For a lot of reasons — several of them of their own doing — the Philadelphia Eagles were dead set on adding an above average edge rusher before the NFL trade deadline on November 4.
They got their man in a trade with the Miami Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips in exchange for a 2026 third round pick, which means they probably paid a little more than they wanted, even if they’re only taking on approximately $1.5 million of his remaining $6 million-plus salary for the rest of the season.
The problem with Phillips boils down to injuries.
Even though the 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher has played every game for the Dolphins this season, he’s missed 19 games over the previous 2 seasons due to a torn ACL in 2023 and torn achilles tendon in 2024. Those are the type of injuries that put a big question mark on making any sort of deal for him.
“Philly vastly overpaid for Phillips, whose sack production has been average since his rookie year,” former NFL scouting director Greg Gabriel wrote on his official X account. “And he’s coming out of contract, so he’s a rental.”
Phillips Will Be Unrestricted Free Agent in 2026
Phillips will almost certainly be with another team besides the Eagles in 2026.
If you know anything about how the Eagles have paid players in recent years, you know they would probably be loathe to cough up another big contract to a free agent edge rusher who wasn’t a bona fide star.
It’s kind of where all these problems started for the Eagles in the first place. Before the 2024 season, they coughed up a 3-year, $51.1 million contract for free agent edge rusher Bryce Huff and gave the in-house guy, Josh Sweat, a 1-year, $10 million contract.
Sweat, who the Eagles selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft, went on to have the best season of his career. He helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl win, while Huff whined and wasted his season over playing time and not understanding the defensive scheme — and was eventually traded to the San Francisco 49ers.
Sweat signed a 4-year, $76.4 million free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and left the Eagles scrambling.
One of NFL’s Top 50 Free Agents
The upside of getting Phillips right now is the Eagles get a player who will have never been more motivated to perform.
The 2021 first round pick is playing on a fifth-year option in 2025 worth $13.25 million but could turn that into a contract similar to the one Sweat signed with the Cardinals if he balls out over the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has Phillips ranked No. 36 on his list of the Top 50 NFL free agents in 2026 following the trade deadline.
“Pass rusher Jaelan Phillips showed a high ceiling when he first entered the league with the Miami Dolphins, but injuries have impacted him over the past three seasons,” Knox wrote on November 5. “He’s at least been healthy in 2025. He may increase his stock after getting traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, and he won’t turn 27 until May.”
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