roster, and Roseman managed to pry away a veteran player, on the final year of his contract, to reunite him with his former defensive coordinator, while preventing him from landing with one of the teams that could ultimately be standing in the Eagles’ way of a repeat Super Bowl appearance.
Multiple executives inside the league, according to Between The Hashmarks, suggested the Eagles were also exploring the possibility of acquiring Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro Trey Hendrickson, before ultimately striking a deal with the Dolphins on Monday morning.
San Francisco previously acquired Keion White in a deal with the Patriots, but have according to league sources, still been looking to add a big piece in hopes of replacing Nick Bosa‘s production in coordinator Robert Saleh’s aggressive front seven.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are looking to shore up one of the league’s most porous defenses and add a replacement for Micah Parsons, who was dealt to the Green Bay Packers in a blockbuster trade just before the regular season kicked off this summer.
Given the Eagles’ need at the position, the fact that the Cowboys are still scrambling to replace Parsons and the 49ers are actively shopping the same market, Philadelphia adding Phillips to a defense that ranks 16th in the league against the pass but just 24th in sacks, this is a trade that could boost Fangio’s defense as much as it limits the chances that anyone else in the conference can keep up.
What Jaelan Phillips Adds to the Eagles’ Defense
Carmen Mandato | Getty ImagesThe Philadelphia Eagles pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Jaelan Phillips, reuniting the veteran pass rusher with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Phillips is the latest arrival on a defense that already adds veteran cornerbacks Michael Carter and Jaire Alexander, underscoring Roseman and the Eagles’ aggressiveness to fortify the defense enough to fuel a legitimate run at a second Lombardi Trophy.
The 26-year-old edge rusher lands in Philadelphia with three sacks through the season’s first nine games, and 26 through the first 55 games of his career.
According to Pro Football Focus, Phillips’ 32 quarterback pressures ranks 11th among edge rushers across the league and his 16 stops against the run are eighth at the position.
Phillips is in the final year of his rookie contract, but it will be interesting to see if the Eagles use the season’s final eight weeks as an audition, or if Roseman and Philadelphia look to sign him to a long-term contract as an anchor along the front-seven well into the future.
Given the mutual familiarity between Phillips and Fangio, combined with the Eagles upgrading at cornerback, the pieces could be in place for the former No. 18 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to make a push for eclipsing his previous career-high of 8.5 sacks from his rookie season.
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