Eagles $80 Million Prediction Would Be Music To Philly Fans' Ears

The Philadelphia Eagles arguably have the best defense in football right now.

Earlier in the season, this wasn't the case. The Eagles' pass rush needed some more firepower and the No. 2 cornerback position was completely up in the air. Adoree' Jackson has stepped up and the Eagles brought in much-needed reinforcements, including Jaelan Phillips. The Eagles acquired Phillips from the Miami Dolphins and he has been everything the team could've hoped for. Phillips has played in eight games and has two sacks, four passes defended, one forced fumble, 28 total tackles, and seven quarterback hits.

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Phillips will enter free agency this upcoming offseason and arguably should be brought back. He's just 26 years old and arguably will be the top edge rusher available in free agency. If he were to leave, the Eagles would have to go back to the drawing board, like they did ahead of the trade deadline.

The Eagles should re-sign Jaelan Phillips

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips (50) walks off the field after win against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Earlier in the week, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox shared a column with contract predictions and landing spots for the top pending free agents. For Phillips, Knox put out an intriguing idea and predicted that Phillips will stick around on a three-year, $80 million extension.

"There's a non-zero chance that Philadelphia Eagles pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips will be the top edge-rusher on the market this spring," Knox wrote. "Acquired from the Miami Dolphins at the trade deadline, Phillips reunited with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and immediately shined.A brief injury scare during Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills has been about the only low point for Phillips since he landed in Philadelphia. The 26-year-old has logged two sacks, four tackles for loss, and 17 quarterback pressures in eight games with the Eagles this season. His combination of age, production, and draft pedigree—he was the 18th overall pick in 2021—could make him more attractive to certain teams than bigger names like Khalil Mack and Trey Hendrickson.

"With $22.2 million in projected cap space, the Eagles may not seriously consider using the franchise tag on Phillips—the 2025 tag value for linebackers was $25.5 million. However, Philly should make an aggressive push to re-sign the Miami product on a multi-year deal before or during free agency...Prediction: Phillips signs a three-year, $80 million extension with Philadelphia."

The idea of Phillips staying makes sense. He's been everything the team could've asked for and is young. What seems a bit off is the $80 million projection. In comparison, last offseason, former Eagles pass rusher got a four-year, $76.4 million deal from the Arizona Cardinals. Chase Young got a three-year, $51 million deal from the New Orleans Saints. They were two of the top pass rushers available in free agency. Neither was able to reach $80 million. Phillips will get paid well -- and it should be from the Eagles -- but the projection seems a bit high. But, still, the idea is good. The Eagles should be all over a new deal with Phillips.

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