Eagles Should Avoid Going All-In on Maxx Crosby
Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman isn’t afraid to swing for the fences. The Eagles reportedly made an offer for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons last year and now Philadelphia is being linked to All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby. Yet recent history shows that the Eagles should avoid going all-in on a trade for a veteran edge rusher.
Despite a potential need at the position, the Eagles might want to proceed with caution before trading a first-round pick for a veteran edge rusher in 2026. Entering free agency, Philadelphia is set to have just three edge rushers on the team’s roster: Nolan Smith Jr., Jalyx Hunt and Jose Ramirez.
While Hunt took a massive step forward last season, Smith continued to deal with the aftermath of his triceps injury. The Eagles will also have to make a decision on Smith’s fifth-year option in his rookie contract, which I’d expect the Eagles to exercise by the deadline on May 1st.
Both Hunt and Smith have shown enough promise to build around moving forward, yet many have been clamoring for the Eagles to take a big swing at the position. That’s exactly what Roseman did ahead of last season’s trade deadline, as the Eagles sent a 2026 third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips.
Now Phillips is slated to become an unrestricted free agent following an inconsistent nine-game tenure with the Eagles. While Victor Fangio clearly values Phillips’ skillset, it’s unclear if the veteran defensive coordinator will remain in Philadelphia beyond next season. Therefore, should the Eagles sign Phillips to a long-term contract extension if his biggest advocate might not be there in 2027?
We’ll find out the answer to that question in March, yet there are less risky options available for Philadelphia. For example, the Dolphins have released veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb, who also has experience working with Fangio. Chubb could be more open to signing a one-year deal to join a Super Bowl caliber defense in a scheme that he’s familiar with.
If the Eagles are able to re-sign Phillips or potentially sign Chubb, it’s worth noting that neither player would impact the compensatory pick formula for Philadelphia. That’s especially notable given that players such as Reed Blankenship, Nakobe Dean and Phillips (if they don’t return) could net the Eagles multiple compensatory pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Following last season’s disappointing ending, the Eagles should be looking to stockpile draft picks, not trade them away. Roseman mentioned how the Eagles have drafted well on defense in recent years and will now have to sign those players to contract extensions. Players such as Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Smith can sign new deals this offseason, while Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean will also be eligible in the coming years.
In theory, that means that Philadelphia will now have to get cheaper on the offensive side of the ball. The easiest way to do so is by drafting well, similar to what the Eagles did several years ago when they landed Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens over a three-year span. If Philadelphia trades away at least one first-round pick for a veteran player, that would handicap their ability to build on a budget.
Which brings me to the reason why I’m against trading for Crosby, the soon-to-be 29-year-old that signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension in 2025. While there is no denying that Crosby is a phenomenal player, it’s fair to wonder how he could feasibly fit in Philadelphia’s future picture given his inflated cap hit.
If the Eagles were to trade for Crosby, they would take on around $30.6 million of his deal in 2026, according to Spotrac. Then his salary of $29.7 million for 2027 would become fully guaranteed on the third league day of the 2026 season. While Philadelphia could potentially restructure Crosby’s contract, that would only further kick the can down the road, similar to what they’ve already done with so many deals.
Given that the Eagles already have so many other young defensive players that they’ll need to sign to contract extensions soon, it’s hard to fit Crosby into this equation. That isn’t even mentioning the trade compensation that it will also require to bring Crosby to Philadelphia, as Las Vegas is reportedly looking for a Micah Parsons-esque return for their All-Pro edge rusher.
The Green Bay Packers traded a 2026 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick and interior defensive lineman Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys for Parsons last year. Given how the Eagles should be stockpiling picks and already traded a 2026 third-round pick for Phillips, I simply can’t see Roseman trading away more draft picks for Crosby.
In fact, a majority of recent history shows that trading at least one first-round pick for a veteran edge rusher likely isn’t the best idea in the world. Over the last decade, there have been four trades for a veteran edge rusher that have involved at least one first-round pick. Here’s how those trades worked out for the team acquiring the veteran edge rusher in each deal:
On September 1st, 2018, the Bears acquired:
Khalil Mack, EDGE (27)
2020 second-round pick (Cole Kmet, TE)
2020 seventh-round pick (Arlington Hambright, OL)
The Raiders acquired:
2019 first-round pick (Josh Jacobs, RB)
2019 sixth-round pick (#196) [Traded]
2020 first-round pick (Damon Arnette, CB)
2020 third-round pick (Bryan Edwards, WR)
Bears record in games Mack played: 29-24 (0-2 in playoffs)
On April 23rd, 2019, the Chiefs acquired:
Frank Clark, EDGE (26)
2019 third-round pick (Khalen Saunders, IDL)
The Seahawks acquired:
2019 first-round pick (L.J. Collier, EDGE)
2019 third-round pick (#92) [Traded]
2020 second-round pick (#64) [Traded]
Chiefs record in games Clark played: 47-11 (10-2 in playoffs)
On November 1st, 2022, the Dolphins acquired:
Bradley Chubb, EDGE (26)
2025 fifth-round pick (Dante Trader Jr., S)
The Broncos acquired:
Chase Edmonds, RB
2023 first-round pick (#29) [Traded]
2024 fourth-round pick (#121) [Traded]
Dolphins record in games Chubb played: 22-19 (0-1 in playoffs)
On August 28th, 2025, the Packers acquired:
Micah Parsons, EDGE (26)
The Cowboys acquired:
Kenny Clark, IDL
2026 first-round pick (#20)
2027 first-round pick
Packers record in games Parsons played: 9-4-1
While the Chiefs obviously hit a home run with their trade for Clark, Kansas City also immediately won another Super Bowl after he left. Therefore, it’s fair to wonder how much of the team’s success was due to Clark’s arrival or the fact that Patrick Mahomes is the greatest quarterback of this generation.
The other three teams that have traded at least one first-round pick for a veteran edge rusher failed to win a playoff game after doing so. While Parsons’ season-ending knee injury obviously clouded this exercise, it didn’t exactly seem like the Packers were runaway favorites in the NFC with him healthy either.
In closing, I want to remind everyone that I’ve learned to never say never with Roseman. Yet given all of the reasons and examples above, I find it hard for the Eagles to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal for Crosby this offseason.
Philadelphia’s defense currently remains one of the best in the NFL, while also being built for a sustainable future. Roseman and his staff should be focused on stockpiling draft picks and using those assets to fix the offense this offseason. The Eagles have already revamped the offensive coaching staff, now it’s time to make those same improvements to the roster.