First Wave Of Free Agency Leaves Priority Unanswered

The Eagles were outbid by Jaelan Phillips and Trey Hendrickson, leaving a significant hold on the edge.

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. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles entered free agency with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips as their top in-house priority, only to be outbid by the Carolina Panthers' massive four-year, $120 million offer.

That leaves the franchise's biggest need unanswered heading into the spring and the NFL Draft.

Once Phillips headed to Charlotte, the Eagles pivoted to veteran Trey Hendrickson, who ultimately signed with the Baltimore Ravens for four years and $112 million after the Ravens abandoned their pursuit of Maxx Crosby.

Philadelphia was reportedly willing to go as high as $25 million AAV before walking away from both players. The only other known commodity on the market is Minnesota's Jonathan Greenard, who is seeking more money and is available via trade because the Vikings are too cap-strapped to restructure his deal.

There has been significant league-wide interest in Greenard, with the asking price reportedly a Day 2 pick plus the need to get him into the $25 million AAV range.

The Eagles did manage to bring in former Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie on a one-year deal that could be worth as much as $7.3 million.

While Ebiketie, a Penn State product (via Temple), still has upside to unlock, he is hardly an adequate replacement for elite talents like Phillips, Hendrickson, or Greenard.

What's missing for the Eagles is the true centerpiece that allows the rest of the edge rotation to fall into place.

That dynamic unveiled itself in the second half of last season, when Phillips was acquired from Miami and enabled Nolan Smith to serve as a meaningful complement on the opposite side, with Jalyx Hunt providing quality rotational snaps as the top backup end.

At this stage, the gap might best be addressed in the draft.

There are dual challenges with sentiment, however. 

First, the Eagles have gone defense-heavy in recent years and haven't selected an offensive player in the first round since DeVonta Smith in 2021. Their last second-round offensive pick was Cam Jurgens in 2022. GM Howie Roseman indicated back in February that this trend needs to change.

Draft Fits?

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk (DL38) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Furthermore, the top immediate-impact edge prospects who might fit Philadelphia in the 2026 draft class—such as Texas Tech's David Bailey, Ohio State's Arvell Reese, and Auburn's Keldric Faulk—are expected to be long gone by No. 23 overall.

Others, like Clemson's T.J. Parker, Texas A&M's Cashius Howell, and Missouri's Zion Young, are probably better suited as No. 3 options behind Smith and Hunt as rookies—hardly a projected rotation that screams immediate contender status.

Perhaps the lesson here is that a true difference-making presence on the edge is worth a slight overpay.