The Philadelphia Eagles had a need in the pass rush and seemingly solved it with the addition of Jaelan Phillips.
Philadelphia acquired Phillips from the Miami Dolphins ahead of the trade deadline and he’s been great for the Eagles. The 26-year-old has played four games for the Eagles and has one sack, one pass defended, one fumble recovery, 15 total tackles, and five quarterback hits.
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The Eagles should re-sign Jaelan Phillips
Nov 16, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips (50) reacts after the game against the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Phillips will be a free agent after the season, but he has done well enough in his short stint with the team that it would be hard to see him go. Phillips has quickly gone from being a member of the Dolphins, to an integral piece of a Super Bowl-level defense. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox shared a column pitching one free agent each team should “prioritize” re-signing. Unsurprisingly, Phillips was the guy for the Eagles.
“The Philadelphia Eagles acquired pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips from the Dolphins just before the trade deadline,” Knox wrote. “The 26-year-old wasn’t producing eye-popping numbers in Miami but was finally healthy after missing extended stretches in both 2023 and 2024 due to injuries. Now in Philly, Phillips is proving to be a strong fit for Vic Fangio’s defense. In three games, he has recorded a sack, 10 quarterback pressures, five quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
“In short, Phillips is again playing up to his draft status as a 2021 first-round pick. Howie Roseman would be foolish for letting him test free agency after landing him for a third-round selection.”
This much is obvious. Philadelphia’s pass rush was a legit issue for a time earlier in the season. The Eagles lost Josh Sweat and Milton Williams after the Super Bowl and didn’t find a long-term solution to replace them. Phillips currently is a short-term fix, but is playing well enough to warrant a new contract.
The pass rush very well could be an issue again next season. Phillips is a pending free agent along with Brandon Graham, Azeez Ojulari, Josh Uche, and Nakobe Dean. If the Eagles can give Phillips a new deal, it will give the team the long-term solution they need. If they don’t re-sign him, they will be in a similar position in 2026 as they were earlier in the season.
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