Eagles Trying to Run It Back With Explosive Edge Rusher

The Philadelphia Eagles' pass rush could use the 26-year-old in 2026.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There certainly has been a lot of buzz around the Philadelphia Eagles over the last week or so throughout the 2026 National Football League Scouting Combine.

Most, naturally, has centered around superstar receiver AJ Brown and the various trade rumors around him. But, let's take a quick pause from the Brown chatter. March is here and that means free agency is quickly approaching. It will kick off on March 9. When it comes to the Eagles, the guy to watch over the next week before free agency is going to be edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.

If Phillips reaches the open market, he's going to be a hot commodity. One thing that has been clear throughout the offseason so far based on the reports out there is that the Eagles are interested in keeping Phillips. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted on Sunday that Philadelphia will "attempt" to re-sign Phillips.

The Eagles would be wise to keep 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

"The Eagles could look in-house for free agent splashes," Fowler wrote. "They will attempt to re-sign Jaelan Phillips, who proved an ideal fit for the defense. They could also extend the contracts of defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter."

Phillips has made it clear that he's open to sticking around.

"It's my first experience with it so I'm not really sure how it plays out," Phillips said. "But we'll see. We'll see what happens...Obviously, I've got a family now and a kid on the way and sort of think about that. But, also, you know I want to be on a competitive team and part of an environment where I love the guys I'm around and love the organization I'm playing for. I feel that here. So, we'll see."

If the Eagles really want him, the best-case scenario would be getting a deal done over the next few days before free agency opens up. If Phillips does end up reaching the open market, then the Eagles will surely have significant competition for his services, which would drive the price tag up. For the Eagles' sake, they should be preparing a full-court press right now before that can become the case.