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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 16: Jaelan Phillips #50 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts to a defensive stop during the second half of a game against the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field on November 16, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense could be in for a significant shakeup this offseason.
On Tuesday, as Sports Illustrated noted, CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles released his annual ranking of the NFL’s top pending free agents.
Two of the Eagles’ most important defensive contributors landed near the top of the list.
Pereles projected edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (No. 4 overall) and linebacker Nakobe Dean (No. 33) to both land with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
“Tennessee has the most effective cap space in the NFL, and they use that to their advantage here.”
Pereles wrote of Phillips, noting his high pressure rate despite modest sack totals.
On Dean, Pereles added that new Titans head coach Robert Saleh “will want a strong presence in the middle of his defense.”
He projects Dean as a core piece of a rebuilding unit.
The Titans currently sit on more than $93 million in effective cap space, per Over The Cap, and are widely expected to be aggressive under Saleh after a 3-14 season, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
For Philadelphia, losing either defender would sting.
Losing BOTH would be a brutal outcome for a team that remains firmly in its Super Bowl window.
Breaking down the Eagles’ free agents in 2026
Dean and Phillips headline a long list of difficult defensive decisions for general manager Howie Roseman.
At just 25, Dean returned from a torn patellar tendon midway through the season and quickly reestablished himself as a difference-maker at linebacker.
He finished with 61 tackles and four sacks in just 11 games.
Meanwhile, Phillips was acquired via trade on an expiring deal and was immediately a force for the Eagles’ pass rush.
On third downs, Phillips generated a 27.5% pressure rate, the highest among all NFL edge rushers.
Additionally, safety Reed Blankenship, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, and multiple edge rushers, including Brandon Graham, Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo, are all free agents as well.
Roseman has acknowledged the challenge ahead.
“We have a lot of good players who are free agents after this year,” Roseman said earlier this season.
With looming financial decisions ahead, including a potential Jalen Carter extension, keeping every piece of their defense is not realistic.
Eagles Recent Defensive Success
Philadelphia’s 2025 defensive performance offers a strong argument for continuity.
The Eagles ranked sixth in opponent points per game (19.3), fifth in opponent points per play (0.306), and eighth in opponent yards per play (5.0).
They also ranked third in opponent fourth-down conversion rate and held opponents to just over two touchdowns per game.
That makes the prospect of losing two foundational defenders to a rebuilding AFC team especially painful, especially with lingering concerns on the offensive side of the ball.
The Eagles’ 2025 season featured multiple wins carried by their defense.
They beat the Packers, Lions, and Bills all in games where the offense scored 16 points or fewer.
As of now, the biggest decision the Eagles have to make is hiring an offensive coordinator.
After that, their free agent decisions, particularly which key defensive players they bring back, will loom large.
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