Eagles Trade for EDGE Jaelan Phillips: What Does It Mean?

Surprise! Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is back at it again, as the team has now made three trades over the last week. The Eagles traded their own 2026 third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.

After trading for two cornerbacks, many expected the Eagles to shift their attention to acquiring an edge rusher ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. Phillips is a player that was linked to the Eagles for a while due to his blend of talent, athleticism and experience playing for Vic Fangio in 2023.

Now Phillips and Fangio will be reunited in Philadelphia, where the 26-year-old edge rusher will hope to flourish with the Eagles before becoming a free agent in the offseason. He was on pace to record double-digit sacks under Fangio in 2023 and will look to replicate that success this season.

Here’s a look at how Phillips could fit in Philadelphia’s defense and what might be next for the Eagles.

Jaelan Phillips Should Fit in Seamlessly

The Eagles haven’t had a ton of success with trade deadline deals in recent years. Yet there is a different feeling with Philadelphia’s acquisitions this time around. The Eagles somehow have familiarity with all three players that they have added in 2025.

Michael Carter II was drafted by Joe Douglas with the Jets and coached by Joe Kasper at Duke. Jaire Alexander was coached by Christian Parker with the Packers. Jaelan Phillips was coached by Fangio with the Dolphins.

While it’s easy to worry about an acclimation period after trading for a player, the Eagles have the pieces in place to speed that process up in 2025. Phillips played in Fangio’s defense before and should be able to fit in seamlessly.

Phillips recorded 6.5 sacks and an interception in just eight games under Fangio in 2023. The Eagles rotate edge rushers rather frequently, which should allow Phillips to make an immediate impact.

The obvious concern with Phillips is his lengthy injury history. Yet he has moved better and better with each passing week this season and the Eagles are likely hoping that they acquired him at his physical peak.

If Phillips stays healthy and excels in Philadelphia, he will likely be priced out of their range in free agency, which could net the Eagles a compensatory pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. If he suffers an injury, Philadelphia could potentially re-sign him to a low-risk, high-reward deal.

Philadelphia’s New-Look Pass Rush

Za’Darius Smith retired on October 13th, yet he still somehow leads Philadelphia’s edge rushers with 1.5 sacks this season. Yet following the bye week, the Eagles will have a new-look pass rush.

Not only did Roseman acquire Phillips ahead of the trade deadline, Philadelphia will also likely activate Nolan Smith Jr. and Brandon Graham ahead of their Week 10 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. All three players will look to add a much-needed boost on the edge for the Eagles.

Here’s a look at Philadelphia’s new-look pass rush:

• Nolan Smith Jr.

• Jalyx Hunt

• Jaelan Phillips

• Joshua Uche

• Brandon Graham

• Patrick Johnson

After placing Azeez Ojulari on injured reserve, the Eagles will likely have six edge rushers on the 53-man roster. Yet it’s worth noting that Jihaad Campbell has also played 116 snaps on the edge, according to Pro Football Focus.

Following the return of Nakobe Dean, Campbell’s role has changed and he saw his snap total reduced significantly in Week 8. Yet the addition of three edge rushers should allow Campbell to play primarily at inside linebacker.

Regardless of where Campbell plays moving forward, Fangio is now armed with a ton of weapons on the edge. It’s going to be interesting to see how Fangio utilizes all six edge rushers, although another move could be coming.

Eagles Must Make More Moves

Following their last three trades, the Eagles currently have 52 players on the 53-man roster. Yet Philadelphia could bring back three players ahead of their next game against the Packers in Smith, Graham and Jakorian Bennett.

If the Eagles are going to activate all three players, they’ll have to move on from two players on their current 53-man roster. Luckily, the trade deadline is on Tuesday and Roseman still has time to make another deal or two.

A.J. Dillon, Adoree’ Jackson, Kelee Ringo and Patrick Johnson all standout as players that could be moved ahead of the trade deadline. Dillon has been demoted to RB4 in recent weeks and could provide value to a running back needy team such as the New England Patriots.

Jackson and Ringo have struggled at times and could be on the outside looking in if Alexander or Bennett leap ahead of them on the depth chart. Although Ringo could be too valuable to Philadelphia’s special teams unit to actually trade.

Jackson is another special teams contributor, yet the Eagles might not want to keep six edge rushers on the 53-man roster. He was claimed by the Giants when waived last season and with enough edge rushers banged up around the NFL, maybe the Eagles could trade him for a late day three pick or pick swap.